It’s easy to forget just how much goes into our ability to flip a switch and have light illuminate our homes.

But Alpena Community College hasn’t forgotten.

That’s why the school launched a program to train people to take care of an important part of our utility system: Keeping utility lines clear of tree limbs and other debris that could come down in a storm and interrupt power.

As News intern Michael Gonzalez reported recently, ACC obtained a grant through Michigan Works! to launch the new utility arborist program, which gives students hands-on training in the exact kinds of scenarios they’d face in the field.

Those who complete the program can enter the field with a leg up over others who come in at an entry level without the training.

One student told Gonzalez the program showed “The trades are alive again.”

To us, the program shows ACC is doing exactly what a community college ought to do: Seeing a workforce need and developing a program to train people to fulfill that need.

We’re glad to see the new program up and running and say ACC made a smart move by launching it.