Apprenticeships
"There are lots of training opportunities here. I have had three different apprenticeships.
You can't do that other places. I am proud to say that I work at EWEB and appreciate
the opportunities I have been given here."
Rick McCalligan, Substation Crew Leader
EWEB's apprenticeships offer employment, education and training in state-certified workforce programs.
EWEB has four state-certified electrical trade apprenticeship programs:
- Electric Line Repair
- Electric Meter Repair
- Transformer Technician
- Substation Wireman
Each apprenticeship program takes a minimum of 6,000 hours and three years.
There are six steps to each program. Apprentices will receive incremental
raises approximately every six months until meeting journey level (100 percent average
journeyman wage) at the end of the program.
Program participants are required to give a minimum of 144 hours of related training
for each year of the apprenticeship in addition to their 40 hour work week. This
includes class time (probably weekends), correspondence course work, safety and
first aid training, attending trade seminars and other miscellaneous training as
related to the field of study.
Current estimates indicate a shortage of skilled electrical workers in the industry.
This trend is expected to continue for the next six to ten years, which suggests
a secure job market.
The work is both physically demanding and rewarding. Often electrical workers are
called out to work during extreme weather conditions, during the middle of the night,
and on weekends and holidays. The sacrifice of personal time is compensated through
excellent wages, but many in the trade view the service to their fellow mankind
as the greater reward.
In the past, EWEB has recruited for its apprentices strictly from an internal pool
of employees. However, external applications may be considered when a position is
open. Watch our website for future vacancies. Please note that we cannot accept applications
unless a position is open.
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries Apprenticeship and Training
Division
Northwest Line Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee
Northwest Lineman College
Contact a member of the Eugene/Springfield Joint Apprenticeship
Training Council for further information.