Career Center

The Electrician Apprenticeship program is a formal 4-year program consisting of eight steps of 6 months each. The apprentice must pass an end-of-step review following each 6-month step to remain in this program. Apprentices will be promoted to journeyman after successfully passing the eighth step review.

A successful candidate in the position of an Electrician Apprentice II, under direct supervision of an Journeyman Electrician or Electrician Foreman, performs tasks which typically involve installation and adjustment (Construction) or maintenance and repair (Maintenance) of electrical equipment in Substations. The construction tasks include erection of new facilities or removal of old facilities. The maintenance tasks include routine inspection, modification, troubleshooting, and repair of facilities. Equipment serviced may be electrical, hydraulic, mechanical, pneumatic, and/or electronic.

An Electrician Apprentice II:

• Installs and adjusts (construction) major electrical equipment such as power transformer and gas, oil, or air-insulated power circuit breakers; instrument and station service transformers, disconnect and circuit switches, protective devices, static capacitors, batteries and charges
• Maintains and repairs (maintenance) major electrical equipment in substations. When equipment fails, performs emergency repairs.
• Performs diagnostic testing to inspect parts and equipment.
• Performs work in shops on equipment components including bushings, motors, small power tools, etc. Assembles, installs, and modifies control and relay panels for substations.
• Assembles and erects steel racks and towers to support equipment.
• Installs and changes antennas, reflectors, transmitting or receiving devices, emergency power supplies, and other equipment located in microwave or radio stations.
• Occasionally takes clearances and performs switching to isolate a piece of equipment for repair.
• Conduit and trenches for equipment are installed under the service yard. Cables are pulled through the conduit.
• Completes associated documentation required of the above listed tasks.
• Drives 20-25% of the time in all weather conditions.

Conditions of Employment:

• A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check.
• Become fully knowledgeable of and follow the safety practices of the BPA Accident Prevention Manual.
• Establish a residence in accordance with negotiated requirement, that is within one hour or less commuting time under normal weather and road conditions to the duty station headquarters.
• Possess or obtain a valid commercial drivers' license (CDL) with all endorsements required for operation of substation maintenance and construction equipment from state of residence within the first year of employment and maintain continuously thereafter.
• Possess a U.S. Motor Vehicle Operator Authorization or obtain within 30 days after appointment.
• Become certified on aerial lift equipment or other equipment if assigned to use or operate.
• Take First Aid training to obtain a valid First Aid Card and CPR Card within the first month of employment and maintain continuously thereafter.
• Subject to call for emergency work at any time.
• Participate in all training activities such as training related to hazardous waste handling, oil spill containment and cleanup, and other environmental activities.
• Be able to wear protective apparel such as respirators when required for worker safety.
• In addition to successful evaluation of the final review, the Apprentice must pass the current year's Standard Clearance Certification Examination. Satisfactory completion of the clearance certification examination is a mandatory requirement for graduation to the journeyman level.
• The positions at Ashe (Richland) require unescorted access to a nuclear facility under the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Final employee selection is subject to successfully completing a background investigation, medical and/or psychological evaluation and pre-employment drug and alcohol testing administered by the nuclear facility management.
• This position requires a pre-employment medical exam, at BPA expense, prior to appointment due to the physical requirements of the position.
• After employment, this position may be subject to periodic physical examinations, as prescribed by competent medical authority and at BPA expense, if exposed to health hazards.
• This position requires an initial drug test prior to appointment and random drug or drug and alcohol testing thereafter. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug or drug and alcohol tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.