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Job Description: An apprenticeship is a formal method of training in a skilled occupation or trade. For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with business, visit the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services (OATELS) website. OATELS is the Federal program that administers the National Registered Apprenticeship System (NRAS). It is a consolidation of the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and the new responsibilities of the employer and labor liaison dedicated to building a workforce for the 21st century.

Apprentice powerline installers are paid trainees who are learning to erect and maintain power lines. They learn to erect poles or towers and attach power lines through formal courses and on-the-job training. Apprentice line installers learn to construct the network of power lines which carry electricity from generating plants to customers. They work with a crew using mechanical equipment to erect poles, towers, and lines. They may also be called apprentice line erectors or apprentice line repairers.

Duties: Apprentice powerline installers may perform some or all of the following duties:

• Replace and straighten power poles and attach crossarms, insulators, and auxiliary equipment to poles prior to installation
• Open switches or clamp grounding device to de-energize disturbed or fallen lines to facilitate repairs or to remove electrical hazards
• String wire conductors and cable between erected poles and adjust slack using winch
• Climb poles and remove and install hardware, wires, and other equipment
• Splice, solder, and insulate conductors and wiring to join sections of power line and to connect transformers and electrical accessories
• Cut and peel lead sheath and insulation from defective or newly installed cables prior to splicing
• Splice cables together or to overhead transmission line, customer service line, or street light line
• Install and repair conduits, cables, wires, and auxiliary equipment
• Repair electrical power cables and auxiliary equipment
• Test electric power lines and auxiliary equipment using direct reading and testing instruments to identify cause of disturbances

Working Conditions: Apprentice powerline installers work outdoors in all types of weather. Workers are expected to be agile and capable of performing strenuous work under dangerous conditions. Much of the work requires climbing and working atop poles or structures near high voltage conductors. Some installers perform work from a bucket truck or "cherry picker". They must sometimes work extended hours during storms to restore electrical service to customers.

Educational Requirements: Applicants for apprenticeship must complete high school or the equivalent (G.E.D.). To become an apprentice, applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 25, and must become a member of a labor union. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Trade and Industrial Education Standards, Competency Profiles, and Resource Links online. For additional information on education and training in this field, visit the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee or the Communications Workers of America site online.

Outlook: The estimated number of electrical powerline installers and repairers in Tennessee is 1,760. It is projected there will be an increase of 8 percent in this occupation through the year 2012 with 70 job openings annually. Job opportunities are expected to remain good due primarily to the widespread need for replacing outdated electrical systems and new construction. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.

Salary

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website

For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org

Last updated on: January 23, 2008