When Scott Steffes leavesthis month he anticipates entering a new career that will take him upward of 25 feet above ground.
Prisoners who participate in the tree-trimming program at Vocational Village receive a daily stipend of between 94 cents and $1.31. His release date is Jan. 17. By the following Tuesday he expects to be on the job with one of a number of companies contracted by Detroit-based DTE Energy. An Aug. 29 storm with winds that topped 70 mph downed trees, branches and power lines leaving more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Michigan without power. DTE Energy reported that more than 231,000 of their customers were without power. The previous year, nearly a million utility customers in Michigan lost power during a major storm.
Students in the academy earn a daily stipend of $50 for the first two weeks of career prep curriculum, which then increases to $100 for the remaining five weeks of the program — when they’re taught line clearance, safety, use of tools and machinery, and climbing.As a woodsman, pay starts at $17.50 per hour plus benefits. After two and a half years, when workers reach journeyman status, pay increases to nearly $32 per hour. They also receive benefits.