Any linesman here?

My son is 15 and I'm thinking of career options of something he may like to do. There is a junior college near by that has linesman courses to earn a degree or certificate for it not sure which. I hear its a pretty good program and lots of companies hire from there nation wide. Other than the job being high risk, working with high power electrical lines and paying pretty good I know nothing of the job. If any of you are a linesman or know someone that is care to share your experiences Id like to hear them.

 

I'm not, but it was part of my training in school for the air force and I liked doing it. I know a couple linemen and they work a lot, but make good money. Good job in my opinion.

 

Good money. He just has to be willing to travel. And sometimes waitimg for jobs

 

I'm not a lineman, per say but where I'm at I do line work all the time.
Can be dangerous at times working with voltages like 480, 2300, 4160, 13.8kv, 69kv, so on.. But there are lots of safety precautions and procedures to ensure safety like, using an insulated bucket truck, using a ground to ground the truck if the line faults, lots of paperwork. Personally I don't like doing it here in Houston mainly because 9 months out of the year it's hot as hell. Anywhere else however, I wouldn't mind, pays good, learn a lot, people are friendly. I can answer more questions if you have any.

 

My girlfriends stepdad is a lineman. He makes good money. But the best thing to account for is that many of these lineman/skilled jobs are done by the "babyboomers". So with alot of them starting to retire this decade, Demand for these skilled workers will be high and job security could be established.

 

I'm a lineman and I'd appreciate it if you don't call us "linesmen".

We only work one line at a time lol.


I recommend it and if he loves being outside its the best job in the world. I actually am planning on moving out your way and hopefully working up near Denver or something. Gotta get out of jersey lol.

 

recently after the april 27th 2011 tornados that destroyed parts of the south east. lineman from all over the country were here. when there is a disaster just think of the money your son could be making. getting paid to work 80+ hours a week. talk about bank 1500-2500 dollar checks a week. and im not joking.

 

That's low pay also, since I'm a lineman / electrician, that's about what I make ($2,440 for 80 hours). If you do strictly line work it's a little more.

 

Thanks for the responses. I realized after I posted it was linemen, sorry about that. At the school there is a 5 or so page list of linemen jobs companies are looking to fill. So it seems to be a pretty good job market.

 

Yea as a Journeyman Lineman, you can go anywhere. There is a shortage of Linemen across the country. Pretty much pick a place you want to live and then contact the local utility. Or you can work for the contractors and make some serious money and be able to take off whenever you want.


Have to enjoy heights, being outside, working with big trucks, manual labor.

 

Jlink did you do an apprenticeship program or college type program? I am about to get out of the Marines in a little over a year and want to do a outside linemen apprenticeship program.

 

I am a Transmission lineman for alabama power defently a very rewarding job with great pay if go with the right company with great long term benefits would be ok if my own son decided to follow that path.

 

My dad was a linesman for like 25 yrs. he worked his flippin ass off. he works in the mtns up 285, so he has to work with snowcats, snowmobiles, 4wheelers and even helicopters. He recently got promoted, now hes the linesmans' boss lol. proof that hard work will pay off. Great business to be in, never gonna die thats for sure. but be prepared to work long, tedious hours. but it eventually pays off

 

I'm a lineman at an Airport in MA... if you need info let me know

 

I went through a college program. 2 years, half the week in school, half the week in the training yard. No pay till we graduated and got hired.

What company does he work for? I'm planning on moving out west and I've been thinking Denver would be a cool area. I'd rather be working in the mountains than jersey.

 

my dad works for IREA. His shop is in Conifer covers from tiny town to jefferson and from buffalo creek to i70

 

not a linesman but know what chall talking bout I was a ground hand for a cable company in UT for a year...hardest work I've done besides framing custom homes! Never made it to the bucket and never strong enough to climb but the spanner machine was the coolest! Don't think that's what you call it...the cylinder thing that you pull down the base line and it wraps the steel wire around and around...."PULL" the boss used to yell at me all day!

 

.... The pulling machine?