Education · 1 of 4
The path
A paid apprenticeship, usually with a utility or a line contractor. About 8,000 hours.
- 1
High school diploma
Grade 12
Grade 12 math and physics. A driver's licence is a must, and most employers want a DZ (truck with air brakes) licence before you start.
- 2
College program (recommended)
1 to 2 years
A college certificate or diploma such as Conestoga College's two-year Powerline Technician diploma in Ontario. You learn to climb poles and work aloft before anyone hires you. Utilities recruit from these programs.
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Get hired and registered
Months to a year of applying
Hydro One, local utilities and line contractors hire apprentices in intakes. Register with Skilled Trades Ontario or your provincial trades authority.
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Work and study
4 years
About 8,000 hours in Ontario (7,680 on the job plus 320 in class). Climb, rig, splice and string line under a journeyperson. In-school blocks cover electrical theory, line design and live-line work.
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Certificate of Qualification and Red Seal
After your hours
Pass the provincial exam and the interprovincial Red Seal exam.