Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

Also Called:

Electrical Lineman,

Lineworker,

Power Lineman,

Service Man

What they do: Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.

What do they typically do on the job?

  • Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and erecting barriers around work areas.
  • Drive vehicles equipped with tools and materials to job sites.
  • Open switches or attach grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines or to facilitate repairs.

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

Interests

Career interests describe the perspectives and interests of people who enjoy the type of work involved in this career.

Discover what your interests are by taking the Interest Profiler Quiz

Knowledge

People who want to pursue this career have knowledge in these areas.

Engineering and Technology
  • Building and construction

  • Mechanical

Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Education and Training
  • Teaching and course design

Safety and Government
  • Public safety and security

Abilities

Whether you have received formal training or not, these types of abilities are helpful in this career.

Hand and Finger Use
  • Keep your arm or hand steady

  • Hold or move items with your hands

Controlled Movement
  • Use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

  • Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Ideas and Logic
  • Notice when problems happen

  • Use rules to solve problems

Endurance
  • Exercise for a long time without getting out of breath

Skills

People who want to pursue this career have skills in these areas.

Basic Skills
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one

Work Values

Work values describe how your core beliefs align with those commonly needed for this career.

Support

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Independence

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Working Conditions

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

1. Do some research
  • Identify how your interests, values, and strengths match this occupation
  • Talk to someone who works in this field or spend a day job shadowing
  • Use the colleges and training directory to explore programs related to this career
2. Plan your next move
  • Talk to your college and career counselor or school admissions staff
  • Connect with a career advisor or mentor
  • Visit Idaho Launch
  • Search for available Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers jobs on Idaho Works

Data for NSI career cards comes from the following: Idaho Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, MyNextMove, and Career OneStop