Journeyman Lineman Job Description
More than 113,000 Americans worked as installers of electric power lines as of 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among these installers are professionals known as journeyman linemen. These individuals have completed formal apprenticeship programs sponsored by the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. As fully trained workers, journeyman linemen perform advanced skills on job sites and often enjoy higher rates of pay than trainees.
Other People Are Reading
-
Types of Duties
-
Journeyman linemen work outdoors installing transformers and wires necessary to transmit electricity from power stations to homes and businesses. Linemen also install the insulators around the wires and may install traffic signals that hang along power lines. In addition to installation, linemen perform routine maintenance and complete repairs as necessary. Linemen with journeyman status often mentor and train new employees on job sites. They may also have supervisors responsibilities, such as delegating tasks and ensuring that fellow workers adhere to federal and other government safety regulations.
Features
-
Journeyman linemen work outdoors in all kinds of weather, exposing them to extreme temperatures. They work high off the ground, making them at risk for falls, and working with wires can cause burns and electric shocks. In emergency situations, journeyman linemen may receive calls to come to work during evenings, overnight or on weekends or holidays in order to perform unexpected repairs. Manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination and arm steadiness and strength are integral to the work of linemen. While completing their work, journeyman linemen rely on tools like benders, drills, saws, voltage meters and cable cutters.
-
Training
-
To qualify for admission to a National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee apprenticeship program, applicants must be 18 years of age or older, have a high school diploma that includes one year of high school-level algebra. Applicants must also pass a drug screening test and a written aptitude exam. Once admitted, apprentices receive both on-the-job training and classroom-based instruction in electrical science. The length of the apprenticeship varies, but typically requires three to five years of work. At the completion of the apprenticeship, students receive their journeyman lineman certificates.
Compensation
-
Journeyman linemen earned an average of $25.28 to $33.94 per hour, according to Payscale reporting as of December 2010. Based on a 40-hour work week, this equates to roughly $52,582 to $70,595 per year. During the first one to four years of their work, journeyman linemen received median hourly wages of $19.00, an amount that rose to $30.96 with five to nine years experience. Some linemen pay membership dues to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a labor union that negotiates rates of pay and benefits packages on their behalf.
-
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Line Installers
- Occupational Information Network: Summary Report for 49-9051.00 - Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairer
- National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committe: Apprenticeship Training
- National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committe: Outside Lineman Apprenticeship Training
- Payscale: Certification Journeyman Lineman
- Payscale: Employees with a Journeyman Lineman Certification Median Hourly Rate by Years Experience
