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Old 02-19-2018, 08:50 AM
 
Location: Sioux Falls, SD area
4,861 posts, read 6,927,783 times
Reputation: 10180

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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanBev View Post
I was a lineman for Bell before power equipment,50's,this post hard to believe.I guess still some needed for electric??

A power lineman is a very much in demand job and pay around where I'm at (especially starting pay) is real good. Rest assured, 95% of the work is being done on a cherry picker, but the lineman still has to get up there and know what to do. There's very little buried electrical in rural parts of the country. When weather disasters strike and we're all hunkered down toasty warm, these guys are out in the elements trying to get our electrical grids up and working.


When Mike Rowe was doing his Dirty Jobs show, this occupation should have been one of them highlighted.
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Old 02-19-2018, 09:24 AM
 
997 posts, read 850,471 times
Reputation: 826
You will want to go union for sure. The training, safety, pay and benefits are all superior no matter where you work. Plus once your a journeyman you can pick up and work wherever you want. I would suggest trying to get into a MAJOR utility or go thru an IBEW local union where they send you to a training program. I came up thru commonwealth Edison in Chicago. It was very tough, high wash out rate. They didn't let you out of the training yard for 3 months. Everything was in your hooks, all day. Setting poles, transformers with rope blocks, drilling all holes and other a brace and bit, pulling up cross arms by yourself, climbing an 80' pole weekly! We went back to the training yard for a few weeks a year to learn rubber gloving, 3 phase transformer banks, hotsticking and HV/EHV (high voltage) tramission work off towers. The contractor training (ALBAT) is less demanding, (but once out, you work very hard) you climb poles for 3 weeks and practice knots, then you become an apprentice and got to school on Saturday's (once a month) to take tests and learn ohms law, transformer banks, etc.. from my experience, most of the guys that attend albat make it thru the 3 weeks(unlike the utility). it's tough work no matter which route you take (I've been contracting the past 13 years), the contractors can be a rough bunch (I love them though) , the utility hands a little more family oriented. Rural electric co op's and municipals usually pay less with inferior benefits (even with vacation and holidays).
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Old 02-19-2018, 09:30 AM
 
672 posts, read 443,051 times
Reputation: 1484
I worked as a lineman around the south in the 80's and 90's. Then tramped around the country a bit and the best job I ever found was with these people. Apprenticeship Program
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Old 02-21-2018, 05:53 AM
 
Location: Minnysoda
10,659 posts, read 10,727,332 times
Reputation: 6745
Sheesh! Does anyone posting actually work for a Utility in Iowa or Minnesota? Has anyone even climbed a pole ????
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Old 02-21-2018, 06:32 AM
 
Location: Sioux Falls, SD area
4,861 posts, read 6,927,783 times
Reputation: 10180
Quote:
Originally Posted by my54ford View Post
Sheesh! Does anyone posting actually work for a Utility in Iowa or Minnesota? Has anyone even climbed a pole ????

I have grown up under power lines.
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Old 02-21-2018, 12:31 PM
 
Location: Boydton, VA
4,602 posts, read 6,364,058 times
Reputation: 10586
"Has anyone even climbed a pole ????"....yes, my favorite was a class 9 pole.

Regards
Gemstone1
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Old 02-21-2018, 03:09 PM
 
135 posts, read 226,053 times
Reputation: 195
Gentlemen,

Thank you for the advice. Jmgg, I really appreciate the link you posted, it was very very informative. As of now, my plan is to hopefully attend https://lineman.edu/ at the campus located in Denton TX. If my plans and the planets align I will hopefully be starting the first week in January while on terminal leave in the military. The campus is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of where I live now so the family can stay where we are (i'll commute) at and finish the school year before hopefully moving back home to Iowa. My only concern is how much traveling the job entails. After 21 years we are ready to settle down and I would like to be home as much as possible.

Aaron
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Old 02-21-2018, 05:04 PM
 
997 posts, read 850,471 times
Reputation: 826
Quote:
Originally Posted by 22crew View Post
Gentlemen,

Thank you for the advice. Jmgg, I really appreciate the link you posted, it was very very informative. As of now, my plan is to hopefully attend https://lineman.edu/ at the campus located in Denton TX. If my plans and the planets align I will hopefully be starting the first week in January while on terminal leave in the military. The campus is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of where I live now so the family can stay where we are (i'll commute) at and finish the school year before hopefully moving back home to Iowa. My only concern is how much traveling the job entails. After 21 years we are ready to settle down and I would like to be home as much as possible.

Aaron
Save your money. None of those schools will get you any certificate (meaningful one). While they may (and this a a HUGE maybe) get you in the door somewhere for an interview, you will still need to go thru the formal training that will make you a lineman. You might as well do it right away by applying to a utility or trying to go thru a local IBEW union. All the training will be free!
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Old 02-22-2018, 06:47 AM
 
135 posts, read 226,053 times
Reputation: 195
Liledgy,

Thank you for your advice. A very hard decision to make. In my particular situation I would be able to attend the schooling while still getting my full military pay, and I don't know if it would be worthwhile getting on with a union or utility company just to move six months later. My GI Bill would pay for the school, and I could get crane certified as well if I wanted to. I guess I see the school as an opportunity to at least learn something prior to just walking into a union/utility company not knowing a thing.

Just a lot to think about/figure out after retirement from the military. An exciting yet terrifying experience.

Aaron
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Old 02-22-2018, 08:18 AM
 
Location: Minnysoda
10,659 posts, read 10,727,332 times
Reputation: 6745
Quote:
Originally Posted by 22crew View Post
Liledgy,

Thank you for your advice. A very hard decision to make. In my particular situation I would be able to attend the schooling while still getting my full military pay, and I don't know if it would be worthwhile getting on with a union or utility company just to move six months later. My GI Bill would pay for the school, and I could get crane certified as well if I wanted to. I guess I see the school as an opportunity to at least learn something prior to just walking into a union/utility company not knowing a thing.

Just a lot to think about/figure out after retirement from the military. An exciting yet terrifying experience.

Aaron
Here's a list of lineman schools in the upper Midwest. Get one done, I'm looking for linemen now including apprentices and I know a number of other Utility Managers looking as well....http://www.mrea.org/journey-lineworker-certification/

Last edited by my54ford; 02-22-2018 at 08:56 AM..
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