MITCHELL, South Dakota (KELO) — A Mitchell Institute of Technology graduate is the fourth person in his family to graduate from the school’s power line construction program.
Earlier today, Ty Koss walked across the stage at the world’s only Corn Palace in Mitchell after completing a power line construction program. However, he is not the first in his family to receive this honor. His siblings and father all graduated from his MTC in the past 23 years.
“After watching my dad and brothers do the same thing they did, they loved it and still love it, so I thought I’d follow in their footsteps,” Ty said.・Cos said.
Tate Koss is the oldest brother and graduated in 2018. He says he knew he was going to MTC when he was in high school.
“Do you have that age-old question of what are you going to do with the rest of your life? I talked to my dad and thought about what I wanted to do. It wasn’t an office job, it was a daily He said it was something different. And I’m not an office guy. So where are you going? And I decided to come here because I knew it was a great school. ” Tate Koss said.
Next up is Cole Coss, a 2022 graduate. He says he went to MTC because of his father’s influence.
“I grew up watching him do that job, so I watched what he did every day, and he enjoyed it. So. That’s what I I decided that was what I wanted to do,” Cole Koss said.
Their father, Kevin Coss, who graduated in 2001, said he never forced his sons to follow in his footsteps.
“I’m very proud. But in our industry, it’s also a little scary. It’s all about safety. And you’re worried about your kids, especially the kids. Of your co-workers. You worry about things like that,” Kevin Koss said.
Mike Puetz is MTC’s transmission line construction program director and has taught all four members of the Koss family.
“When I first realized that the first person had passed, then the second, and then the third, it was a shock in a way. “I realized that,” Mike Puetz said.
Cole says he’s proud of Ty for following in his family’s footsteps.
“We have to continue the tradition,” Cole Koss said.
Tai says he already has a job lined up at Prema in Alliance, Nebraska.
