HOME : Lineman (Mountain States Line Constructors)
Nature of Work
Power linemen construct and maintain network power lines which transmit high voltage
electricity from generating plants to substations and to consumers. They install, repair
and maintain cross-country high voltage systems. They transport and set poles and towers,
replace and splice broken wires and cables,
install and replace insulators, transformers,
cross arms, and guy wires. They use special
equipment to work on “live lines” without interrupting service.
Entrance Requirements
Age: Minimum age 18 years.
Health: Health and physique to
perform the duties of the trade;
record of physical examination
is required on request.
Aptitude: Qualifying grade on the industry aptitude test.
Education: High School Graduation or equivalent (GED). Submit to Apprenticeship Committee a transcript of high school courses and grades and/or GED results.
Term of Apprenticeship
Length of training: At least 7,000 hours over a minimum period of 3 1⁄2 years.
Related classroom instruction: 576 hours or
144 hours per year; conducted in a classroom,
home study and training yards.
Probationary period: First 2,000 hours.
Credit for previous experience: Joint Apprenticeship Committee may grant credit. Documentation of actual work experience as a lineman or line apprentice is required.
Working Conditions
All regular lineman work is done outside, some
at considerable height above the ground. Much
preliminary work is done at the job site, which
is usually in the open country, often in remote
areas. Linemen work by rigid safety standards,
on live high voltage lines. There is a possibility of electrical shock, cuts, burns and falls.
The lineman program covers a five-state area –
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. The apprentice may be transferred
throughout this district with
short notice. Generally work is
a forty-hour week. Seasonal in
nature, periodic layoffs are possibility.
Wages
Apprentices are paid a percentage of the journeyman wage
scale beginning at 65% with the
advancement schedule for satisfactory work:
1st 1000 hours: 65%
2nd 1000 hours: 75%
3rd 1000 hours: 78%
4th 1000 hours: 81%
5th 1000 hours: 84%
6th 1000 hours: 87%
7th 1000 hours: 90%
Current journeyman wage rates range upward from $25.00 per hour.
Special Characteristics
Knowledge and abilities: Mechanical and
mathematical aptitude, ability to plan work sequence and organize work program, form perception, color discrimination, manual dexterity
and muscular coordination.
Interests: Working with hand/power tools, and electricity; mechanically inclined.
Temperament: Stable, dependable, cooperative, like activity, well-controlled.
Physical capacities: Physical agility, coordination, like to work in high places.
Tools Used
Lineman's hand tools |
Climbing spikes and belts |
Heavily insulated tools |
Hard hats |
"Hot sticks" |
Safety slings |
Safety belts |
Ropes |
Pulleys |
Note: Powerline apprentices must furnish
themselves with related instruction |
||
Suggested High School Subjects
Mathematics |
Blueprint reading |
Mechanical drawing |
Basic Communication |
Construction and Electric |
Vocational shop courses |
Potential for Advancement
Apprentice: Evaluated each six months for advancement in wages and training.
Journeyman: Become foremen, job superintendents, labor leaders, power line estimators,
contractors.
Employment Outlook
With increasing demands for electrical service
and the natural turnover of linemen, there is
need for new apprentices each year. Check
with program sponsors for current openings.
How to Apply
Upon receipt of a written request to Mountain
States Line Constructors Apprenticeship and
Training, you will receive an application. Requests may also be transmitted via e-mail. Visit
our web page for more information and to fill
out and send the request.
After the minimum requirements are met, you will have a personal, oral interview. Each applicant is ranked after the interview and slotted into an existing pool. Applicants are sent out by top score on down and may be placed anywhere. You are placed in the pool for a period of two years. During which time, you may be indentured. If you are not indentured during the two-year period, you will be removed from the pool.
Applications are usually accepted year round,
and interviews are scheduled periodically
throughout the year.
Completion Procedure
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, the Joint Apprenticeship Committee recommends to the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and also the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry, that a certificate of completion of apprenticeship be issued in recognition as a qualified journeyman. No recommendation will be made until the apprentice has met all requirements for completion. The final exam consists of a written portion and a practical portion.
Program Locations and Additional Information Sources
Mountain States Line Constructors Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
7001 South 900 East, #240
Midvale UT 84047
Phone: 801-562-2929
www.mslcat.org
Montana Department of Labor & Industry
Apprenticeship & Training Program
P.O. Box 1728
Helena MT 59624-1728
Phone: 406-444-4500
wsd.dli.mt.gov/apprenticeship/apprentice.asp
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