The Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship, Training and Safety (HEATS) program held its first in-person graduation program since 2019 this fall at French Lick Resort. Six Decatur County REMC employees were among the graduates.

The program, which started in 1975 as a way to ensure linemen had proper job-related safety training, expanded over the years to include other co-op employees.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 graduating classes never received formal recognition of their accomplishments. That made the 2022 graduation program a three-year celebration of 103 total graduates across four training disciplines representing not only Hoosier Energy but 17 of its 18 member cooperatives.