How to Become a Lineworker

Want to become a lineworker? It usually takes 2-4 years through an apprenticeship or formal training program. This guide breaks down everything you need-from gear and safety to salary and certifications.

If you're not afraid of heights, storms, or high-voltage lines-you might be the kind of person utilities rely on most.

Lineworkers install, repair, and maintain the power grid. When the lights go out, they're the ones climbing poles and stringing wires-often during storms, disasters, or the hottest day of the year.

What Do Lineworkers Do?

Lineworkers (sometimes called linemen or electrical utility workers) keep power flowing across neighborhoods, cities, and entire regions.

They typically:

• Install and repair high-voltage overhead and underground lines
• Respond to power outages and storm damage
• Work with transformers, substations, and utility poles
• Operate bucket trucks, climb poles, and use safety harnesses
• Read blueprints and follow safety protocols

“Lineworkers are first responders for the electric grid. When everyone else runs from a storm, they head into it.” - Brad Fishbein, Skilled Trades Educator

How to Become a Lineworker (5 Steps)

1. Earn your high school diploma or GED
   Basic math, physics, and electrical aptitude are essential.

2. Attend a lineworker training program
   Lasts 6-12 months and covers climbing, safety, and power systems.

3. Apply for a lineworker apprenticeship
   3-4 years of paid training with hands-on electrical grid work.

4. Pass your climbing and safety assessments
   These ensure you're physically ready and know how to work at height.

5. Earn your journeyman lineworker status
   This certifies you as a skilled grid professional with broad job eligibility.

Lineworker Training Options

• Pre-Apprenticeship Line Schools: Great for beginners (NLC, SLTC, VVC, etc.)
• Utility Company Programs: Run by employers like PG&E, Duke Energy, or Oncor
• IBEW Union Apprenticeships: High standards, paid training, and benefits
• Community College Electrical Tech Tracks: Broader education for grid careers

Many employers require a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) and drug testing before starting.

Required Certifications

Certifications vary by employer but often include:

• OSHA 10/30 for Construction Safety
• CPR/First Aid Certification
• Pole Top & Bucket Rescue Training
• NCCER Power Line Worker Certification
• CDL (Class A or B)

Physical fitness and fearlessness at 30-60 feet in the air are just as important as your credentials.

Skills That Make Great Lineworkers

• Physical endurance and balance
• Electrical and mechanical aptitude
• Ability to work under pressure or in extreme conditions
• Teamwork and communication skills
• Strict adherence to safety protocols

Pros & Cons of Being a Lineworker

Pros:

• High pay without a college degree
• Travel and outdoor work opportunities
• Job security with power companies and contractors
• Clear path to journeyman and foreman roles

Cons:

• Dangerous and physically demanding
• Long hours and emergency storm call-outs
• Requires travel and remote work at times

Start Your Lineworker Career

If you're ready to climb poles, ride storms, and keep America's grid alive-there's a power company that needs you.

Power up your future. Become a lineworker.

Lineworker Salary by State