Certifiable

This program is registered with the US Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and exceeds their requirement of 144 hours of academic training per year. Should your company wish to utilize the program as the academic component of an apprentice lineman training program, your employees can earn nationally recognized certification upon completion as long as your company is registered with the OA. If your company is already registered with the OA and you are considering using the Lineworker Certification Program to augment or replace existing curriculum, the OA must be notified of the curriculum change.

State Apprenticeship Agencies (or SAA’s) exist in those states that have opted to administer their own apprenticeship programs. SAA’s function in a similar manner to the OA and both the OA and SAA certifications are widely recognized in the power delivery industry.

Ensuring that the training leads to government certification requires the company to register their program with the OA. It is relatively easy to register an apprentice program. Contact the local OA or SAA in your state. Please visit the Department of Labor's website at www.doleta.gov/OA/stateagencies.cfm for OA and SAA contact information. The OA will have your company submit a simple application and draft a set of apprenticeship standards. Once the OA and your company agree upon the standards, apprentices may enroll and begin their formalized training.

The OA also makes allowances for employees who have accumulated time in the trade, but have not been enrolled in a registered program. This is referred to as "granting advanced standing," and the apprentice can be awarded a predetermined number of hours toward their on-job training.

Question: How do my employees obtain their journeyman card once they have completed the program?

Answer: Once an employee finishes the Lineworker Certification Program, they will be issued an official transcript and certificate of completion from Northwest Lineman College. A copy of this information is also sent to the employer for record keeping and OA certification purposes.

Question: My employees are currently enrolled in a registered apprentice program but we would like to switch over to the Lineworker Certification Program. How do program conversions work?

Answer: Companies or individuals who are interested in converting from another program are welcomed. As a general rule, if the individual has been enrolled in another program for more than two years, it is normally prudent to have them complete that program.

If the individual has been enrolled less than two years, conversion to the Lineworker Certification Program is feasible and recommended. If you have an employee who has been enrolled in another program for one year or more, please call us to discuss the conversion.