Pennsylvania Utility Lineman
The electrical utility in Pennsylvania is the largest in the country.
The electrical utility in Pennsylvania is the largest in the country, with 2.1 million customers and more than 3,000 employees.
The company provides electricity to Pennsylvania area homes and businesses, as well as natural gas service to approximately 800,000 customers in western Pennsylvania through its Peoples Gas division.
Requirements to become an apprentice lineman in Pennsylvania include:
Well, you’re probably eager to begin your journey as a Pennsylvania utility lineman. After all, you’ve studied hard for the physical and drug screening so you can prove to the company that you’re ready for the job of a lifetime.
You’ve kept busy with school and after-school activities. You’ve improved yourself by getting better grades and studying harder. Now that your high school diploma or GED is in hand, it’s time to make an impression on your prospective employer. Call it a rite of passage: a pre-employment physical exam, which requires an applicant to lift 100 pounds several times and climb 20 feet up into reachable places on the side of a building (called “climbing”) at least seven times during one day; pass the eye test; take (and pass) the drug test; be able to speak clearly in front of someone from the utility company’s main office via Skype; have enough vision to see over manholes if they are open (in case of falling objects); know how to fill out some paperwork before being tested more thoroughly by certified medical personnel called “trainees” who will evaluate new hires’ aptitude for further training
Once you have been accepted as a lineman apprentice, you will have to finish the following courses and instruction:
- Job Safety and Health
- Power Line Construction
- Power Line Maintenance
- Power Line Safety
- Power Line Structure
- Power Line Stringing
- Power Line Theory and Circuits
- Power Line Transformers
- Power Line Troubleshooting, Aerial and Underground Cables, Grounding, Fuses, Switches, Meters and Relays
When you complete your apprenticeship, as well as all of the required work and class hours, you will be eligible to test for journeyman lineman status.
The journeyman lineman test is more extensive than the apprentice exam. It covers everything that you learned in your apprenticeship and a lot more. If you passed your apprenticeship, you shouldn’t have any trouble passing the journeyman test.
Once you pass this exam, you will be able to work independently as a lineman, as well as install and maintain both overhead and underground utility lines. Some linemen do specialize in one or the other of these areas, but most are skilled at installing and maintaining both types of lines.
You will also be eligible to earn much higher wages once you complete your training and get certified as a journeyman lineman.
In order to be admitted into a lineman training program, you will need to fulfill specific requirements.
In order to be admitted into a lineman training program, you should be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent. You should have a valid driver’s license. You must pass drug tests, and have a clean criminal record. If any of these apply to you, it may be difficult or impossible for you to become a Pennsylvania electrician.
What Does a Power Lineman Do?
As a power lineman, you’ll be responsible for conducting maintenance and repairs of power lines. This can include inspecting and replacing power line equipment to ensure that it’s both safe and capable of meeting the demand needed. You will also inspect service lines, poles and other equipment to check for any damage or issues that need to be resolved.
Additionally, as a lineman you may be required to troubleshoot and repair faults in lines. To do this, you’ll be working with high-voltage equipment and climbing tall poles or towers. You’ll also have to trim trees and bushes from around power lines if they’re interfering with the line’s function. Furthermore, you may have to install new poles, wires or transformers for new customers as well as replace existing wiring if it is damaged or needs upgrading due to increased demand in the area.
In addition to working outside on utility poles or towers, some linemen will also work in substations where electricity is transformed from high voltages into lower voltages that are suitable for home use. In this environment linemen often work inside buildings where they’ll maintain electrical transformers which convert the power coming from generating plants into what consumers use locally.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Power Lineman?
How long it takes to become a journeyman is dependent on many variables. Although three years is the minimum time frame required by law, some apprenticeships may take five years or longer, depending on the apprentice’s experience and location. For example, in Philadelphia, an apprentice lineman must spend four years in training to achieve journeyman status.
Once you’ve completed your formal education and apprenticeship period, you’ll be ready to apply for a job as a lineman with a utility company. In Pennsylvania, there are dozens of power companies that employ linemen, including PPL Electric Utilities Corporation and Duquesne Light Company.
As a power lineman, your yearly salary will depend on your location and experience level.
Your salary as a power lineman varies depending on where you live and how much experience you have. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that electricians in Pennsylvania make an average annual salary of $61,460. Other factors affect your salary, including the need for additional linemen in your area, what level of education you have and whether or not you work overtime. Some companies offer bonuses and benefits packages to their employees that can also increase your income.
According to Payscale, the salary for a journeyman lineman ranges from $33,000-$80,000 per year with an average yearly income of $57,000. Lineman who have completed their apprenticeship earn between $40,000-$90,000 annually with an average annual salary of $67,500 per year.
If you want to work in Pennsylvania’s electrical utility, lineman training is a great path.
One major benefit of becoming a lineman in Pennsylvania is job security. Being an electric utility worker is a very stable career field. You can expect to be employed for as long as you want. Additionally, due to the number of people retiring from this field, there is a high demand for new linemen particularly in Pennsylvania and other states on the east coast.
You can also expect some overtime pay as well. The fact that there are not enough linemen means that those who are employed will have to work more hours when others are sick or go on holiday.
Finally, satisfaction with being a lineman is rated highly by those working in it; as well as the satisfaction of earning good money doing it!