Gavin White is a college intern in the warehouse at Jackson EMC’s office in Jefferson. He recently graduated from Jackson County High School and is enrolled at Lanier Technical College, where he studies electrical utility technology. Gavin has been at Jackson EMC for over two years.
We met with Gavin to get to know him and learn a bit more about his internship.
Q: Who is your favorite music artist?
A: I’d say Riley Green.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
A: Probably Gringos.
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: I really like to hunt!
Q: Where is your favorite place that you have traveled to?
A: I’ve been to Alaska. It was amazing.
Q: How would you describe your role and responsibilities as a co-op student in the warehouse?
A: I do a lot of jobs around the warehouse to help our employees and contractors as well. I stock shelves, do a little bit of cleaning, help load trucks and do paperwork. I recently got my forklift certification, so now I run the forklift sometimes.
Q: How did you find out about this position at Jackson EMC?
A: A buddy of mine at school told me about the position. His internship in the warehouse here at Jackson EMC was ending, so I applied for the position.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your internship?
A: The people. Everyone is so nice here. The guys I work with will do anything for you. I enjoy getting to work with them.
Q: What skills have you developed during your time working in the warehouse that have been most valuable to you?
A: I’ve learned a lot about employee communication and leadership. I communicate with the guys in the warehouse daily, and it would be really hard to do anything without a good line of communication. I also work on tasks by myself, and I’ve had to learn a lot about leadership to do those things.
Q: What do you see yourself doing as a career?
A: I want to be a lineman.
Q: How do you see this internship helping you in your future career aspirations?
A: Just working here and with linemen has allowed me to see that side of the job.
Q: How has your internship influenced your understanding of the energy industry?
A: There is so much more that goes into power than flipping on a light switch. I like learning about what is going on overhead and under the ground. It's been nice to learn about how much goes into it all.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering an internship in the energy sector or with Jackson EMC?
A: If you're wanting to work in energy, a place like Jackson EMC is the perfect place to go. I feel like I’ve learned so much about the energy sector here.