Powerline technicians and cable workers

NOC

72203

- Electrical power line and cable workers

construct, maintain and repair overhead and underground electrical power transmission and distribution systems.

Full NOC Description

Electrical power line and cable workers construct, maintain and repair overhead and underground electrical power transmission and distribution systems. They are employed by electric power generation, transmission and distribution companies, electrical contractors and public utility commissions. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Install, maintain, troubleshoot and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems including overhead and underground power lines and cables, insulators, conductors, lightning arrestors, switches, transformers and other associated equipment

Erect and maintain steel, wood or concrete poles, towers and guy wires

Splice, solder and insulate conductors and related wiring to connect power distribution and transmission networks using splicing tools, related electrical equipment and tools

Inspect and test overhead and underground power lines and cables and auxiliary equipment using electrical test equipment

Climb ladders or operate hydraulic buckets when working aloft on poles and towers, or work in confined spaces such as trenches and tunnels to install power lines and cables and associated equipment

Install and maintain street lighting systems

Communicate with other workers to coordinate the preparation and completion of work assignments.

Also Known As

apprentice lineman/woman - electric power systems
cable installer - electrical power
cable splicer - electrical power
construction lineman/woman - electrical power line
power line patroller

power lineman/woman

powerline technician

Requirements

Employment Requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a provincial three- or four-year lineman/woman apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in electrical technology is usually required for electrical power line and cable workers.

Trade certification for powerline technicians is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Trade certification for powerline technicians (construction) is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Trade certification for distribution construction linemen/women is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick.

Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified powerline technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Provincial Regulation

Provincially Regulated: Yes
Compulsory: No
Red Seal: Yes

Regulation Body

Skilled Trades NB

Employment by Sex

The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

Data legend

0.0%

Female

100.0%

Male

Employment by age

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

Data legend

20.7%

15-24

25.6%

25-34

20.7%

35-44

20.7%

45-54

11.0%

55-64

1.2%

65+

Employment by highest level of education

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

Data legend

0.0%

No Certificate, Diploma or Degree

12.2%

High School, Diploma or Equivalent

36.6%

Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma

45.1%

College or University Below Bachelor Level

6.1%

University - Bachelor Level or Above

Employment by Industry

The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

Data legend

73.2%

Utilities

24.4%

Construction

N/A

2.4%

All Other Industries

Employment by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

Data legend

14.60%

Northeast

19.50%

Southeast

18.30%

Southwest

31.70%

Central

15.90%

Northwest

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Data legend

$108,000

Northeast

$108,000

Southeast

$108,000

Southwest

$108,000

Central

$112,000

Northwest

Economic Regions

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

Occupational Profiles