Going through Lineman Schools in Georgia to become a lineman can help your career. Although you will have to work the regular eight-hour, five-days-a-week schedules, and on-call shifts, this profession comes with a decent salary.
Linemen also respond to emergencies outside the town limits, to help out neighbouring cities or states where hurricanes or other storms have caused massive power outages.
In this article, we are going to cover everything you need to know about becoming a lineman, the duties, the salary, and more importantly, the best lineman schools in Georgia.
According to Lineman Central, the demand for linemen is expected to climb by 8.5% by the year 2026 according to labour statistics.
It is estimated there will be 21,500 lineman job openings in 2022 alone. Each year over the past five years has seen gradual increases in lineman job openings.
There are three key factors to a spiking demand for qualified linemen for both apprenticeship and journeyman roles:
- Baby Boomers and Generation X Lineman beginning to exit the utility workforce.
- Decreasing enrollment in technical and vocational trade schools across North America.
- Rapidly increasing number of transmission and distribution projects as the government and utilities try to strengthen the grid.
This is good news for the future and more motivation for you to pursue a career as a lineman.
How to Become a Lineman in Georgia
To become a lineman in Georgia the first step is an apprenticeship.
A lineman apprenticeship is an “earn while you learn” program in the sense that it is an entry-level role that is focused on education and training.
Georgia apprenticeships in the line industry can be difficult to enter and having a CDL as well as going to line school can improve your chances in the region.
Some of the lineman schools are also known as pre-apprenticeship programs. In an interview, either with union halls or contractors in Georgia, an aspiring lineman will be expected to articulate why he is interested in the field as well as what sort of relevant experience would translate well.
Most linemen working in Georgia generally have a good outlook on their job, probably because they are heavily compensated for their work.
Now, what is a CDL?
A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a driver’s license required to operate large, heavy, or hazardous material vehicles in commerce.
When applying for a lineman apprenticeship, groundsmen position, or entry-level position in the field, Aspiring lineman exploring their options for apprenticeships and starting points for their career often have questions about getting a CDL.
A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a driver’s license required to operate large, heavy, or hazardous material vehicles in commerce.
When applying for a lineman apprenticeship, groundsmen position, or entry-level position in the field, having a CDL can be a strong differentiation point and in many cases the obvious starting point.
Apprentices quickly learn there will be quite a bit of time before they are in the air and working on the lines.
This means that the ability to contribute to a crew in other ways is critical.
The vehicles that line crews use to navigate to jobs and while working are commercial vehicles, thus the importance of having a CDL.
Having a CDL makes it much easier to be admitted into apprenticeship schools.
Some popular apprenticeship schools include:
How Much Do Linemen Earn in Georgia?
The average salary for a Lineman in Georgia is $55,000 per year.
These insights are exclusive to Mint Salary and are based on 644 tax returns from TurboTax customers who reported this type of occupation.
Lineman salaries in Georgia can vary between $20,000 to $121,000 and depend on various factors, including skills, experience, employer, bonuses, and more.
The List of Lineman Schools in Georgia
- South East Lineman Training Center
- North Georgia Technical College
- Elite Lineman Training School
- Coastal Pines Technical College
- Southeastern Line Constructors
- Georgia Piedmont Technical College
- South Georgia Technical College
- Okefenokee Technical College
Let’s look at these Lineman Schools in Georgia in detail.
# South East Lineman Training Center
- Total Cost of tuition: $18,900
- Course Length: 15 weeks
- School Location: Trenton, Georgia
South East Lineman Training Center is one of the best lineman schools in Georgia. With adequate training and education, they produce one of the most skillful linemen in the US. During the 15-week program, students will be trained in three educational areas: Academic Training, Field Training as well as Certifications & Skills. Student/Teacher ratios during the field.
Qualifications to study to be a lineman or line worker here include
- Must be at least 18 years of age by the beginning date of enrollment.
- Must provide a high school diploma or GED.
- Must possess a valid driver’s license from state in which you reside.
- Must pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical examination and have the physician sign SLTC’s Doctor’s Release Form.
You can click here, to learn more.
# North Georgia Technical College
- Total Cost of tuition: $4,800
- Course Length: 18 weeks
- School Location: Habersham county, Georgia
Unlike, the South East Lineman Training Center, applicants need to have a valid and current Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles Commercial Truck Driver’s License.
The training program include:
- Electrical Lineworker Organization Principles
- Electrical Lineworker Workplace Skills
- Electrical Lineworker Automation Skills
- Electrical Lineworker Occupational Skills
Graduates from this school have a 93% chance of being employed upon graduation.
Learn more here
# Elite Lineman Training School
- Tuition Cost: $15,500
- Course Length: 11 weeks
- School Location: Tunnel Hill, Georgia
The ELITE lineman is an 11 week pre-apprenticeship lineman school that prepares students for a successful line worker career with the necessary skills and knowledge and job offers after graduation.
Visit their website
# Coastal Pines Technical College
School Location: Waycross, Georgia
Coastal Pines Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates of credit.
In addition to common entrance requirements, applicants must possess a valid driver’s license and a CDL Class A permit with general knowledge, air brake, and combination vehicle endorsements.
This is a link to a PDF on their website to get more information.
# Southeastern Line Constructors
Southeastern Line Constructors is located in Southwest suburban Atlanta, Southeastern Line Constructors offer programs where future line workers can earn a paycheck while they navigate the extensive electrical line courses.
The school is one of the Lineman Schools in Georgia that partners with the Southeastern Line Constructor’s Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors’ Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Programs you will find in this institution include:
- Overhead lineman
- Substation technicians
- Signal technicians
# Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Graduates of Georgia Piedmont Technical College‘s Electrical Lineworker Apprenticeship career program earn a certificate, which makes them eligible for an entry-level lineman job.
GPTC’s main campus is located in Clarkston, offering nine learning centres located in DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Morgan counties.
During their training, students practice on equipment that is used in the field in order to develop problem-solving skills and safety techniques.
The 12-credit hour program includes training in electrical lineworker organization, workplace skills and lineman automation skills.
GPTC also boasts of flexible scheduling and a variety of financial aid options for their students.
# Okefenokee Technical College
Okefenokee Technical College offers an electrical lineworker certificate program that equips students with the skills and experiences that are required for entry-level line working.
Okefenokee Technical College is part of the Technical College System of Georgia, a network of over 25 accredited institutes of higher learning.
Their main campus is located at Waycross with a satellite location in Alma.
The 12-credit hour electrical lineman program includes training in lineworker organization, occupational skills and automation skills.
This is one of the lineman schools in Georgia where students must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid drivers license in order to be eligible.
OTC offers career placement services and financial aid packages.
# South Georgia Technical College
South Georgia Technical College is a member of the Technical College System of Georgia, South Georgia Technical College. They offer an electrical lineworker certificate program.
Students who are attending South Georgia Technical College’s southwestern Georgia campuses in Americus or Cordele prepare for entry-level electrical lineworking job.
While taking the program, they are taught a lot about the lineworker workplace and other occupational skills during the 12-credit hour program.
South Georgia Technical College offers financial aid assistance, on-campus housing and a variety of student networking groups.
The Cost of Training to be a Lineman
Tuition for a certificate program at the Lineman Schools in Georgia can run from a few hundred dollars to nearly $15,000 for a quality program.
The cost is usually dependent on the length of schooling and the previous training a student have acquired.
Also, financial aid is often available for tuition.
Apart from the cost of tuition, there are other expenses that come with training for the job of electrical linemen. Costs for climbing and hand tools are a few costs you will run into.
The cost for climbing and hand tools can run upwards of $2,000. Other fees to expect are application, lab, commercial driver’s license and drug test fees.
What does it take to become a lineman?
To become a lineman, training can be completed at a vocational school or community college or through time spent in the military.
These programs typically take a year, however, a two-year college program or advanced training school can provide advanced training, including:
- Cell phone tower repair
- Fiber optics
- Microwave transmission
- Electrical transmission
It typically takes about three years to become a certified and skilled lineman after completing a program and apprenticeship.
Often, an employer will find and fund an apprenticeship for a student who has completed a previous lineman training program.
Wrapping Up
There are lineman schools in Georgia. A quick search on the internet will give you a number of sites. These institutes are guaranteed to provide you with a solid foundation in this field and make you more appealing to employers and other organizations interested in hiring you after graduation.
Becoming a lineman sets you on a decent path in life. It affords you the opportunity to pay the bills and contribute your own quota in the dynamic and changing field of modern technology.