Electrical Line Worker Scholarship

Do you want an exciting and rewarding career?  Would
you like a great salary and benefits? Then electrical
line work may be for you. Line workers are the backbone
of the electric utility industry.

What does a line tech do?
In short, a line worker performs a variety of tasks
related to getting electrical power from the
generation facility to the factory, business and
home. They may be climbing poles or operating
a bucket truck to work on overhead lines 25 to
200 feet above the ground, while the next day
they may be a hundred miles away erecting a
substation or trenching underground
electric cable.

Line techs work outside in all kinds of weather and occasionally, nights, weekends and holidays. Line work has had the reputation of being hazardous, but improved training, equipment and materials have made the job safe.

What kind of wages does an electric line worker earn?
Line techs earn excellent wages.  After graduation from an accredited training program, an apprentice can earn a starting salary of $10 to $18 per hour plus overtime (which can be substantial), and within a few years, a journeyman can earn $19 to $30 per hour plus overtime.  Benefit packages for electrical workers tend to be excellent.

What career opportunities exist for line techs?
WREA members are committed to encouraging men and women to consider career opportunities at Wyoming electric cooperatives.  A career with an electrical cooperative makes it possible for people to live, work, and raise their families in Wyoming

Electrical lines and facilities are maintained, replaced and expanded at an ever increasing rate, creating a strong need for highly trained, qualified workers.  Many experienced line workers are reaching retirement age, creating a need for new apprentices who can look forward to a challenging and rewarding career with excellent advancement opportunities.

The WREA scholarship program
The WREA Line worker Scholarship program is intended to help local people complete an approved regional line worker training program to learn basics of line work, and enable that person to become an apprentice line tech.  The $3,000 scholarship will be paid over the course of the program.

Line worker training programs run 10 months to 2 years and fill up fast.  The scholarship recipient will be notifiied by May 1.  The recipient must then immediately begin the application process to an approved regional line worker training program for enrollment in the fall semester. 

The following offer regionally approved linetech programs:
Bismark State College
Mesa State College
Mitchell Technical Institute
Northeast Community College
Selland College of Applied Technology
Utah Valley State College

Qualification
You must be at least 18 years old, possess a valid driver's license, and maintain a 2.5 grade point average while you are enrolled in the training program.

Along with the scholarship application form, you must also submit a resume detailing your employment experience and education (if you have been in school within the last three years).  Once the application and resume are reviewed you will undergo an interview process much like you would if you were applying for employment.

The Dar Hackworth scholarship program
The Dar Hackworth Scholarship program is intended to help local people complete an approved regional line worker training program to learn basics of line work, and enable that person to become an apprentice line tech. The Dar Hackworth Scholarship was created in memory of Line worker, Dar Hackworth, and is being offered by the WREA Suppliers Group.  The $1,000 scholarship will be paid over the course of the program.
Line worker training programs run 10 months to 2 years and fill up fast.  Candidates must submit applications to WREA Suppliers Group no later than May 31st.  The recipient must then immediately begin the application process to an approved regional line worker training program for enrollment in the fall semester. 

Qualification
You must be at least 18 years old, possess a valid driver's license, and maintain a 2.5 grade point average while you are enrolled in the training program.
Along with the scholarship application form, you must also submit a transcript of grades and two letters of recommendation from a teacher or employer.

WREA Scholarship Application

WREA Scholarship Guidelines

Hackworth Scholarship Application

HackWorth Scholarship Guidelines

Brochure