A variety of apprenticeships are offered throughout the state of Idaho. Apprenticeships are great ways to get the training and education needed for a lifetime career in your trade of choice while also getting paid. Many apprenticeship programs are offered through the local unions for the specified trades and a number of community colleges and adult education centers provide the class instruction required for apprentices to become a journeyman. However, when working directly through colleges, apprentices must find their own employers to complete their required amount of work.
The College of Western Idaho offers a variety of apprenticeship classroom instruction programs. They offer an electrical apprenticeship program which offers 576 hours of classroom instructions. It includes skills required for the trade including theory, math and safety and can prepare anyone for a residential, commercial or industrial electrical job. Instruction is provided one night per week for three hours. In order to complete the program and become a journeyman, apprentices must work 8000 hours under the supervision of a journeyman electrician. After the classroom instruction and on-the-job work experience has been completed, apprentices must pass the Idaho State Journeyman’s exam.
A similar program offered by the College of Western Idaho is the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Apprenticeship Program (HVAC). The requirements are mostly all the same as the electrical apprenticeship with related classroom instruction and on the job training with a requirement to pass a state exam before getting the title of journeyman. Additional programs include the Plumbing Apprenticeship program and the Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship program, both of which have similar classroom, work and exam requirements. Apprentices must obtain their own employers to gain the 8000 hours of required work and must pay for their tuition. However, some employers will pay the tuition costs for the apprentice.
Likewise, other colleges throughout Idaho offer these apprenticeship programs. Anther one is North Idaho College which offers Electrical, Plumbing and Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Apprenticeship programs. Being employed in the trade as an apprentice is not required to register; however, 8000 hours of work are required before an apprentice can take the exam to gain journeyman status.
Lineman
Idaho Power offers a Lineman Apprenticeship program that is completed under the supervision of an experienced journeyman. Apprentices may be expected and will be trained to perform the following duties: stocking line trucks and maintaining tools and equipment, assist in planning jobs to ensure safety and construction standards are followed, and build and maintain distribution overhead and underground or transmission lines and facilities. Apprentices will work with actual working equipment and some lines may be de-energized while others may be fully energized. Apprentices must have completed a line worker training program. One particular one is offered at Northwest Lineman College. However, in addition, apprentices must also attend the company-sponsored Lineman Apprentice Training Program. As a Lineman apprentice for Idaho Power, you can get paid approximately $16 to $17 an hour. After the completion of the program, you will be considered a lineman journeyman.
Address: 1221 W. Idaho St. Boise, ID 83702
Phone: 208-388-2200
Website: www.idahopower.com/Careers/Apprenticeships
Stations Technician
Another apprenticeship program offered by Idaho Power allows you to learn how to be a stations technician. Unlike other apprenticeship programs, this one does not require typical classroom education. Instead, apprentices need only work full time with a journeyman to learn all of the skills required for the trade. The following is a list of duties that apprentices will be trained on and expected to carry out: performing minor or major maintenance or repairs of apparatus, equipment and station facilities, assist with emergency operation of stations and equipment, install and commission substation equipment, move power transformers and regulators and prepare for service, perform maintenance on power transformers and regulators, test station apparatus and assist with switching and operation of station equipment. The only type of classroom style instruction includes mandatory safety training provided by the company.
Electrical
The Eastern Idaho Electrical JATC offers a union electrician apprenticeship. The trade is learned through an experienced journeyman and other education is obtained through classroom instruction. 8000 hours of on-the-job training and work is required along with 900 hours of classroom related training. Apprentices are paid on a percentage scale of a journeyman’s rate. It starts out at 50% of the rate and increases each term by approximately 5%. In addition, union benefits are provided a well as health insurance. Tuition for related classroom instruction is covered by the program; however, the apprentice is responsible for purchasing tools, books and special clothing. The application process to be an apprentice is relatively competitive. There are deadlines that must be followed per quarter and each applicant must pass an aptitude test. Each qualified applicant will then be called for an oral interview. Based on the aptitude test and interview, applicants are ranked on a list and are accepted into the program in the order that they appear on the list.
Apprenticeship Training Center Reviews:
Training Centers in Idaho are exciting as you learn a variety of different skills and experiences. The training is great and there is a fast advancement for anyone willing to go the extra mile. The management is professional. The environment is very friendly and caring. Decent pay and lots of great benefits.
Salary Information – Apprenticeship in Idaho.
The apprentice salaries in Idaho will differ from occupation to occupation. An Electrician’s salary will vary widely from a Carpenter’s salary simply because they are two completely different occupations. Salaries may also differ depending on other important factors such as city, education, experience, certification and additional skills.
Lineman – earns an average of $73,000 per year.
Stations Technician – earns an average of $53,600 annually.
Electrician – earns an average of $45,300 yearly.
As you can see above, the average salary of an apprentice in Idaho varies greatly according to the job, however the average salary ranges between $40,000 and $80,000 per year.
Apprenticeship Program FAQs:
How do I go about getting a copy of my high school transcripts? Applicants must contact their high school registrar’s office and request an official copy to be mailed directly to the office.
What if my driver’s license is from out of state? Your driver’s license does not necessarily have to be from Idaho but it must be valid.
What does an apprentice make per hour? An average pay per hour is $15.
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