What goes into an important government job

 Operating and maintaining a dam requires technical aptitude, skills, teamwork—and lots of training. The Army Corps of Engineers provides a rigorous, four-year apprenticeship program that trains college students to work high-demand jobs at hydroelectric plants in the region. The Corps employs mechanics, electricians, operators and other technical experts at three dams on the Savannah River: Hartwell, Richard Russell and J-Strom Thurmond. Trainees are funded by the Federal Student Pathways program, a national effort that offers students and recent graduates internships and other career paths to federal employment.