Become a Powerline Technician
Use your skills to help keep communities powered.
A Powerline Technicians build and maintain overhead and underground electrical systems, powerlines, poles and street lights.
- Comfortable working at heights
- Mechanical aptitude
- Problem-solving skills
- Good coordination
- Physical strength and stamina
- Ability to read drawings and specifications
Nick shares what a typical day looks like, from building and maintaining power lines to responding to outages in all kinds of conditions. He talks about the parts of the job people may not expect, the challenges of working at heights and in changing weather, and why teamwork and safety are critical in this trade.
Nick also walks through how he got started, the different pathways into powerline work and the career opportunities available across transmission, distribution, and system maintenance roles.
- Direct Entry
Start working with a certified journeyperson and begin your apprenticeship right away - no experience needed. Most apprentices spend about 80% of their time on the job and 20% in training. - Pre-Apprenticeship
Take a program at a college or training institution to build foundational skills before starting your apprenticeship. - Trade Experience
If you already have experience – whether in Canada or internationally – you may be able to challenge the trade qualifier exam and become certified.
- Work outdoors in all weather conditions
- Regularly work at heights using poles, towers and aerial lifts
- Work in trenches, underground vaults and small spaces
- Travel to worksites across cities, rural communities and remote locations
- Hazards include high voltage systems, heights, small spaces and extreme weather
- Emergency response and storm restoration may require shift work and extended hours
- Follow safety procedures
*Profile data compiled by Labour, Skills and Immigration – AskLMI@novascotia.ca