Deep in the central part of the Appalachian Mountains, a series of self-support communications towers are being upgraded, and new towers are slated to be built. It’s tough terrain, but Elevated Services, LLC is one of the companies working on existing tower upgrades and new builds. Crews are using bulldozers and other heavy equipment to help get the materials up the mountains to the tower sites, which are located along old, unmaintained logging roads and UTV trails in the Hatfield-McCoy trail systems.
Elevated Services’s crews are used to these kinds of tough environments. They’re often sought for work at sites in difficult terrain. In 2019 alone, they’ve been called out to the Arctic Circle, Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay, and Beaver Island in Northern Michigan. They’ve traveled by ferries and helicopters to get to work on unnamed roads and mountain ridges. They even built a tower using a Black Hawk helicopter when no other means of stacking it would work. Aaron Paulette has climbed and worked on towers in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico. He and his crew keep taking on challenges. The company is training its primary crew in gin pole construction and has invested in a double drum hoist system and 66′ gin pole.
Elevated Services is celebrating its 8th anniversary this week. Company founders Aaron and Nicole Paulette shared how their company has grown and invested this year.
They identified the biggest change in 2019 was moving the company’s hub. They relocated to a building with an interesting history, having housed many historic businesses in Carrollton, Ohio. The space is now home to the company’s offices, workspaces, and warehouse, leaving a little bit of room to grow. Mrs. Paulette said, “It’s been exciting to move into a new-to-us space with both history and character. We have been busy with our DIY projects, making it exactly as we envision using our employees’ diverse talent. We’re looking forward to using all of the space to continue to grow our company.”
As part of that move, the company also acquired a second building that will become a training facility and a National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) Practical Exam Center. The space currently houses a 20′ tower section used for practical and field training. Mr. Paulette has been a NWSA Practical Examiner since February 2019.
Mr. Paulette serves on NATE’s Safety & Education committee. He’s featured in several of NATE’s #ClimberConnection and #ClimberConversation videos along with other Elevated employees. The Paulettes focus strongly on training and safety, and they invite all employees to attend NATE events.
To further support its commitment to safety, Elevated hosted an all-day, CITCA rigging training course in September. The company invited tower technicians from all local telecom companies. This is just one way the Paulettes work to build a collaborative community in Carroll County and surrounding areas.
They also support and participate in local job fairs. The company attends community hiring events and has a good relationship with Buckeye Career Center in New Philadelphia, Ohio. They collaborate with career services offices at regional community colleges and university branches. Mrs. Paulette worked with Carrollton High School to develop annual “Mock Interviews” for students to learn and practice career readiness and interviewing skills.
The Paulettes are interested in workforce development beyond safety training. They attended NATE’s Washington, D.C. fly-in this summer and met with congress members and staffers about workforce development and economic growth.
Mrs. Paulette also serves on the Member Services committee for NATE and as the Ohio liaison for Wireless Industry Network (WIN). The company was the venue sponsor for the WIN regional conference in October at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
The Paulettes encourage the professional development of their employees. Project coordinator Cindy Benabderrahman is enrolled among Women of NATE (WON)’s first Mentorship Program cohort. Her mentor is Miranda Allen, who serves on the FCC’s Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Job Skills and Training Opportunities Work Group. Through the mentorship, Benabderrahman is improving critical professional skills such as time management and networking. When asked about the company’s growth, Cindy says, “I think that the diverse backgrounds of all of the employees contribute to its success. My background is in Education, and Nicole’s is in Forensic Science. Everyone brings something different to the table, and the result is pretty fantastic.” The employees at Elevated Services have backgrounds in military, bridge restoration, political science, engineering, construction, and welding, among other fields.
Oualid Benabderrahman has worked in the company’s office since he immigrated to the U.S. from Algeria in 2014. He said, “Every day is something completely new, as I started here in a small office with only three computers, and now we have two huge buildings. It’s so different than working in the desert doing the same thing every day.”
Elevated Services accepts applications from drug-free licensed drivers of all experience levels. For information or to apply, visit www.elevatedservices.biz and click on Opportunities or call 330-476-6045.
December 2, 2019
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