Electrical Transmission Workforce Study — Report to the Legislature, Energy Policy Division (January 2025)
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Summary
The Electrical Transmission Workforce Study, a 2025 report to the Legislature by the Energy Policy Division of the Washington State Department of Commerce, fulfilling requirements in 2024 Senate Bill 5950. The study examines three jobs: line workers, line-clearance tree trimmers and substation technicians. It reports a current workforce of about 2,350 line workers, 280 substation technicians and 370 tree trimmers, and estimates that meeting clean-energy goals would require approximately 1,550 additional line workers, 320 more substation technicians and 240 more tree trimmers. It describes challenges including retirements, worker travel and lower pay for tree trimmers, and summarizes nine recommendation categories developed with an Electrical Transmission Work Group. Appendixes include an inventory of registered apprenticeship programs.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Electrical Transmission Workforce Study — Report to the Legislature, Energy Policy Division (January 2025).”
Original at app.leg.wa.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-commerce-reports-electrical-transmission-workforce-report-final-c6b9a5/
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Electrical Transmission Workforce Study
2025 report fulfilling requirements in 2024 Senate Bill 5950 Sec, 129. 40
January 2025
Report to the Legislature
ENERGY POLICY DIVISION Interim Director Sarah Clifthorne
Acknowledgments Contributors
Terri Abbe, Seattle City Light
Washington State Department of Commerce, Energy
Division Rachelle Ames, CleanTech Alliance
Jennifer Grove, Assistant Director
Dr. Thomas Broxson, Clover Park Technical College
Stephanie Scott, Senior Energy Policy Specialist,
Monica Brummer, Pacific Northwest Center of
Clean Energy Workforce
Excellence for Clean Energy
George Lynch, Senior Energy Policy Specialist, Dominic Burke, Burke Electric
Electrical Transmission
Dallas Childers, Inland Power and Light Company
Austin Scharff, Senior Energy Policy Specialist, Energy
Markets and Electric and Natural Gas Utilities Karen Dove, ANEW
Daniel Siemann, Senior Energy Policy Specialist, Travis Englehart, Inland Power and Light Company
Siting and Permitting
Courtney Fuller, Seattle City Light
Ellen Yoffee, Energy Communications Lead
Nicolas Garcia, Washington PUD Association
Washington State Department of Commerce, Office
Michael Gasbar, Douglas County Public Utility District
of Economic Development and Competitiveness
Kairie Pierce, Workforce Innovation Sector Lead
Russell Guerry, Orcas Power and Light Cooperative
Kinetic West LLC
Peter Guzman, WA State Department of Labor and
Danielle Isbell, Senior Consultant
Industries
Emma Kallaway, Partner
Merilee Teylan, Partner Tracy Harness, Northwest Line Constructors Chapter,
National Electrical Contractors Association
Electrical Transmission Work Group
Byron Allen, IBEW 483 Rosalund Jenkins, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Amanda Bowman, Snohomish County Public Utility Christine Lewis, Tacoma Power
District
Jennifer Lutz, Inland Power and Light Company
Travis Eri, IBEW 125
Gene Morris, Clark Public Utilities
Jeremy Gall, Avista Utilities
Alice Phillips, Clover Park Technical College Board
Troy Nutter, Puget Sound Energy
Terry Lowen, Northwest Line Joint Apprenticeship
Will Power, IBEW 77 Training Committee
Casey Raab, Grant County Public Utility District Ari Roberts, Tacoma Power
John Traynor, WA State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Shailesh Shere, Clallam County Public Utility District
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 2
1011 Plum St. SE
P.O. Box 42525
Olympia, WA 98504-2525
www.commerce.wa.gov
For people with disabilities, this report is available on
request in other formats. Please call 360-725-4000
with your request.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 3
Table of contents
Executive summary ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Key terms and concepts to know ........................................................................................................................... 8
Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
Electrical transmission workforce background .................................................................................................... 15
Workforce challenges .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Equity analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 25
Recommendations .............................................................................................................................................. 28
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................................... 34
Appendix A: Guide to proviso requirements in this report .................................................................................... 35
Appendix B: Pathway maps and descriptions ....................................................................................................... 36
Appendix C: Bonneville Power Administration ..................................................................................................... 42
Appendix D: Tribal considerations ....................................................................................................................... 43
Appendix E: Pre-apprenticeship programs and partnerships with the community college system ....................... 44
Appendix F: Mean wages and living wage comparison, 2024 ............................................................................... 45
Appendix G. Registered apprenticeship program inventory ................................................................................. 47
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 4
Executive summary
In 2024, the Legislature (SB 5950, Sec. 129[40]) directed Commerce to bring together a utility and labor work group
and study Washington’s electrical transmission workforce. Refer to Appendix A for guidance on proviso
requirements. The study focuses on three jobs: line workers, line-clearance tree trimmers and substation
technicians. It looks at how many workers Washington has, how many will be needed, how people get trained, what
the barriers are and what actions the state, agencies, utilities and partners can take to increase the number of
qualified workers to address the identified shortage.
Transmission moves bulk power from where it’s generated to substations that feed energy to communities.
Washington’s electricity demand is growing as we electrify cars, buildings and industry and older grid equipment
needs replacement. If Washington doesn't have enough skilled workers to build and maintain high-voltage lines and
substations, the state will fall behind and fail to meet its goals for reliability, affordability and the 2045 clean energy
targets.
Washington’s current electrical transmission workforce includes about 2,350 line workers, 280 substation
technicians and 370 line-clearance tree trimmers. Most of these jobs are unionized, and the pay for line workers
and substation techs typically meets or exceeds living-wage standards. However, wages for tree trimmers often fall
short — especially for workers supporting larger households.
Looking ahead, we examined two possible futures. If the state maintains the current level of transmission
investments, the workforce needs increase slightly: 150 additional line workers, 20 more substation technicians,
and 50 more tree trimmers. For Washington state to meet its clean-energy goals, the demand surges to a
workforce need of approximately 1,550 additional line workers, 320 more substation technicians and 240 more tree
trimmers. The takeaway is clear: building a clean-energy future will require development and investment for training
and hiring competent and qualified workers. The current approach simply is not going to meet the anticipated
demand.
Challenges and barriers
Retirements will limit the current workforce's ability to train the next generation of workers.
Early-career line workers and tree trimmers in outside construction travel regionally and across the country for
work that offers high overtime pay, hazard pay and per diems. This can limit the available workforce.
There is a lack of interest and retention in the tree trimmer occupation, in part due to lower pay and fewer
benefits.
Substation technician requirements vary employer-to-employer and technology upgrades drive new training
needs. The skills required of substation technicians vary greatly depending on the system they’re working on.
Systemic barriers limit entrance into the electrical transmission workforce, especially for individuals from
overburdened communities, women and people of color.
Summary of Recommendations
The summary includes the nine recommendation categories with a selection of specific examples. The Electrical
Transmission Work Group developed the recommendations through collaborative effort with Commerce and
Kinetic West, calling on a variety of state organizations to respond to key challenges. Please read the full report for
a complete list of recommendations and their intended audiences.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 5
Increase the number of line worker apprenticeship opportunities
The State should follow recommendations of the Clean Energy Siting Council to advance transmission projects.1
Currently, large transmission projects can take up to 10 years to obtain permits, constraining our ability to meet
climate goals and train the next generation of workers.2
The State should invest in larger transmission projects with significant line mileage and higher voltage capacity
to enhance our ability to bring renewable energy across the state. This would attract more workers to
Washington and enable us to “grow our own” through project labor agreements that require the utilization of
apprentices.
Increase accessibility, affordability and relevance of pre-apprenticeship programs
The State should allocate funds to subsidize a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) training program that is
designed to meet the needs of electrical utilities (rather than long-haul truck drivers).
Increase funding, ideally through public-private partnership, to enable students to compete and prepare for
apprenticeship programs. This could include: 1. Funding more scholarships for pre-apprenticeship programs (i.e.,
VOLTA); 2. Provide a stipend to address non-educational cost barriers.
Expand career awareness and engagement in K-12 and postsecondary
The State should adopt the Advance CTE Career Clusters for energy (a national model for career exploration that
includes the electrical transmission workforce) into K-12 public schools.3
The state should maintain the Center of Excellence (COE). The Center of Excellence for Clean Energy serves as a
crucial convener and is highly valued by industry and education partners. As these occupations modernize and
Washington's need for these jobs increases, coordination across stakeholders will be crucial. As the State
considers future budgetary challenges, funding for the COE should be prioritized.
Diversify the workforce
Provide targeted scholarships for pre-apprenticeship programs to candidates from marginalized or overburdened
communities, paired with a marketing campaign designed to reach the target audience.
Develop a program that connects competitive women and people of color who apply but are not accepted into
apprenticeship programs. Provide scholarships and other support to help them attend line school as a cohort.
Reduce the impact of retirements by allowing flexibility
Utilities should allow for flexibility with retirements — for example, allowing someone to transition to part-time
work, enabling retirement-age workers to continue training the next generation. This would require flexibility
through the Washington State Department of Retirement Services. The IBEW already allows journey-level workers
to return to work without impacting their retirement plan.
Continually clarify safety standards unique to Washington
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) continually updates safety regulatory information.
Stakeholders recommend that L&I supplement current information with user-friendly information about
Washington's unique safety requirements (WAC 296-45). This would help small contractors train out-of-state line
workers and tree trimmers on Washington's safety standards. This could include videos and visuals.
1 Washington Department of Ecology, “Clean Energy Workforce Development Needs Assessment.” Publication No. 25-06-011,"
2
The Washington State Department of Ecology and Commerce convene the Clean Energy Siting Council, which meets monthly to identify
policy-level issues, coordinate among agencies and discuss options for improving the permitting process. Their 2025 annual report includes
recommendations to address permitting and siting challenges in Washington.
3 Career Tech. Advanced CTE Cluster Definitions.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 6
Increase capacity to uphold safety standards for line clearance tree trimmers
Review recent safety incidents and issues in the field to identify the root causes of these incidents and consider
potential improvements to regulations. Reviewing “near misses” and issues brought up in safety meetings and
safety walk-around. We would also recommend conducting thorough accident investigations as part of this
process. This review should include an exploration of the current inspection and enforcement capacity to
determine if it is adequate.
Leverage opportunities to further support the workforce
Workforce Pell: The Washington Legislature and governor's office should work together on a proactive approach
to ensure that pre-apprenticeship programs can count toward either the state’s newly funded Workforce Pell
program or existing financial aid.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 7
Key terms and concepts to know
Occupations
The occupations studied in this research include line workers, line clearance tree trimmers and substation
technicians.
• Line workers (also known as linemen) build and repair power lines to keep electricity flowing safely to homes,
schools and businesses. In Washington, this term can refer to individuals who perform both low-voltage work
and high-voltage work, or to those who specialize in either type of work. These workers are qualified to work on
substations, but they must undergo additional certifications or training to work on them on a full-time basis.
• Line clearance tree trimmers use climbing and rigging techniques to cut dead or excess tree branches from
power lines to prevent outages and keep people safe. We will refer to this occupation as tree trimmers for the
remainder of the report.
• Substation technicians operate, maintain and troubleshoot electrical substations that control and deliver
electricity across the power grid.
Transmission versus distribution
Transmission lines bring electricity from where it is generated (i.e., power plants) to where it can be transformed
for use in homes and businesses (i.e., substations). These lines move electricity over long distances using high-
voltage (~115-500 KV) power lines. Distribution lines bring electricity from substations to where the energy is
needed (i.e., homes, schools, businesses, etc.). They move electricity over shorter distances using lower-voltage
(~2-35 KV) lines.
Employer types
The electrical transmission workforce in Washington has two main employer types — utilities and outside
construction contractors. Both employer types employ a highly unionized workforce in Washington.
1) Utilities: Utilities hire line workers and substation technicians to operate and maintain their energy
infrastructure. Many utilities in Washington contract out their tree trimmer workforce rather than hire them in-
house. Utility workers focus on power lines in their district. They have steady hours but may be on call for
emergencies or storm responses, and they tend to have longer-term job security and substantial benefits. When
utilities want to build new infrastructure or perform extensive upgrades, they hire outside construction
contractors. There are two main utility types, both of which are funded primarily through customer rates:
a) Private Utilities: Private utilities are for-profit, investor-owned utilities (IOUs) that are responsible to their
shareholders. In Washington, they are governed by the Washington Utilities and Transportation
Commission. This commission ensures that these companies "provide safe, reliable and equitable service
to customers at reasonable rates, while allowing them the opportunity to earn a fair profit." The three
largest IOUs in Washington are Puget Sound Energy, Avista and PacifiCorp.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 8
b) Public Utilities: Public utilities are not-for-profit, consumer-owned utilities (COUs) that are governed by
elected commissioners (e.g., Snohomish County PUD) or city councils (e.g., Seattle City Light). Most utilities
in Washington are publicly owned. This category includes Public Utility Districts (PUDs), municipal utilities,
rural electric cooperatives and tribal utilities.
2) Outside Construction Contractors: The outside construction contractor workforce works on transmission and
distribution construction projects that utilities contract out, typically to upgrade or build new lines. That means
workers often follow the work wherever construction projects are located. Due to this dynamic, the outside
construction workforce is transient and usually relocates to new states or regions to work on projects. In
general, these workers earn higher wages through overtime, per diems and hazard pay — however, their work
can be seasonal or project-based.
Compensation
In addition to base salary, several factors impact overall compensation for the electrical transmission workforce.
These include:
• Per diems: A daily allowance provided by an employer that helps pay for an employee's lodging, meals and
incidental expenses that occur due to travel required for a project.
• Overtime pay: When a non-exempt employee works overtime, those hours are paid to employees at a higher
rate. Overtime could include work on weekends or holidays, hours worked beyond a certain threshold or
responding to emergency response dispatches.
• Hazard pay: Hazard pay compensates people for the additional risks that they face on the job.
• Relocation assistance: One-time funds paid to an employee to help cover the costs they may incur when
moving from one location to another for a job.
• Signing bonuses: One-time payment offered to recruits as an incentive to accept a job offer.
Training and workforce terminology
The following terms help understand the training and workforce landscape in Washington. Refer to Appendix B for
additional information on training pathways.
• Registered Apprenticeship Programs
A state-approved training program as defined by Chapter 49.04 RCW that includes both Related Supplemental
Instruction (RSI, also known as classroom hours) and on-the-job training under the supervision of an experienced
worker who has completed their apprenticeship (i.e., a "journey-level worker").4 Apprentices are paid a living wage
for their on-the-job training hours. The Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council regulates
registered apprenticeship programs in Washington. The Department of Labor & Industries maintains a list of
registered apprenticeship programs.5
• Recognized Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
A program approved by the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council that helps prepare people
with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to enter and complete apprenticeship programs successfully.
The Department of Labor & Industries maintains a list of recognized pre-apprenticeship programs.6
• Camp Rilea is a military installation and Armed Forces Training Center
Located in Warrenton, Oregon, Camp Rilea is used for both military and civilian training purposes. The NW Line
Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) utilizes Camp Rilea as a multi-day training intensive, enabling
4Washington State Legislature, "Revised Code of Washington Chapter 49.04,"
5 Washington Department of Labor, "Register apprenticeship programs,"
6 Washington Department of Labor, "Pre-apprenticeship programs,"
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 9
apprentices to apply their classroom knowledge to practical, real-world applications. Training includes climbing,
distribution, transmission, hot sticking, as well as safety protocols and guidelines for everyday life in the field.
• Hot sticking
Hot sticking involves the use of specialized, insulated long tools (also known as hot sticks) that enable a line
worker to complete their work while maintaining a physical distance from an electrified line. They are critical in
rainy climates. Outside of the Pacific Northwest, the use of hot sticks is less common and many line workers use
specialized, insulated rubber gloves instead.
• Advanced Career Technical Education (CTE) Career Clusters
A national model for career exploration that includes the electrical transmission workforce.
• Northwest Line Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (NW Line JATC)
NW Line JATC manages apprenticeships for the outside construction industry in the Northwest region
(Washington, Oregon and parts of Idaho and California). They have line worker and tree trimmer apprenticeship
programs. They offer a substation certification program designed for journey-level line workers and are in the
process of building a substation technician apprenticeship program. Offerings include:
o NW Line JATC: When someone wants to become an apprentice in the outside construction industry,
they apply through the NW Line JATC. If they are accepted as an apprentice, the NW Line JATC
coordinates their required on-the-job training hours by placing them at a "training agent", which is an
outside construction contractor. Additionally, the NW Line JATC ensures that they receive their
required Related Supplemental Instruction (also known as RSI or classroom hours). As part of
required RSI hours, the NW Line JATC hosts "Saturday School" at schools throughout their
geographic area and first-year apprentices travel to Camp Rilea for a week or more of consecutive
training days. While the NW Line JATC coordinates apprenticeships for the outside construction
industry, many utilities in Washington work with them for their apprentices' RSI. This means utilities
are using the NW Line JATC's curriculum, sending their own apprentices to Camp Rilea or using both
options.
o VOLTA pre-apprenticeship program: NW Line JATC also administers the VOLTA pre-apprenticeship
line school program. This program has two locations: one in Northwestern Oregon (Warrenton) and
one in Eastern Idaho (Rathdrum, just outside of Spokane). The current tuition for Volta is $8,500 and
the program lasts 10 weeks. Completing a pre-apprenticeship program does not guarantee a spot in
an apprenticeship. However, many apprenticeship programs prioritize interested applicants who
have completed a pre-apprenticeship, as it demonstrates the candidates' understanding of the field.
Permitting and siting in Washington
RCW 19.28.0107, RCW 80.50.0608 and RCW 80.50.0459 along with the Washington State Environmental Policy
Act, these laws establish permitting and certification processes that are often complex, involve multiple
agencies, and require detailed studies.
RCW 19.28.010 (Electrical licensing and permitting)
Requires compliance with state electrical licensing and permitting standards. While the statute itself doesn’t
specify a timeline, projects requiring electrical approvals must coordinate with multiple local and state agencies,
which adds steps and time to the permitting process.
RCW 80.50.060 (Energy facility site certification)
Defines that large energy facilities must use the EFSEC process for permitting. The process brings all relevant
agencies to the decision-making table to conduct the environmental review and develop a balanced
recommendation for the governor, which may include a draft site certification agreement defining conditions for
the construction, operation and decommissioning of a large energy facility. Given the size and nature of the
7 Washington State Legislature, "RCW 19.28.010 - Electrical Writing Requirements,"
8 Washington State Legislature, "RCW 80.50.060 - Energy Facilitates,"
9 Washington State Legislature, "RCW 80.50.045 - Siting electrical transmission corridors,"
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 10
facilities required to use the EFSEC process, it can be a lengthy, complex process that involves detailed studies
and adjudicative processes.
RCW 80.50.045 (Transmission facility coordination)
Outlines the state's role in siting transmission facilities in relation to the federal role. EFSEC is designated as the
agency to coordinate the participation of relevant state agencies in the federal NEPA reviews. EFSEC is directed
to gather and convey to the federal lead agency state views regarding state-specific concerns or requirements in
siting transmission corridors. The collection of state perspectives on the siting of transmission facilities may
impact the timeline. Directs EFSEC to coordinate with state agencies and federal NEPA reviews. That
coordination may extend the review timeline when combined with federal environmental review requirements.
Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
Requires state and local agencies to assess the environmental impacts of proposed projects before making
permitting decisions. If an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required, the process, which includes
scoping, drafting the EIS, receiving public comments and finalizing the EIS, can take several years for complex
proposals.
In practice, these reviews can span several years, especially when an Environmental Impact Statement or EFSEC
certification is required. These statutory processes directly influence when major transmission projects can break
ground. As a result, workforce demand is inherently influenced by both the scale of projects and the pace at which
regulatory approvals allow construction to proceed.
The most common issues currently slowing down projects are transmission interconnection, tribal review and
opposition, litigation, conflicts with the Growth Management Act and agriculture, conflicts with wildlife and habitat
and local opposition, primarily due to visual concerns. Resolving these issues is crucial to minimizing project
delays. The 2025 Clean Energy Siting Council Report includes recommendations to:
• Establish a state entity to develop and finance transmission projects
• Develop transmission siting and permitting tools
• Improve the capacity and efficiency of existing transmission infrastructure
• Support clean energy development
• Support clean energy development that does not require transmission connections
• Incentivize existing energy infrastructure upgrades
• Promote Tribal clean energy projects
• Improve permitting through meaningful engagement and planning
• Provide long-term funding for Tribal project review
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 11
Methodology
Role of the electrical transmission work group
A cornerstone of this project was the Electrical Transmission Workforce Work Group, convened by the Department
of Commerce. It was comprised of representatives from labor organizations and public and private utilities. The
Work Group met quarterly to review interim findings, validate assumptions and guide the development of
recommendations. The Work Group served three key functions:
1) Advisory: Drawing on their expertise and experience in the field to focus the study’s research questions and
provide context for the research that followed.
2) Validation: Pressure-testing interim findings to ensure accuracy and alignment with industry realities.
3) Co-creation of Recommendations: Providing practical input on workforce solutions and helping shape
actionable strategies for the Legislature, state and local agencies and utilities.
This collaborative structure ensured that the study was grounded in real-world expertise and that its
recommendations had buy-in across stakeholder groups
General approach and guiding principles
This study was designed to provide Washington with a clear, evidence-based understanding of current and future
workforce needs in the electrical transmission sector. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining
rigorous labor market analysis with qualitative engagement of stakeholders across public and private utilities, labor
unions, training providers and community partners. A few simple principles guided this work:
• Keep it grounded in Washington. Whenever possible, we used regional data and trends to inform our
modeling and recommendations were grounded in Washington’s unique policy environment, energy mix and
labor and training landscape.
• Focus on equity. The study applied an equity lens throughout, recognizing that overburdened communities,
women and tribal members have historically faced barriers to entry in these trades. Recommendations aim to
expand opportunities equitably while meeting workforce demand.
• Build recommendations people can agree on. We worked closely with utility, labor and training providers to
test ideas and make sure our recommendations are realistic and broadly supported.
Research methods
This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative labor market analysis with qualitative
interviews and stakeholder engagement. Neither data type alone could have produced a complete picture of
Washington’s electrical transmission workforce.
• Quantitative labor market analysis (e.g., labor market, demographic, wage, etc.) helped establish the scale of
current and future workforce needs, including job openings and projected demand.
• Qualitative interviews with utilities, labor representatives, training providers and other industry stakeholders
added the lived experiences and practical realities to the quantitative analysis. These conversations also
helped generate recommendations, which were tested with the work group.
Taken together, these methods allowed the team to diagnose challenges and design recommendations that are
both evidence-based and feasible. This pairing ensured recommendations were grounded in Washington’s unique
labor, utility and training ecosystem.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 12
Labor market analysis
The quantitative component of this study included a comprehensive labor market assessment of Washington’s
electrical transmission workforce, with a focus on:
• Occupations: Line workers, tree trimmers and substation technicians.
• Current employment: Estimates of the existing workforce, apprentices in the pipeline and demographic
profiles by gender, race, age and veteran status, where data is available.
• Wages: Statewide and regional wage data, including comparisons with neighboring states and incentives
offered elsewhere.
• Projections: Anticipated workforce demand based on retirements, state and federal policy-driven investment
and industry growth.
• Migration analysis: Flows of workers in and out of Washington, including apprentices trained in-state who
leave and outside workers who enter the state for projects.
• Gap analysis: Comparing current supply with projected demand to quantify shortages.
This analysis utilized state-level data (e.g., WA Employment Security Department, WA Department of Labor and
Industry) and federal datasets (e.g., U.S. Census Data, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Apprenticeship
Partners Information Database System). This analysis modeled the workforce required to meet the State's Clean
Energy goals, considering Washington-specific policy and infrastructure investments. This portion of the analysis
was informed by existing Washington workforce studies (e.g., Net-Zero Northwest10). The study also utilized data
from the MIT Living Wage Calculator and lightcast.io, a labor market database, with regional analysis based on
Washington State's Workforce Development Areas.11
To perform analyses across these data sources, the study's focused occupations were mapped to standardized
occupational codes (SOC):
• Line Workers: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers SOC 49-9051
• Tree Trimmers: Tree Trimmers and Pruners SOC 37-3013. To narrow to the line clearance tree trimmers,
current employment estimates for this occupation were cross tabulated with employment estimates in the
top electrical transmission industries using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
codes.
• Substation Technicians: Electrical & Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation and Relay SOC 49-2095
Stakeholder interviews
Alongside the labor market work, the project conducted structured interviews and consultations with:
• Public and private utilities (e.g., Seattle City Light, Clallam County Public Utility District, Puget Sound Energy,
Snohomish PUD, Inland Power)
• Organized labor (e.g., IBEW locals, Washington State Labor Council)
• Training providers (e.g., Northwest Line JATC, community colleges, pre-apprenticeship programs)
• Industry experts (e.g., The CleanTech Alliance, The Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy)
• State agencies and workforce intermediaries
A complete list of partners who provided insights is included in the Acknowledgements section at the beginning of
the report. These interviews served three key purposes:
10 Net Zero Northwest. A Clean Energy Transition Institute Project.
11 Washington State Workforce Development Areas.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 13
• Assessment — capturing stakeholders’ perspectives on current gaps and needs
• Research integration — filling holes in the quantitative data
• Recommendation development — using the Work Group and interviews to pressure-test draft strategies and
build buy-in
Input from stakeholders helped validate findings, surface practical barriers and shape recommendations that are
both technically sound and feasible. This analysis examined all interviews for common themes and
recommendations that were brought to the work group for further review and final recommendation development.
Recommendation development, testing and finalization
A central goal of this study is to identify challenges in Washington’s electrical transmission workforce and develop
actionable recommendations that could address those challenges. Recommendations were developed through the
following steps:
• Identifying top challenges: Through mixed-methods research, the team surfaced the most pressing barriers
facing the workforce.
• Developing recommendations: For each major challenge, the research team drafted targeted
recommendations. These recommendations drew on both the data and the lived experience of workers,
training providers and employers.
• Testing and refining with stakeholders: Draft recommendations were then shared with interviewees and the
Electrical Transmission Workforce Work Group via a survey. This pressure testing process allowed
stakeholders to react to and refine the recommendations. Some proposed recommendations were refined to
focus on the most feasible near-term actions, while others were expanded to capture additional opportunities
raised during the discussion.
• Finalizing recommendations with the Department of Commerce and the work group: The iterative process
culminated in collaborative sessions with the Department of Commerce and the Work Group. Together, the
recommendations were refined into the final set, ensuring they were:
• Grounded in evidence from both labor market data and stakeholder insights,
• Practical and implementable for utilities, training providers and labor partners,
• Equitable, with explicit attention to removing barriers for underrepresented populations and
• Aligned with Washington’s clean energy and workforce policy goals.
The result is a set of strategic recommendations that have been vetted, supported and strengthened through
collaboration, increasing the likelihood of their successful adoption by public and private utilities, labor unions, and
workforce partners.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 14
Electrical transmission workforce background
The following section provides context on the electrical transmission workforce in Washington. It includes
information on the number of people in the workforce, demographics and the number of workers required to meet
clean-energy goals and achieve fair wages.
Description of current and future workforce
Current workforce and demographics
In 2024, it is estimated that 2,350 line workers were employed in Washington, with 97% reported as men and 85%
white. Most of the workforce is concentrated in Seattle-King (24%), Tacoma-Pierce (18%) and North Central (11%)
Workforce Development Areas. The North Central Workforce Development Area encompasses Adams, Chelan,
Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. The other 47% of the workforce is distributed across Washington.
In 2024, it is estimated that 280 substation technicians were employed in Washington. Similar to line workers, the
workforce is predominantly men (93%) and white (72%). More than half of the workforce is concentrated in Seattle-
King Workforce Development Area (56%), the rest is distributed across Washington.
In 2024, it is estimated that 370 line clearance tree trimmers were employed in Washington. The current workforce
is predominantly men (84%). Compared to other occupations, tree trimmers are the most racially diverse, with 53%
of the workforce identifying as white. The workforce is concentrated in the Pacific Mountain (32%), Spokane (20%),
Seattle-King (17%) and Tacoma-Pierce (15%) Workforce Development Areas. The Pacific Mountain Workforce
Development Area encompasses the counties of Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston. The remaining
16% of the workforce is distributed across Washington.
Projected workforce to meet Washington's climate goals
If the state makes no further investments in clean energy production,
“If Washington has work, they’ll come, but
workforce projections indicate modest growth over the next decade for
the problem here is that we’re attracting
line workers (+6%), substation technicians (+7%) and tree trimmers
workers who may not be trained to
(+14%; Figure 1). However, this projected growth does not consider the Washington standards.”
workforce that would be required to meet Washington's ambitious
climate goals. Led by the Clean Energy Transition Institute, the Net-Zero - Stakeholder interview, 2025
Northwest Workforce (NZNW) Analysis12 provides a comprehensive
examination of how employment is projected to grow as the region pursues net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by
2050. This analysis utilizes insights from the NZNW study to model the additional number of line workers, tree
trimmers and substation technicians Washington would need to achieve net-zero emissions. Under these climate-
aligned projections, demand increases substantially: tree trimmers (+65%), substation technicians (+114%) and line
workers (+66%; Figure 1). This highlights the significant workforce expansion needed to achieve Washington’s
clean energy targets.
If Washington were to make significant investments in maintaining and expanding transmission infrastructure, it
would require an influx of workers. Stakeholders interviewed for this research agree that if major projects were
undertaken in Washington, the state could attract journey-level workers from other states who would play a critical
role in scaling the apprenticeship system to train more apprentices based in Washington. The outside construction
electrical transmission workforce travels to where the major projects are being undertaken. If Washington has
12 Net-Zero Northwest Workforce (NZNW) Analysis
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 15
more active projects, the workers will come. In addition, stakeholders affirmed that the training system in
Washington is ready to scale up quickly, if needed, to train more apprentices.
However, there are challenges with attracting a significant influx of journey-level workers from other states.
Journey-level workers in other states may not be trained to the same safety standards as those maintained in
Washington. For example, Washington requires the use of hot sticks rather than rubber gloves — a safer technique
but one that must be learned. Safety standards are a matter of life and death for these occupations. Multiple
stakeholders mentioned that they know someone who has been injured or killed on the job.
Ensuring that the workforce from other states meets our Washington standards is essential for today's workforce
and for training the next generation. More work means more apprenticeship opportunities. It also means an influx
of year-one apprentices. Apprentices must be trained in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 296-45. The
training requirements outlined in Chapter 296-45 are specific and must be followed when apprentices work in
Washington state. Apprentices should be trained by people who uphold Washington's safety and quality standards.
Figure 1: Current and projected workforce demand
Source: WA Employment Security Department - Projections, NetZero Northwest
4,500
4,000 3,900
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,500 2,350
2,000
1,500
1,000
610 600
370 420
500 280 300
0
Tree Trimmers Substation Technicians Line Workers
Current (2024) Standard Workforce Projections (2033) Required Workforce to Meet WA Climate Goals Projections (2033)
The graph above shows that if the State of Washington does nothing to improve workforce development across
these occupations the state will not have the workforce necessary to meet the state's future clean energy goals.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 16
Wages
Wages are a crucial element of attracting and retaining workers. This is true for both training Washington's
workforce and for attracting journey-level workers to the state. Washington offers competitive wages for these
occupations compared to other states across the US (Figure 2). Washington ranks first in wages for line workers
(approximately $117,000 USD), fifth for tree trimmers ($66,000 USD) and 17th for substation technicians ($103,000
USD). Relative to Washington's neighboring states, Washington leads California, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii in line
worker pay, is mid-range for tree trimmers and lags all four for substation technicians.
In addition to the wage comparison by role the work group also requested a breakdown of wages compared to a
living wage by region. When the estimated annual wages for these occupations are compared to annual living
wages for Washington State Workforce Development Area regions, line workers and substation technicians
consistently earn wages that meet or exceed living wage standards, even for larger households. By contrast, tree
trimmer wages fall short in many regions for households with more than one working adult and no children.
Appendix F illustrates this data, where shaded boxes indicate that the regional mean annual wage (row) for the
occupation is equal to or greater than the living wage for the corresponding family composition (column).
Stakeholders noted that the state's public utility districts (PUDs) offer competitive wages and substantial benefits.
This is especially true for the PUDs in the populated areas along the I-5 corridor. These forms of compensation
attract workers who seek the stability of working in a specific region for an extended period.
Per diems, relocation assistance, signing bonuses, travel stipends, extended overtime and hazard pay are common
benefits in neighboring states and can significantly enhance overall compensation packages. This is particularly
true for outside construction work, and many stakeholders pointed to work in California as a prime example where
this is happening. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which serves a significant portion of Northern and
Central California, offers a competitive salary of $77.47/hour with an additional 10-15% pay premium for select
locations for electric transmission maintenance. In addition to wages, PG&E offers a $30,000 sign-on bonus and
relocation services for journey-level line workers. San Diego Gas and Electric (SDGE) is offering $78.15/hour and a
$20,000 sign-on bonus or relocation package, with the potential for an additional $10,000 bonus if a successful
candidate can start within 45 days of the interview. Additionally, they offer 5 weeks of temporary housing for out-of-
town candidates. These non-wage incentives can outweigh base pay differences and influence where line workers
and tree trimmers choose to work, particularly those in the early stages of their careers who may be more mobile
and willing to travel.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 17
Figure 2. Mean annual wages by occupation in the top 20 states, 2024
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics13
Line Workers Tree Trimmers Substation Technicians
State Mean Annual Wage State Mean Annual Wage State Mean Annual Wage
Washington 117,000 Alaska 74,000 Massachusetts 118,000
California 116,000 Oregon 69,000 Oregon 117,000
Alaska 109,000 Maine 67,000 California 116,000
Hawaii 109,000 California 66,000 Hawaii 116,000
New Jersey 108,000 Washington 66,000 Rhode Island 112,000
Oregon 107,000 Minnesota 66,000 North Dakota 111,000
Idaho 107,000 Illinois 65,000 Wisconsin 111,000
Massachusetts 107,000 New York 64,000 Minnesota 111,000
New York 106,000 Massachusetts 63,000 Alaska 110,000
Rhode Island 106,000 Hawaii 61,000 Idaho 110,000
New Hampshire 104,000 Rhode Island 60,000 Illinois 109,000
Vermont 104,000 Vermont 60,000 Kansas 105,000
Illinois 102,000 New Jersey 59,000 New Jersey 104,000
Montana 101,000 New Hampshire 57,000 Connecticut 104,000
Michigan 101,000 New Mexico 55,000 New York 103,000
District of Columbia 100,000 Utah 55,000 Georgia 103,000
Minnesota 99,000 Montana 54,000 Washington 103,000
Connecticut 99,000 Pennsylvania 54,000 South Dakota 103,000
Pennsylvania 95,000 Arizona 53,000 Montana 102,000
Wisconsin 95,000 Wyoming 53,000 Arizona 102,000
13 The wages for these occupations include jobs in both utilities and construction. Construction often pays more. However, the data cannot
be separated within this data source. The data is collected the same way in each state; therefore, it is a reliable state-by-state comparison for
these occupations.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 18
Workforce challenges
This section describes the challenges that limit Washington’s ability to recruit, train and retain enough workers to
meet current and future transmission needs. These challenges differ between the two major employer types:
utilities and outside construction contractors.
Utility companies have a more stable and predictable workforce because they can accurately calculate the
number of workers needed to maintain their distribution and transmission systems.
When utilities invest in building new lines, new substations or make major upgrades, they contract that work to
outside construction contractors.
The outside construction contractors' workforce fluctuates more than the utility workforce because it is tied to
the availability of work.
Not enough line worker apprenticeship opportunities
More line worker apprenticeship opportunities are needed to grow the electrical transmission workforce. Most
stakeholders agree that the lack of line worker apprenticeship opportunities is the most significant challenge to the
workforce.14
According to apprentice data from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries as of May 2025, there
are an estimated 560 line workers, 52 substation technicians and 364 line clearance tree trimmer apprentices.
There are 35 line worker apprenticeship programs in the state. Most line worker apprentices are enrolled in
programs with the Northwest Line JATC (70%), the City of Seattle, Washington Apprenticeship Committee (12%)
and the Snohomish County PUD Number 1 Apprenticeship Committee (5%). Nearly all line clearance tree trimmer
apprentices are enrolled in the NW Line JATC Power Line Clearance and Tree Trimmers Apprenticeship Committee
program. Only two other programs have active apprentices: PUD #1 Clallam County Apprenticeship Committee and
Lewis County PUD Apprenticeship Committee. Among the nine substation technician apprenticeship programs in
the state, nearly half of the active apprentices are enrolled with the Puget Sound Energy Apprenticeship Committee.
A complete inventory of apprentice programs is listed in Appendix E and G.
Data from the Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database System (RAPIDS) provides insights into
the demographic makeup of active apprentices for both line workers and substation technicians in Washington. 15
However, upwards of 63-85% of active apprentices in the substation technician program did not self-identify their
sex, race, or ethnicity. This limits the ability to report on demographics for the substation technician active
apprentices. Furthermore, demographic data on tree trimmer apprentices in Washington was not available. Among
line worker active apprentices in Washington, 99% are men, 81% are white and non-Hispanic or Latino. According to
RAPIDS data, 99.4% of line workers and 100% of active
“The last few years we’ve done recruitment every
apprentices in substation technician roles are represented by a
year and we get 1000 applicants for six positions.”
union.
“We get hundreds upon hundreds of applications in a
An overwhelming number of people apply for a limited number two-week window for 8-10 apprenticeship openings.”
of line worker apprentice positions. This is the primary training
“We don’t have trouble getting apprentices. People
bottleneck in Washington. If the state wants to grow this are lining up to be apprentices.”
workforce to meet climate goals and meet increasing energy
- Line apprenticeship program interviews, 2025
14
Interviewees and Work Group members who took the survey were provided with six workforce challenges asked to "select the top 2
problem statements that most impact the electrical transmission workforce." The most frequently selected challenge was "Lack of
Apprenticeship Opportunities", with more than half (58%) selecting it.
15 Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database System.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 19
demand, we need to have more apprenticeship opportunities available. This means investing in state resources
and starting projects now.
Many small or rural utilities try to hire journey-level workers instead of apprentices because they cannot afford the
cost or administrative burden of starting an apprenticeship program. However, small utilities that can hire
apprentices have more success with retention than those that cannot. This is because when small utilities can train
their own workers, they are more likely to hire people from the area who are less likely to leave after a few years.
When smaller utilities offer apprenticeship programs, it creates more apprenticeship positions and helps the utility
with employee retention.
Outside construction contractors (via NW Line JATC) have limited visibility into the amount of work the utilities will
contract out. This makes it difficult for the contractors to know how many apprentices they need. The lack of
visibility into the work pipeline creates challenges and limits the number of openings. For example, at the time of
our interview in the summer of 2025, the NW Line JATC had over 100 qualified, interviewed and ranked apprentices,
but only four apprenticeship spots were available. However, due to the unpredictability of the future work pipeline,
the number of apprenticeship openings could change rapidly over a period of months.
Ultimately, more work creates more opportunities for apprenticeships. One of the major barriers to electrical
transmission work being done in Washington is regulatory and process delays that slow down projects.16
Stakeholders estimated that permitting can take up to 10 years in
western states. If Washington’s process to advance transmission and “More consistent and predictable work
would mean we could plan for a greater
distribution line projects were faster, it would result in more construction
number of apprenticeship spots.”
contracts. More construction contracts would mean there is more work
available to train a pool of apprentices to become line workers. - Apprenticeship program interview, 2025
Retirements
Retirements will limit the current workforce’s ability to train the next generation of electrical transmission workers.
The hazardous and physically demanding nature of electrical transmission work influences an individual's decision
to retire, affecting the timing of their retirement. Unions like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(IBEW) often offer a full pension after 30 years of service. For those who have 30,000 covered hours of
employment, starting at age 55. Among the current workforce, 15% of line workers, 16% of substation technicians
and 20% of tree trimmers are 55 years or older and could retire in the near future. See Figure 3 for retirement
estimates over the next 5, 10 and 15 years.
16 The Washington State Department of Ecology and Commerce convene the Clean Energy Siting Council, which meets monthly to identify
policy-level issues, coordinate among agencies and discuss options for improving the permitting process. Their 2025 annual report includes
recommendations to address permitting and siting challenges in Washington.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 20
Figure 3: Age distribution of the workforce
Sources: WA Employment Security Department, Lightcast.io. Data in columns titled "Under 24 years old", "24-54 years old" and "55 years old
and older" include the total count and then the percentage of the total workforce in parentheses after the count.
Occupation Current Workforce Under 24 years old 24-54 years old 55 years old and older
Line Workers 2350 180 (8%) 1820 (77%) 350 (15%)
Substation Technicians 280 40 (14%) 190 (68%) 50 (18%)
Tree Trimmers 370 50 (13%) 240 (65%) 80 (22%)
Figure 4: Projected retirement estimates
Sources: WA Employment Security Department, Lightcast.io.
5-year 10-year 15-year
Occupation Current Workforce
Retirement Estimates Retirement Estimates Retirement Estimates
Line Workers 2350 260 (11%) 660 (28%) 985 (42%)
Substation Technicians 280 30 (11%) 60 (21%) 90 (32%)
Tree Trimmers 370 35 (9%) 90 (24%) 130 (35%)
Retirements will limit the current workforce’s ability to train the next “Based on age, 1/3 of my workforce could
generation of electrical transmission workers. Despite the physical retire today... Retirement age journey level
nature of these jobs, pay increases often encourage aging workers to workers are staying for good wages, but at
remain in the workforce. However, eventually, utilities will not be able some point, pay rates will level out and we
to afford to increase pay at the same rate. And, at a certain point, those will have another wave of retirees”
who are holding out for higher salaries in their final years of work will
-Public Utility District interview, 2025
retire.
While retirements are a workforce challenge, there are more than
enough people interested in becoming apprentices in the line worker "We had our ‘silver tsunami’ already and we
and substation trades to account for retirements. Given a strong are expecting another wave of retirements
pipeline of people, utilities are generally able to bring on apprentices on 5 – 8 years, but we’re preparing for that
based on the age of their workforce. In fact, many utilities have already now. We bring on between 2-8 new
experienced a “silver tsunami” in previous decades and are well- apprentices every year with 3-4 being ideal
equipped to plan for future waves of retirements. This is not the case size… we are able to ramp up class sizes in
for the tree trimmer occupation, where there are fewer people anticipation of future workforce needs."
interested in apprenticeships due to lower pay. Impending retirements -Public Utility District interview, 2025
pose a significant challenge for the tree trimmer workforce.
Outside construction has a less predictable workforce compared to the “Some of the people who top out end up
utilities sector. They tend to attract younger workers who are seeking going to other states to make more money
ways to maximize overtime, hazard pay and per diem pay. After in their early years. We do see guys come
working in outside construction, these workers will sometimes look to back later once they’re no longer interested
utilities for more stable, less travel-intensive work. Related to this in chasing those jobs.”
dynamic, we heard that Washington attracts the “older guys” to its
- Stakeholder interview, 2025
workforce because of the high wages and substantial benefits offered
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 21
in our state. There is a pattern of people leaving Washington after completing their apprenticeship and then
returning later in life.
Worker migration
Early-career line workers and tree trimmers in outside construction follow work that offers high overtime pay,
hazard pay and per diems. This is far less of an issue for utilities.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Data (2005-2024) estimates, the
top three states contributing new residents to Washington, regardless of occupation, are California, Oregon and
Texas.17 These same states also account for the largest share of Washington’s outmigration. Among those who
left Washington in 2023, an estimated 32,000 (15%) moved to California, 22,000 (10%) to Oregon and 20,000 (9%)
to Texas.
States that are making investments in their transmission infrastructure are attracting transmission workers outside
of construction with high per diems, hazard pay and overtime pay. According to stakeholders engaged in research
for this report, this is especially true in states such as Texas and California. This is not surprising since Texas and
California have seen the most clean energy-related investments in recent years compared to other states. Between
2022 and the first quarter of 2025, Texas' investment totaled $62.3 billion and California's totaled $34 billion.
Another way to compare clean energy investments between states is to look at total reported clean energy
investments per capita. Washington has invested an estimated $126 per capita in clean energy. Per capita clean
energy investment in California is approximately $866 and in Texas, it is $2,093.18
Some of these investments are being allocated to high-profile transmission projects in these states. Southern
Spirit, located in Texas, is a massive transmission project that will serve as a “clean energy highway,” transporting
wind power from Texas through Louisiana to Mississippi.19 Meanwhile, in some areas of California, they are
rebuilding power lines after wildfires. More broadly, they are expanding their transmission infrastructure and
investing in clean energy sources. California’s grid operator CAISO has proposed investing $6.1 billion in 26 grid
improvements to connect new renewable energy projects by 2035. Approximately $4.6 billion of the proposed $6.1
billion investment will be used to build three major transmission lines that will deliver power from the first wave of
floating wind turbines off the northern coast of Humboldt County.20
Financial investments and political and community buy-in result in transmission projects that attract journey-level
workers. Migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, modeled with
employment estimates from the WA Employment Security Department, show 10 to 15 line clearance tree trimmers,
five to 10 substation technicians and 75 to 80 line workers migrated from Washington to other states in 2023. The
primary driver of our migration is the availability of work, coupled with substantial financial incentives (e.g., per
diem pay) that attract workers to other states. Washington's base wages are competitive with those of states like
California and Texas; however, some stakeholders have noted that the high costs of housing and living make
Washington less attractive to outside construction workers. One Washington-based contractor shared that some of
his employees are not Washington residents despite a significant amount of their work being in Washington. These
workers find it more cost-effective to stay in hotels for short-term jobs and retain residences elsewhere.
17
U.S. Census Bureau,"American Community Survey: 1-Year Data,"
18 Clean Air Task Force, The geography of clean energy investments in the U.S. (2025)
19 Pattern, Southern Spirit Transmission
20 Reuters Events, California set for solar, storage surge in zonal grid plan (2024)
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 22
Many interviewees stated that if Washington were to make significant “[The outside construction workforce is]
investments in transmission lines, outside construction workers would built for travel and if Washington were
likely come. Although California also has a high cost of living, the state is building a big transmission line, they’d
making significant investments in transmission and infrastructure come to us. If we want to attract people,
updates and is attracting many workers. Additionally, California has the we need to build infrastructure.”
advantage of being able to perform work year-round. A Washington
- Public Utility District interview, 2025
project may last for three months at a time due to weather conditions,
while a similar project in California could span nine consecutive months, which can be more attractive to workers.
Washington cannot control our climate, but the state could consider how to attract workers to our state to build the
needed infrastructure.
Some stakeholders are concerned that Washington employers are investing in training a workforce that ultimately
leaves the state for work on big transmission projects, as described above. To address this concern, some
employers are proactively creating agreements with apprentices to see a return on their investment. These
agreements require apprentices to commit to working for the employer for a set number of years after becoming
journey-level workers. However, patterns of migration in these occupations are more complex than this initial
assumption suggests. Even at the training stage, the nature of the work necessitates mobility across a broad
geographic region. As an apprentice with the NW Line JATC, line worker apprentices must be able to report to work
across a four-state area. This includes Washington, Oregon, parts of Idaho and parts of Northern California.
Additionally, employers are required to report on their current workforce, but they sporadically and anecdotally
monitor where their former employees go.
These gaps in tracking make it challenging to fully understand the scope of migration. What is clear is that the
impact is felt more strongly in the outside construction industry than in the utilities sector. Utilities tend to attract
workers who are seeking stability, often those who are older and have family ties to a region. Due to this and the
high base wages and benefits offered in the state of Washington, most
utilities are not losing their workforce to other states. Instead, utilities “Utilities have been increasing wages to
keep talent from moving to other states.
compete for talent within regions. For example, when Snohomish PUD
Snohomish County was one of the first to
raised its wages and benefits to compete with California, Tacoma
raise their wages to retain talent. Since
Power and Seattle City Light followed suit. Utility workers tend to be then, many utilities have been following
more rooted in their home community, so moving to a new state is less suit – leading to big wage increases.”
of a concern. However, utility workers may be willing to drive to a
bordering county if they can make a higher wage. - Public Utility District interview, 2025
Lower interest in the tree trimmer occupation
Due to lower pay and fewer benefits, there is a lack of interest in the tree trimmer profession and Washington is
struggling to attract enough people into apprenticeship opportunities.
Whereas line worker apprenticeship programs are overwhelmed with “People are not as interested in the tree
interest, tree trimmer apprenticeships have the opposite problem: more trimmer career path and some go through
than enough openings and not enough interest. Most utilities contract the tree trimmer apprenticeship program
out their tree trimming workforce rather than employ tree trimmers to then start over as a line apprentice.”
directly, meaning that entry into the trade in Washington is usually -Apprenticeship Program interview, 2025
through contractors, not utilities.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 23
The NW Line JATC Tree Trimmer Apprenticeship Program is the primary apprenticeship program in Washington.
Unlike their line program, the NW Line JATC struggles to recruit people interested in the tree trimming pathway.
They have tried many things to make the path more attractive: using apprenticeship zones to reduce the amount of
travel apprentices must do, changing application standards to no longer require CDLs as a prerequisite and
expanding their recruitment efforts. However, there is still a lack of interest. This profession does not pay as well
as the line worker profession. In fact, some people complete the tree “I think we really need to look at the
trimmer program, then apply to be a line apprentice. Additionally, safety rules for line clearance tree
stakeholders expressed concern that safety standards and protections trimmers and clarify and strengthen
for tree trimmers are not consistently enforced. Some stakeholders them…I've seen damaged ropes used for
view this concerning trend as related to consolidation among tree climbing and expired hard hats used by
trimmer contractors in Washington. With so few tree trimming crews.”
providers in Washington, there's a lack of competition. This lack of
-Stakeholder interview, 2025
competition keeps wages low and makes working conditions less safe.
Substation technician pathway
The skills required of substation technicians vary greatly depending on the system they’re working on. In addition,
new substation technology leads to system upgrades that require new or updated training. Utilities and outside
construction are reconsidering their approaches to training and hiring substation technicians.
Hiring journey-level substation workers is challenging because “Substation technicians are some of the
each substation is different, and every utility has different sets of most difficult roles to hire for. It’s hard to find
responsibilities that fall within the substation role. That means an people who have the skillsets to pass our
experienced journey-level substation technician may not be able to working test. Because of this, we are building
pass the working test at a different utility than the one for which strategies to attract these workers –
they work. As a result, more utilities are adopting a train-your-own including nationwide searches, identifying
approach to substation technicians. This could involve retraining other geographies with similar substation
systems and offering relocation assistance.
an existing employee in substation work or focusing on
In addition, we are exploring an accelerated
apprenticeship programs. Most utilities report adequate to
apprenticeship track where someone with a
overwhelming interest in the substation technician pathway. To fill 01-electrician license could start as a 3rd
the need faster, some have explored accelerated apprenticeship year apprentice.”
pathways where someone with their 01-electrician license could
start on step three rather than step one. -Public Utility District interview, 2025
The NW Line JATC is launching a substation technician “In the past we filled the substation
apprenticeship program. Traditionally, they have had a certification technician gap with a certification program
program for journey-level line workers to train them in substation for journey level line workers. But we didn’t
work. However, training journey-level line workers in substation create a clear career path for them. Now
technology will not meet the need for substation workers, given the we’re starting a substation technician
state's climate goals and the evolving nature of substation apprenticeship program, which is long
overdue. I think the next 10 years will have
technology. There is a lot of investment in updating substations
exponential growth in substation work due to
right now, so Washington will need more workers over the next updates needed in transmission and
decade. A NW Line JATC apprenticeship program is an exciting distribution.”
opportunity to help support the substation technician occupation
within the outside construction workforce. Many believe this is -Apprenticeship Program interview, 2025
overdue.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 24
Electrical transmission workforce lacks diversity
The current workforce is predominantly white men, which does not accurately reflect the statewide demographics.
The electrical transmission workforce is predominantly composed of white men. There are many possible reasons
for this: the longstanding culture built by mostly white men, the physical demands of the job, the difficulty of
balancing travel and non-standard work hours with childcare (a role that disproportionately impacts women) and
the word-of-mouth nature through which many people find out “During the practical exam, we pay attention to
about these jobs. Some employers are actively working to change how applicants interact with female journey
this industry trend by prioritizing diversity and ensuring that a workers. For example, if they don’t shake their
diverse hiring committee is involved in the evaluation of hand or make eye contact, that can be a red
candidates. Others don’t see diversity as a priority. Because the flag. We also make sure there is a diverse panel
apprenticeship pipeline is so full, there is no external incentive for on the practical exams.”
employers to do intensive outreach with new communities. For
- Public Utility District interview, 2025
more details on what is driving this challenge, see the “Equity
Analysis.”
Equity analysis
In this engagement, some research participants have shared, "The makeup of our workforce aligns with the
surrounding area’s demographics." According to 2024 data from the Washington State Office of Financial
Management, about 50% of Washingtonians are men. When you compare that 50% to the proportion of men who
are line workers (97%), substation technicians (93%), and tree trimmers (84%), other factors affecting the diversity
of this workforce become apparent. Similarly, the racial makeup of the workforce also is not reflective of
Washington's demographics. White Washingtonians comprise approximately 71% of the population; meanwhile,
85% of line workers in the state are also White. While the tree trimmer workforce is more racially diverse, the mean
annual wages for this occupation fall short of a living wage in many regions for households with more than one
working adult and no children. This suggests that workforce demographics are shaped more by structural barriers
within the sector than by the surrounding population.
The following barriers limit entrance into the electrical transmission workforce, especially for individuals from
overburdened communities, women and people of color.
Limited career awareness
According to stakeholder interviews, there is insufficient awareness “If we want to support this workforce, the state
of the electrical transmission workforce among middle and high should be investing in early career talent and
school students. Many people who graduate from high school leave awareness. Most of our applicants have a 4-
without awareness of the electrical trades or any information about year degree and this likely reinforces a
what is needed to pursue this career pathway. People who learn predominantly white and less diverse applicant
about these trades regularly do so through word of mouth or family pool. We want to frame apprenticeship as the
and community connections. This dynamic reinforces the current alternative 4-year degree and capture more
diverse talent coming out of high school. But
demographics of the pipeline.
high schoolers aren’t taught about electrical
systems or that this is a viable career path.”
While most apprenticeship programs have more than enough line
worker applicants, many still believe in the importance of increased -Public Utility District interview, 2025
awareness to reach a more diverse candidate pool. This is an
essential part of diversification, but awareness alone will not diversify the workforce.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 25
Inaccessible pre-apprenticeships
Electrical pre-apprenticeship programs (i.e., “line school”) are often expensive, time-intensive and can require
participants to move. For example, VOLTA costs $8,500 and Northwest Linemen’s College costs $23,500. 2122
Because apprenticeship opportunities are highly competitive, attending a line school can be a crucial step in
securing a hiring as an apprentice. Not only are these programs expensive, but they also require individuals to
relocate, pause or quit their other jobs, and purchase necessary gear and tools. In addition, most of these programs
are unaccredited — meaning students can’t currently access federal financial aid programs and they aren’t working
towards a credit-bearing degree.23 While a line school can be a worthwhile investment that leads to a high-wage
career, it is inaccessible to those who can’t afford to pay tuition, relocate, or take time off work to attend.
Commercial driver’s license requirements
CDLs are a prerequisite for many line worker apprenticeship programs; however, they are costly to obtain, which
limits accessibility. For example, National Standard Trucking School’s Class A CDL program costs $4,500 and
includes 160 hours, while Driving Academy’s Class A CDL program costs $5,000. 2425 Additionally, many CDL
training courses are designed for long-haul truck drivers and do not focus on the skills required for the electrical
trades.
Childcare
Irregular work hours, long shifts and travel-required multiday projects pose issues for parents and caregivers. Work
hours can include overtime, emergency dispatches and shifts that extend beyond the standard 9-to-5 schedule.
This poses challenges; securing childcare can prevent people from pursuing this trade in the first place. This
disproportionately impacts women and those who are already unable to afford childcare.
Transportation
This industry requires extensive travel to work sites, requiring workers to relocate or travel long distances to work
locations. This is also true during the apprenticeship period; NW Line JATC line worker apprentices must be able to
report to work across a four-state area. Even those who work at utilities often need to cover an extensive service
area.
Competitive apprenticeships reduce incentives for diversity
With so few line worker apprenticeship spots available, there is a
disincentive to prioritize recruiting diverse candidates to an already full “Diversification is not necessary for their
pipeline. Programs can only admit a small number of candidates from workforce. Because there is so much
competition for apprenticeships and
large applicant pools. This limits opportunities for those with the highest
because they’re focused on taking the
qualifications, such as individuals who can attend pre-apprenticeship
cream of the crop, they aren’t motivated
programs, possess prior industry knowledge and have other systemic to diversify.”
advantages. The challenge of diversifying the workforce is exacerbated
by the fact that competition for apprenticeship spots is fierce. This -Stakeholder interview, 2025
creates a disincentive to prioritize diversity. It also disincentivizes efforts
21 VOLTA Line School.
22
Northwest Linemen’s College.
23 See appendix for more information on current and past partnerships in Washington to start accredited pre-apprenticeship programs.
24 National Standard Trucking School’s Class A CDL
25 160 Driving Academy’s Class A CDL program
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 26
to increase career awareness at the high school level and to invest in more centrally located and affordable pre-
apprenticeship programs.
Workplace culture
Culture plays a role in maintaining a homogenous workforce. Because the workforce is predominantly white and
male, the culture reflects the values and perspectives of individuals who identify with these identities. The
workplace can be hard to navigate for those who aren't white and aren't men. This isn't just about making the work
environment pleasant. Complacency and hostility towards individuals who hold different identities can increase the
hazards faced in an already dangerous work environment.
“[To be successful in these trades]
There are positive examples of workplaces emphasizing diversity. Some Women need to fit into the pre-existing
believe a generational shift is occurring and that the newer generation is culture by having thick skin, strong
more inclusive. Additionally, there are examples of women who have backbone, ability to speak up and stand
up for yourself. It requires a certain kind
advanced through the ranks and hold leadership roles. Some leaders
of woman who can adapt to that. Men
emphasize diversity as a work-site strength. One example of this is
are more accepting than they used to be,
ensuring that apprentice candidates interact with diverse people during but there is still a long way to go.”
their working tests — prioritizing candidates who respect men, women
and people of color equally. -Stakeholder interview, 2025
There are also examples of workplaces that do not prioritize diversity. We heard people say that women don't want
these kinds of jobs, which is why they're not in the workforce. Others said that women must figure out how to
survive in a culture not built for them. Some people think that the physical nature of the job is a barrier for women.
Everyone acknowledges that a baseline level of strength is required in these roles, but some think the industry is
now focused on working “smarter, not harder”. Younger workers, regardless of gender, don’t want to see their
bodies sustain so much wear and tear. Further mechanization of the trade and an emphasis on working smarter,
not harder, can help make the trade more inclusive for women and those with smaller frames. However, there are
still some who believe most women are not strong enough for the work.
"It doesn't take much to find yourself in a
We also received a variety of responses regarding racial diversity. Some dangerous situation. Now, imagine
being in a bucket, high above the ground,
said that their population is predominantly white, so it makes sense that
working on a live wire, with someone
they don't have a diverse workforce. Others shared harmful, racial
who doesn't want you there."
stereotypes that they hear, which introduces bias in who will and will not
be suitable applicants for these jobs. While many people we spoke to cite -Stakeholder interview, 2025
their compliance with required good faith efforts to diversify, it was clear
that stereotypes about people who are non-white and women still exist. These stereotypes reinforce a culture that
is not welcoming to those of non-majoritarian identities.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 27
Recommendations
A central goal of this study is to identify challenges in Washington’s electrical transmission workforce and develop
actionable recommendations that could address those challenges. In collaboration with Commerce and the
Electrical Transmission Work Group, recommendations were developed by identifying key challenges, drafting
initial proposals, testing them, refining them with stakeholders, and finalizing the recommendations.
Recommendations are organized into nine categories:
1) Increase the number of line worker apprenticeship opportunities
2) Increase accessibility, affordability and relevance of pre-apprenticeship programs
3) Expand career awareness and engagement in K-12 and postsecondary
4) Diversify the workforce
5) Reduce the impact of retirements by allowing flexibility
6) Continually clarify safety standards unique to Washington
7) Increase capacity to uphold safety standards for line clearance tree trimmers
8) Leverage opportunities to support the workforce further
9) Attract electrical transmission workers to Washington
Increase the number of line worker apprenticeship opportunities
The biggest challenge facing the electrical transmission workforce is that there are not enough line worker
apprenticeship opportunities. Employers cannot increase apprenticeship opportunities unless there is more work
available. This challenge is driven by the following:
• Burdensome regulatory and process delays that slow down work
• Lack of visibility in upcoming construction projects for outside construction apprenticeship programs
• Cost and administrative burden of running apprenticeship programs for small and rural utilities
Without a greater number of active projects in Washington or greater project predictability, more apprenticeship
spots will not be available. Currently, large transmission projects can take up to 20 years to obtain permits,
constraining our ability to meet climate goals and train the next generation of workers. Recommendations include:
Washington should follow the recommendations outlined in the 2025 annual report of the Interagency Clean
Energy Siting Coordinating Council on advanced transmission projects.26 New apprenticeship spots will not be
available until projects are secured and permitted.
Audience: Washington State Legislature; Governor's Office; Washington Clean Energy Siting Council
The State should invest in larger transmission projects with significant line mileage and higher voltage capacity
to enhance our ability to bring renewable energy across the state. Utilities in Washington consistently invest in
small and medium-sized projects with a few miles of line. This would attract more workers to Washington and
enable us to “grow our own” through project labor agreements that require the utilization of apprentices.
Audience: Public and private utilities; Washington State Legislature
The State should establish a pool of funds to enable smaller utilities to start in-house registered apprenticeship
programs. These funds could be used to help with the upfront costs of starting an apprenticeship program.
Additionally, the state should permit small utilities to serve as the “reporting agency” for a neighboring utility. This
26 Washington State Department of Ecology and Department of Commerce, “Improving Clean Energy Project Siting and Permitting,”
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 28
would mean they have separate apprenticeships but with a shared or reduced administrative burden. This would
enable them to grow their own talent rather than recruiting journey-level workers from outside the construction
industry.
Audience: Washington State Legislature; Washington Department of Labor and Industries; Washington State
Apprenticeship and Training Council; public and private utilities
The state should continue to include apprenticeship utilization requirements (AURs) on public works projects
(RCW 39.04.320) to ensure investment in the future workforce.
Audience: Washington State Labor Council; public and private utilities; Washington State Legislature; Washington
State Apprenticeship and Training Council
Increase accessibility, affordability and relevance of pre-apprenticeship programs
Electrical transmission pre-apprenticeship programs (i.e., “line school”) are often expensive, time-intensive and can
require participants to move temporarily. General construction pre-apprenticeship programs usually fail to provide
targeted exposure to the electrical transmission trades. Recommendations include:
The State should allocate funds to subsidize a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) training program that is
designed to meet the needs of electrical utilities (rather than long-haul truck drivers). Funds should help subsidize
the program so that CDL training can be offered at an affordable price.
Audience: Washington State Legislature; Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; Washington State
Department of Licensing
Increase funding, ideally through a public-private partnership, to enable students to compete and prepare for
apprenticeship programs. This could include:
• Funding more scholarships for pre-apprenticeship programs (i.e., VOLTA).
• Provide stipend to address barriers, such as the cost of relocation, cost of living, housing, work clothes, CDL
courses, childcare, basic needs, etc.
Audience: Washington State Legislature; public and private utilities, Washington Department of Labor and
Industries; Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council; Washington Student Achievement Council
Develop a centralized system that streamlines the accreditation and financial aid staffing for electrical
transmission accredited pre-apprenticeship programs. This would make it easier for entities that want to start pre-
apprenticeship programs and community colleges to partner. Within the current system, these partnerships are
administratively cumbersome. However, these partnerships can unlock access to federal financial aid and credit-
bearing credentials for program participants.
Audience: Washington State Legislature; Washington Student Achievement Council; Washington State Workforce
and Training Coordinating Board; Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Increase capacity and capability at general construction pre-apprenticeship programs to do more career
exploration on electrical transmission jobs. This should include exposure to heights or climbing to help individuals
discern their aptitude for jobs that require working at heights.
Audience: Washington Department of Labor and Industries; Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council;
Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council; Washington State Labor Council
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 29
Support advocacy to the federal government for the removal of the Federal Highway Administration CDL
restrictions that prohibit those under 21 from crossing state lines. There have been ongoing efforts on this issue
for many years now. Recommendations to further these efforts should continue.
Audience: Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Washington State Department of
Licensing; Washington Congressional Delegation
Expand career awareness and engagement in K-12 and postsecondary
There is a lack of broad awareness of the electrical transmission workforce, particularly among middle and high
school students. While most stakeholders have more than enough apprenticeship applicants, many still believe in
the importance of expanding the pipeline to help diversify the pool of people aware of the industry. Some of the
recommendations below are occurring in pockets across the state. Still, more outreach, awareness and
engagement are needed to reach new populations. Recommendations include:
The State should adopt the Advance CTE Career Clusters for energy (a national model for career exploration that
includes the electrical transmission workforce) into K-12 public schools in Washington.
Audience: Washington State Training and Education Coordinating Board; Office of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction; State Board for Career and Technical Colleges; Washington Employment Security Department;
Washington State Legislature
Maintain the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy (COE). The COE serves as a crucial
convener and is highly valued by industry and education partners. For example, when labor unions and educators
update training requirements, the COE plays a central role in aligning industry, trainers, educators and employers on
skills needed as occupational requirements evolve. As these occupations modernize and Washington's need for
these jobs increases, coordination across stakeholders will be crucial. As the State considers future budgetary
challenges, funding for the COE should be prioritized.
Audience: The Washington State Legislature; Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Schools should increase broad career exploration and new marketing of energy jobs in middle school and high
school, including with school counselors. For example, include a line worker's “day in the life” video in the ninth-
grade basic science curriculum to expose students to jobs they may not have previously considered.
Audience: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Washington Employment Security Department; School
Districts across Washington
Schools should incorporate career counseling into their decision-making process for high school students to
inform their post-high school plans and career choices. For example, some schools hold college and
apprenticeship application support as a part of the school day.
Audience: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Washington Employment Security Department; School
Districts across Washington
Utilities should leverage partnerships with regional skill centers to encourage and support them in developing
training and curriculum related to the electrical transmission workforce. For example, local utilities could offer
“ride-a-longs” to middle & high schoolers, where they get to experience a day in the life of a line crew.
Audience: Public and private utilities; CTE Skill Centers
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 30
Form partnerships with the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy (COE) on advocating for
greater inclusion of the energy sector in K-12 and postsecondary education. The COE is a voice in Washington for
greater inclusion of the energy sector in K-12 and postsecondary education. For example, the COE is partnering
with national organizations, such as the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) and the National Center
for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), to increase the use of strategic curriculum in addressing
workforce development needs in the energy sector. This type of collaboration brings together the combined
expertise of national organizations to create a shared approach to meeting the growing demand for skilled energy
professionals. From this partnership, aspiring energy professionals will be equipped with industry-specific skills
and knowledge to ensure their success.
Audience: Labor unions; State Board of Career and Technical Colleges; Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for
Clean Energy
Diversify the workforce
The current workforce is predominantly white and male, which does not accurately reflect the statewide
demographics. The industry has grappled with this challenge for many years, and some of the recommendations
below are already being implemented in various areas across the state. Still, these efforts should continue and
expand across the state. Efforts to increase career awareness and make pre-apprenticeships more accessible
should be viewed as part of addressing this challenge.
Provide targeted scholarships for pre-apprenticeship programs to candidates from marginalized or overburdened
communities, paired with a marketing campaign designed to reach the target audience. There are examples of
this already in place, such as the VOLTA Women's Scholarship. More opportunities like this, along with increased
awareness of these opportunities, are essential.
Audience: Line Schools/Pre-Apprenticeship Programs; Washington State Legislature; Washington Student
Achievement Council; Washington Department of Labor and Industries; Washington State Apprenticeship and
Training Council
Develop a program that connects qualified women and people of color who apply but are not accepted into highly
competitive apprenticeship programs. Provide scholarships and other support to help them attend line school as a
cohort.
Audience: Community-based Organizations; Washington State Labor Council; Washington Department of Labor
and Industries; Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council; Apprenticeship Training Providers; Public
and private utilities
Improve worksite culture — work with leaders in the sector to change the culture to be more inclusive, to reduce
hazing and to increase ownership for each other’s safety.
Audience: Employers; National Electrical Contractors Association; public and private utilities; Washington State
Labor Council
Share Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) training and racial justice toolkits with employers and trainers
across the electrical transmission workforce
Audience: Public and private utilities, Employers
Form statewide employer childcare partnerships to reduce the cost and increase the availability of childcare for
workers
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 31
Audience: Washington Student Achievement Council; Washington State Labor Council]
Establish a technical assistance network that offers support to employers in creating inclusive workplaces (e.g.,
the Washington State Labor Council model).
Audience: Public and private utilities; employers
Address the lack of advancement and leadership development opportunities through “future leader” training,
focusing on workers of color and women in utilities and contracting. Establish a statewide leadership academy for
Black, Indigenous and other people of color, as well as women workers, to provide consistency and networking
statewide.
Audience: Employers; public and private utilities
Reduce the impact of retirements by allowing for flexibility
The ability to grow the future workforce depends on having enough journey-level workers to supervise trainees.
However, the electrical transmission trades face a wave of retirements, which could constrain the ability to train
future workers.
Utilities should allow for flexibility with retirements — for example, allowing someone to transition to part-time
work, enabling retirement-age workers to continue training the next generation. This would require flexibility
through the Washington State Department of Retirement Services. The IBEW already allows journey-level workers
to return to work without impacting their retirement plan.
Audience: Public and private utilities; Washington State Department of Retirement Services
Continually clarify safety standards unique to Washington
An influx of journey-level workers from other states could result in a workforce that has not received training
specific to Washington’s safety standards, as outlined in WAC 296-45. This circumstance highlights the importance
of ensuring that incoming workers receive appropriate orientation and compliance measures to meet state
requirements.
Provide user-friendly information about safety requirements. The Washington State Department of Labor &
Industries (L&I) continually updates safety regulatory information. Stakeholders recommend that L&I supplement
current information with user-friendly information about Washington's unique safety requirements (WAC 296-45).
This would help small contractors train out-of-state line workers and tree trimmers on Washington's safety
standards. This could include videos and visuals.
Audience: Washington Department of Labor and Industries
Increase capacity to uphold safety standards for line clearance tree trimmers
Stakeholders express concern about the state's capacity to enforce safety standards in the industry.
Review recent safety incidents and issues in the field to identify the root causes of these incidents and consider
improving regulations accordingly. This review should include an exploration of the current inspection and
enforcement capacity to determine if it is adequate.
Audience: Washington Department of Labor and Industries
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 32
Leverage opportunities to further support the workforce
There are state and federal efforts underway that present further opportunities to support the electrical
transmission workforce in Washington. The state should capitalize on opportunities that can further strengthen the
workforce. That includes the following:
The Washington Legislature and the governor's office should collaborate on a proactive approach that ensures
pre-apprenticeship programs can count towards either the state’s newly funded Workforce Pell program or
existing financial aid. This would include bringing Workforce Pell funding to Washington state and assessing
which pool of funding (state or federal) can and will cover pre-apprenticeship costs for students. This work is
dependent upon a rule-making process at the federal level and will take time. There is currently uncertainty about
the details of the program, which could impact eligibility for pre-apprenticeships.
Audience: Washington Legislature and Governor's Office; Washington Workforce Training and Education
Coordinating Board; State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Washington Student Achievement Council
Attract electrical transmission workers to Washington
The Outside Construction Electrical Transmission Workforce is transitory. This means that people follow work to
California, Texas and other states with numerous construction projects. If Washington were to have more
construction projects, the necessary workers would come from other states. With more journey-level workers from
other states, Washington would have greater capacity to train apprentices. This would help our overall workforce
pipeline.
The State should follow the recommendations of the Interagency Clean Energy Siting Coordinating Council to
advance transmission projects. New apprenticeship spots will not be available until projects are secured and
permitted. Without a greater number of active projects in Washington or greater project predictability, more
apprenticeship spots will not be available. Currently, large transmission projects can take up to 20 years to permit,
which constrains our ability to meet climate goals and train the next generation of workers.
Audience: Washington State Legislature; Governor's Office; Washington Clean Energy Siting Council
Topic considered but not recommended
For line worker programs, a one-to-one apprentice-to-journey-level worker ratio is required for on-the-job training.
The research team presented the work group with the idea of allowing a higher ratio of apprentices to journey level
workers during the "cold" phase of an apprenticeship (when apprentices are not yet working on electrified
systems). In theory, this could create additional apprenticeship opportunities. The work group strongly opposed
this idea. This comes down to two primary concerns:
1) There is a misconception that the cold apprenticeship phase is less dangerous than the hot phase. This is not
true — given the heights that trainees must climb, there have been and can be fatalities during the cold phase.
2) Work Group members believe this would just create a bottleneck further down the line once the apprentices
reached the "hot" phase. It would not address the core challenge.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 33
Conclusion
In 2024, the Legislature (SB 5950, Sec. 129[40]) directed the Department of Commerce to convene an industry work
group to assess Washington’s electrical transmission workforce. To achieve the state’s clean-energy goals,
Washington will need approximately 1,550 additional line workers, 320 substation technicians and 240 tree
trimmers. The message is clear: building a clean-energy future requires significant investment in workforce
development, training and hiring. Furthermore, new efforts to open more apprenticeship spots must include
increased efforts to grow access to these professions for women and people of color. The current approach is
insufficient to meet this challenge.
The work group reached consensus on a series of critical recommendations to address the growing demand for
skilled electrical transmission professionals. Implementing these recommendations will require a coordinated
effort across the state — engaging utilities, education institutions, labor organizations, state agencies and the
Legislature —to ensure Washington is prepared for the electrical transmission workforce of the future.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 34
Appendix A: Guide to proviso requirements in this report
Table A-1: Guide to proviso requirements in this report.
Subsection Excerpted reporting requirements Location in report
Estimates of electrical transmission industry jobs needed to expand electrical
transmission capacity to meet the state's clean energy and climate goals, inclusive of
Electrical Transmission
2024 SB 5950 the workforce required to maintain existing infrastructure. These estimates should
Workforce Background -
Sec, 129. 40 cover, at a minimum, the time periods necessary for the planning, including the
"Projected Workforce to Meet
(b) (iv) (A) construction, reconstruction, or enlargement, of new or existing electrical transmission
Washington's Climate Goals"
facilities under RCW 19.28.010, 80.50.060, 19 and 80.50.045 and the state
environmental policy act;
2024 SB 5950 Workforce Challenges - "Not
The number of apprenticeships in the job classifications listed in (b)(i) of this
Sec, 129. 40 Enough Line Worker
subsection;
(b) (iv) (B) Apprenticeship Opportunities"
Workforce Challenges - "Not
2024 SB 5950 An inventory of existing apprentice programs and anticipated need for expansion of Enough Line Worker
Sec, 129. 40 existing apprenticeships or supplemental training programs to meet current and future Apprenticeship Opportunities"
(b) (iv) (C) workforce needs;
Appendix G
Electrical Transmission
Workforce Background -
2024 SB 5950 "Current Workforce and
Demographic data of the workforce, including age, gender, race, ethnicity and, where
Sec, 129. 40 Demographics"
possible, other categories of identity;
(b) (iv) (D)
Workforce Challenges -
"Retirements"
Workforce Challenges
2024 SB 5950 Identification of gaps and barriers to a full complete electrical transmission workforce
Sec, 129. 40 pool, including, but not limited to, the loss of workers to retirement in the next five, 10
Workforce Challenges -
(b) (iv) (E) and 15 years and other current and anticipated retention issues;
"Retirements"
2024 SB 5950 A comparison of wages between different jurisdictions in Washington state and Electrical Transmission
Sec, 129. 40 between Washington and other neighboring states, including any incentives offered by Workforce Background -
(b) (iv) (F) other states; "Wages"
2024 SB 5950 Data on the number of workers in the job classifications identified in (b)(i) of this Workforce Challenges -
Sec, 129. 40 subsection who completed training in Washington and left to work in a different state; "Migration"
(b) (iv) (G)
2024 SB 5950 Data on the number of out-of-state workers who enter Washington to meet workforce
Workforce Challenges -
Sec, 129. 40 needs on large-scale electrical transmission projects in Washington; p. 130 ESSB
"Migration"
(b) (iv) (H) 5950.SL 1
Electrical Transmission
2024 SB 5950 Key challenges that could emerge in the foreseeable future, based on factors such as Workforce Background -
Sec, 129. 40 growth in demand for electricity and changes in energy production and availability; and Projected Workforce to Meet
(b) (iv) (I) Washington's Climate Goals
Recommendations for the training, recruitment and retention of the current and
anticipated electrical transmission workforce that supplement, enhance, or exceed
2024 SB 5950 Equity Analysis
current training requirements. This must include the identification of barriers to entry
Sec, 129. 40 into the electrical transmission workforce and recommendations to attract and retain a
(b) (iv) (J) Recommendations
more diverse workforce, such as members of federally recognized Indian tribes and
individuals from overburdened communities, as defined in RCW 70A.02.010.
This table outlines how the report fulfills the requirements outlined in the proviso.27
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 35
Appendix B: Pathway maps and descriptions
Journey-level line workers pathway
Most line worker apprenticeship programs require applicants to be high school graduates, 18 years or older and
hold a Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL).28 Competition for line apprenticeships is fierce, both for outside
construction contractors and utilities. This means that competitive applicants typically have six months or more
experience in construction or related fields, where they gain experience working outside, using tools and
collaborating on a team. In addition, many go to line school — such as Volta or Northwest Linemen’s College —
before applying for an apprenticeship program. These programs are expensive, and most are unaccredited. Due to
high wages and substantial benefits, there are examples of individuals who have transitioned into other fields (e.g.,
cable splicers, electricians) and are willing to start over as a Step 1 line worker apprentice. While there are
opportunities for individuals from other construction or electrical trades to transition into linework, there are no
established avenues for them to do so on an accelerated timeline.
Apprenticeship programs can vary but generally require a minimum of 144 hours of Related and supplemental
instruction (RSI) per year and 7,000 hours of on-the-job training over a period of approximately 3.5 to 4 years. Every
1,000 hours represents a new step in the program (7 total). Apprentices start as “cold” apprentices — working on
systems that are not energized. After working sufficient hours as a cold apprentice and receiving necessary
training (i.e., hot stick training), apprentices move on to become “hot” apprentices — or those working on energized
systems above 600 volts. There are requirements regarding the number of hours apprentices must have of hot
distribution hours before advancing to the next steps. During the apprenticeship, there must be a 1:1 ratio of
apprentices to journey-level line workers; this typically means one apprentice per crew. A maximum of two
apprentices per two journey-level workers is allowed when working on energized conductors. In that circumstance,
one apprentice must be required to perform groundman or equipment operator roles while the other apprentice is
performing work around energized conductors.
Once line workers complete their apprenticeship program and journey out, there are no state-mandated continuing
education requirements. Employers (utilities, contractors) coordinate ongoing training for line workers as needed
to address specific needs (i.e., everything from asbestos training to helicopter training). Additionally, certain
certifications — such as first aid/CPR, flagging, and crane training — must be renewed. The NW Line JATC offers
training opportunities to obtain and maintain these required certifications.29
In the following data visualizations, RSI represents related and supplemental instruction, and OJT represents on-
the-job training.
27
Proviso for the Energy Transmission Workforce Report.
28 CDL certificates are a common prerequisite but not required in all cases. Rural areas tend to support individuals through CDL training due
to smaller applicant pools.
29 NW Line JATC.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 36
Journey-level line worker pathway map
This graphic shows the pathways to becoming a line worker.30 A person starts by having a high school diploma or
its equivalent. Further education is optional, but it can make candidates more competitive applicants. The next step
in education can be post-secondary (most commonly an AA degree with an electrical focus or trade school),
participation in a pre-apprenticeship training program or both pursuing both programs at the same time. Additional
requirements for entering an apprenticeship program include a Class A Commercial Driver's License, First Aid/CPR
training, a valid flagger/traffic control card and completion of the OSHA 10-Hour Safety Course. Finally, the
apprenticeship begins, encompassing 144 related and supplemental hours of instruction per year, as well as 7,000
total hours of on-the-job training, before the individual completes the apprenticeship and becomes a Journey-Level
Line Worker.
Figure B-1: Line worker pathway map
30 Source for this map: Northwest Line Construction Industry JATC Apprenticeship Program Standards
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 37
Journey-level substation technician pathway
Substation technician pathways differ depending on whether an individual works at a utility or in outside
construction. Not all, but several utilities have substation apprenticeship programs that train individuals to work on
their systems. Typically, these individuals must be high school graduates and 18 years old. Similar to line workers,
these apprenticeship spots can be competitive, and the most qualified candidates often have construction
experience. Some are already licensed 01 electricians who are interested in applying their electrical knowledge
within a new context. Unlike line worker apprenticeship programs, there are examples of people coming into
substation work from trades on an accelerated timeline. For instance, Grant County PUD could start a licensed
electrician at step 3, allowing them to skip basic electricity and related training. Seattle City Light is considering a
similar approach.
Utilities have a strong preference to “grow their own” substation talent because substation equipment can be
unique utility-to-utility, and it is much harder to recruit a journey-level substation technician who has worked on
different systems. Apprenticeship programs vary but typically require 144 hours of related and supplemental
instructional hours per year, along with 6,000 to 8,000 hours of on-the-job training over a period of approximately 3
to 4 years. During the apprenticeship, there must be a one-to-one ratio of apprentices to journey-level substation
technicians.
In Washington state, outside construction has not had an apprenticeship program for substation technicians, but
the NW Line JATC is currently in the process of launching one. The NW Line JATC already offers a substation
technician certification program designed for journey-level line workers who wish to pursue additional substation
training to qualify for work on substations.31 While this program has met the need for some time, the JATC is now
looking to start up an apprenticeship program because it anticipates increased demand for substation work as
upgrades are needed and new technology is implemented.
There are no continuing education requirements for substation technicians in the state of Washington. However,
there are regular advancements in substation technology that require workers to learn new skills and adapt to new
technologies. For example, utilities are looking to implement automatic distribution systems, which can help
minimize downtime for customers. However, to do so, they need to train their workforce on these newer
technologies.
31 NW Line JATC substation technician certification program.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 38
Journey-level substation technician pathway map
This graphic shows the pathways to becoming a substation technician. 32 A person typically starts by having a high
school diploma or its equivalent. Further education is optional, but it can make candidates more competitive
applicants. The next step in education can be post-secondary (most commonly an AA degree with an electrical
focus or trade school), participation in a pre-apprenticeship training program or pursuing both programs at the
same time. Another requirement for entering an apprenticeship program is a valid driver's license. Finally, the
apprenticeship begins, encompassing 144 related and supplemental instructional hours per year, in addition to
6,000 to 8,000 total hours of on-the-job training, before the individual completes the apprenticeship and becomes a
Journey-Level Substation Technician.
Figure B-2: Substation technician pathway map
32 Source for this map. Sources: Inland Power and Light Apprenticeship Committee and Franklin PUD - Local 77 IBEW Apprenticeship
Committee Apprenticeship Program Standards
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 39
Journey-level line clearance and tree-trimmer pathway
Similar to line workers, journey-level line clearance tree trimmers must meet minimum high school requirements,
be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license (it does not have to be commercial). While construction
experience is preferred, the tree trimmer apprenticeship programs are less competitive than the line worker
program. Therefore, it is easier to get in without prior construction or pre-apprenticeship experience — although
these are still preferred.
Apprenticeship programs can vary, but in general, they require a minimum of 144 hours of Related and
supplemental instruction per year and 4,000 hours of on-the-job training over a period of approximately two years.
Every 1,000 hours represents a new step in the program (four total). Most tree trimmers are employed by
contracted companies that work on construction or utility contracts. Some utilities have their own in-house tree
trimmers, while others rely solely on contractors. During the apprenticeship, there must be a one-to-one ratio of an
apprentice to a journey-level tree clearance trimmer. Exceptions can be made to meet training agent labor
demands, allowing a maximum of two apprentices (4th step and 1st step) per job site to one journey-level worker.
Due to wage disparities, some tree trimmers transition directly into the line worker apprenticeship after they have
completed their journey as a tree trimmer. Advancement for tree trimmers can often involve transitioning to
another occupation within the electrical transmission workforce.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 40
Journey-level tree trimmer pathway map
This graphic shows the pathways to becoming a tree trimmer.33 A person typically starts by having a high school
diploma or its equivalent. Further education is optional, but it can make candidates more competitive applicants.
The next step in education can be post-secondary (most commonly an AA degree with a forestry focus or trade
school) and/or participation in a pre-apprenticeship training program. Additional requirements for entering an
apprenticeship program include a Class B Commercial Driver's License (with no Class E restriction), First Aid/CPR
training and a valid flagger/traffic control card. Finally, the apprenticeship begins, including 144 related and
supplemental instructional hours per year and 4,000 total hours of on-the-job training before a person completes
the apprenticeship and becomes a Journey-Level Line Clearance Tree Trimmer.
Figure B-3: Tree trimmer pathway
33 Source: Power Line Clearance and Tree Trimmers Apprenticeship Committee Apprenticeship Program Standards
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 41
Appendix C: Bonneville Power Administration
The Bonneville Power Administration, a federal power marketing administration under the U.S. Department of
Energy, distributes hydropower generated in the Columbia River Basin to communities across the Pacific
Northwest. The Bonneville Power Administration operates approximately 75% of the Northwest's high-voltage
transmission grid and maintains about 15,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines.34 To support this critical
infrastructure, BPA employs over 3,000 individuals and offers registered apprenticeship programs for line workers
and substation technicians, providing essential paid on-the-job training to develop the future workforce.35
In early 2025, the Trump administration implemented staffing reductions at the Bonneville Power Administration,
eliminating an estimated 430 positions through buyouts, rescinded offers and probationary terminations. 36 Some
of these positions were later reinstated in March 2025.37 Among those affected were skilled trades central to this
report, including line workers and substation technicians. The full impact of these workforce reductions,
particularly on operations in Washington state, remains unclear.
Available public information suggests the Pacific Northwest has likely experienced a loss of experienced technical
personnel, along with a reduction in apprenticeship opportunities. These disruptions pose a risk of long-term
workforce shortages that could impact the regional workforce required to maintain the regional power grid.
Bonneville Power Administration declined an invitation to be interviewed to help inform this study. Additional data
and engagement are necessary to fully understand the scope of recent workforce changes and inform future
workforce development and infrastructure planning efforts.
34
Who We Are - Bonneville Power Administration
35 BPA Apprenticeship Program - Bonneville Power Administration
36 Bonneville Power staff departures under President Trump raise concerns about Northwest electrical grid - OPB
37 Bonneville Power Administration offers jobs back to staff fired by Trump administration - OPB
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 42
Appendix D: Tribal considerations
Tribal utilities
Several tribes in Washington state operate their own electrical utility services to support energy sovereignty and
economic development, including Kalispel Tribal Utilities and Yakama Power. These tribal utilities provide valuable
jobs for tribal members, as well as essential training opportunities through apprenticeships. Yakama Power offers
a registered apprenticeship program in partnership with the Northwest Line JATC, described under "Key concepts
and terms to know." There are opportunities for the legislature to work directly with tribes to explore the expansion
of apprenticeship and other job training initiatives for tribal utilities.
Native American Apprenticeship Assistance Program (NAAAP)
The Native American Apprenticeship Assistance Program (NAAAP), established by HB 2019 in spring 2024, is a
block grant program administered by the Washington Student Achievement Council. It provides funding directly to
Federally Recognized Tribal Nations in Washington State to support Tribal members who are currently enrolled in
state-registered apprenticeship programs under Chapter 49.04 RCW.383940
Tribes can use these funds to help participants pursue and complete any eligible apprenticeship program, including
those for line workers, line clearance tree trimmers and future programs for substation technicians. Covered
expenses include tuition, equipment and general supplies, union fees and living expenses such as travel costs and
childcare.
For the fiscal year, the legislature allocated $1,000,000 from the state operating budget provided to WSAC to
support this program.
38 Native American Apprenticeship Assistance Program (NAAAP) | WSAC
39 HB 2019
40 Chapter 49.04 RCW
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 43
Appendix E: Pre-apprenticeship programs and partnerships with
the community college system
As described in the challenges section, pre-apprenticeships (i.e., "line school") can be inaccessible, mainly due to
cost. One way to address this challenge is to form partnerships between community colleges and trainers that
enable pre-apprenticeship participants to receive industry-aligned training at an accredited institution, allowing
them to access federal financial aid. Routing pre-apprenticeships through an accredited institution also creates
opportunities for trainees to earn credit-bearing degrees (such as an associate degree). Avista and Spokane
Community College successfully ran a pre-apprenticeship program together for nearly thirty years before it was
closed. Clover Park Technical College and VOLTA are in the final phases of launching a pre-apprenticeship
program. More information about those two efforts is below. Additionally, the Pacific Northwest Center of
Excellence for Clean Energy plays a crucial role in coordinating between industry and education in Washington.
This appendix also includes a description of their role.
Avista/Spokane Community College: Avista previously operated a successful electrical transmission pre-
apprenticeship program that served the eastern side of the state. It operated in partnership with Spokane
Community College, which allowed participants to access state and federal financial aid, reduced administrative
burdens for Avista and allowed program participants to earn credits at an accredited university. This program had a
strong reputation, and approximately 80% of completers were hired within a few months of finishing the program.
After nearly three decades in operation, it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the high operating costs,
which were approximately $800,000 per year. A primary driver of this cost was paying instructors at a higher rate
than typical community college instructors to match wages for journey-level work, which these instructors could
choose to pursue.
VOLTA/Clover Park Technical College: Clover Park Technical College and VOLTA are currently partnering to launch
an electrical transmission pre-apprenticeship program at Clover Park Technical College (located in Lakewood, WA).
This program represents a strong partnership between a community college and a union. It is located in Puget
Sound, where most of the state's population resides. It will allow students to access financial aid (i.e., Pell grants,
GI bill), and it is structured so that students earn an associate’s degree. This is an exciting program, but it has run
into many roadblocks along the way: delays in permitting for the pole yard, limited system knowledge about how to
effectively route pre-apprenticeship programs through community colleges and complex maneuvers required so
Clover Park can use tuition to pay VOLTA instructors and have them count for full-time equivalency. Programs like
these are administratively burdensome to run, and while some may assume they are windfalls for the college,
Clover Park expects to break even on these programs.
Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy: The Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean
Energy (COE) is a statewide and regional resource. They represent the interests of the energy industry and labor
partners within the Washington State Community and Technical College system.
The energy industry — both globally and nationally, and throughout Washington — is undergoing significant change.
The future growth in clean energy depends on a well-qualified workforce to design, build, operate and maintain
renewable energy plants and equipment. The Center of Excellence exists to narrow the gap between employers’
demands for a highly skilled workforce and the colleges’ ability to supply work-ready graduates. They convene
industry and labor to help drive workforce development initiatives, and they coordinate education and training
resources in accordance with the direction set by industry and labor.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 44
Appendix F: Mean wages and living wage comparison, 2024
The following visuals illustrate whether wages meet or do not meet living wage criteria across Washington. A living
wage is a measure of the minimum amount of money someone would need to earn to maintain a basic standard of
living. This means being able to afford essentials such as shelter, food, clothing, childcare, education and
healthcare. The living wage varies based on the number of people in a household and the geographic location of
the household. This is because a household with two working adults and one child typically requires more financial
resources to meet basic needs than a household with just one working adult. In addition, the location of that
household matters because a city like Seattle, WA, is a more expensive place to live than Longview, WA.
In the charts below, blue boxes indicate that the living wage criteria are met for both the household composition
and the location. Rather than using cities, this analysis looks at workforce development areas. Household
composition significantly impacts whether a wage meets living wage criteria, and it can be nuanced. For
households with children, this model assumes that households with two working adults need higher wages than
households with two adults where only one is working. This is because the model assumes that households with
two working adults must pay for childcare, while households where one adult does not work do not need to pay for
childcare.
Figure F-1: Mean wages and living wage comparison for tree trimmers
For Tree Trimmers, households across the state with one working adult and no children meet living wage criteria.
Aside from a few exceptions, this means that tree trimmers who live in households with more than one adult or
with children are not earning a living wage.
Tree Trimmers
1 working adult 2 adults, 1 working 2 adults, both working
Mean Annual 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
WDA Wage children child children children children child children children children child children children
Olympic $ 61,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Pacific Mountain $ 61,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Northwest $ 71,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Snohomish $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Seattle-King $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Tacoma-Pierce $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Southwest $ 59,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
North Central $ 55,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
South Central $ 56,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Eastern $ 57,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Benton-Franklin $ 63,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Spokane $ 59,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Substation Technicians
1 working adult 2 adults, 1 working 2 adults, both working
Mean Annual 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
WDA Wage children child children children children child children children children child children children
Olympic $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Pacific Mountain $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Northwest $ 116,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Snohomish $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Seattle-King $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Tacoma-Pierce $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Southwest $ 124,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
North Central $ 97,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
South Central $ 111,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Eastern $ 93,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Benton-Franklin $ 107,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Spokane
ELECTRICAL $ 90,000 #####
TRANSMISSION ##### STUDY
WORKFORCE ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### 45
Line Workers
Seattle-King
Tree Trimmers $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Tacoma-Pierce $ 72,000 ##### 1##### ##### ##### ##### 2 adults,
working adult ##### 1 #####
working ##### #####2 adults,
#####both#####
working #####
Southwest $Mean Annual
59,000 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3
Figure F-2: Mean wages and living wage comparison for substation technicians
North
WDA Central $ 55,000
Wage ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
children child children children children child children children children child children children
South Central
For substation $$technicians,
Olympic 56,000 #####
61,000 ##### #####
##### #####
most households ##### #####
##### #####
across ##### #####
##### #####
Washington ##### #####
with ##### #####
zero to two #####
children##### #####
meet#####
##### #####
living wage
#####
Eastern
Pacific Mountain $ 57,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
criteria. This $
Benton-Franklin means
$
61,000
63,000
##### #####
substation
##### technicians
#####
#####
are #####
##### faring
#####
##### better
much
#####
#####
##### than
##### #####tree#####
trimmers
#####
##### #####
#####across
##### #####Washington.
#####
#####
#####
Northwest $ 71,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
However,
Spokane households
$ with three
59,000 ##### or#####
more #####
children do not
##### meet#####
##### living wage
##### criteria,
##### even
##### with
##### working
two##### adults.
#####
Snohomish $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Seattle-King $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Substation Technicians
Tacoma-Pierce $ 72,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Southwest $ 59,000 ##### 1#####
working #####
adult ##### ##### 2 adults,
##### 1 working
##### ##### #####2 adults, #####both#####
working #####
North Central $Mean Annual 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
55,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### 0 1 2 3
#####
WDA
South Central $ Wage children child children children children child children children children
56,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### child children children
Olympic
Eastern $ 123,000
57,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Pacific Mountain
Benton-Franklin $ 123,000
63,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Northwest
Spokane $ 116,000
59,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Snohomish $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Seattle-King
Substation $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Technicians
Tacoma-Pierce $ 123,000 ##### 1#####
working #####
adult ##### ##### 2 adults,
##### 1 working
##### ##### #####2 adults, #####both#####
working #####
Southwest $Mean Annual
124,000 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3
North
WDA Central $ 97,000
Wage ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
children child children children children child children children children child children children
South Central
Olympic $$ 111,000 #####
123,000 ##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
#####
Eastern
Pacific Mountain $$ 93,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Benton-Franklin
Northwest $$ 107,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
116,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Spokane
Snohomish $$ 90,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Seattle-King $ 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Line Workers$
Tacoma-Pierce 123,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Figure F-3: Mean wages and living wage comparison for line workers
Southwest $ 124,000 ##### 1#####
working #####
adult ##### ##### 2 adults,
##### 1 working
##### ##### #####2 adults, #####both#####
working #####
For
Northline workers,
Central most
$Mean Annual
97,000 0
households 1
##### ##### 2 3
Washington
across##### ##### ##### 0
with zero1 to two
##### 2
##### 3
children
##### meet 0
#####living1 wage
##### 2criteria.
##### 3 For
#####
children
WDA
South Central with
households $ twoWage
111,000
adults wherechild
##### one ischildren
##### ##### children
working,##### children
wagechild
#####
living ##### children
#####
criteria children
are met##### children child
#####areas
in most forchildren
##### ##### children
households##### with up
Olympic
Eastern $ 114,000
93,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
to three children. This means line workers are faring a little better than substation technicians and much better
Pacific Mountain
Benton-Franklin $ 119,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
107,000
than tree trimmers
Northwest
Spokane $
across
127,000 Washington.
90,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Snohomish $ 113,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Seattle-King
Line Workers $ 113,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Tacoma-Pierce $ 113,000 ##### 1#####
working #####
adult ##### ##### 2 adults,
##### 1 working
##### ##### #####2 adults, #####both#####
working #####
Southwest $Mean Annual
115,000 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3 #####
0 #####
1 #####
2 #####
3
North
WDA Central $ 115,000
Wage ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
children child children children children child children children children child children children
South Central
Olympic $$ 112,000 #####
114,000 ##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
#####
Eastern
Pacific Mountain $$ 111,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
119,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Benton-Franklin
Northwest $$ 118,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
127,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Spokane
Snohomish $$ 111,000 #####
113,000 ##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
##### #####
#####
Seattle-King $ 113,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Tacoma-Pierce $ 113,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Southwest $ 115,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
North Central $ 115,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
South Central $ 112,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Eastern $ 111,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Benton-Franklin $ 118,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Spokane $ 111,000 ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####
Sources: WA Employment Security Department - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, MIT Living Wage Calculator
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 46
Appendix G. Registered apprenticeship program inventory
Apprenticeship programs are listed if an active apprentice was enrolled at the time of the data pull (May 2025).4142
Registered line worker apprenticeship programs
1) Benton Rural Electric Association Apprenticeship Committee
2) Centralia City Light Apprenticeship Committee
3) Chelan County Public Utility District No. 1 Apprenticeship Committee
4) City of Ellensburg Energy Services Department
5) City of Milton & IBEW Local 483 Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
6) City of Richland Energy Services Department Local Union 77 IBEW Apprenticeship Committee
7) City of Seattle, Washington Apprenticeship Committee
8) City of Sumas Lineman Apprenticeship Committee
9) Clark County PUD No. 1 Apprenticeship Committee
10) Columbia Rural Electric Association Apprenticeship Committee
11) Cowlitz County PUD Apprenticeship Committee
12) Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light Company Apprenticeship Committee
13) Franklin PUD - Local 77 IBEW Apprenticeship Committee
14) Grant County PUD No. 2 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee
15) Grays Harbor PUD No. 1 Apprenticeship Committee
16) Inland Power and Light Co Apprenticeship Committee
17) Jefferson County PUD Apprenticeship Committee
18) Lakeview Light & Power and IBEW Local Union #483
19) Lewis County PUD Apprenticeship Committee
20) Mason County Public Utility District #3 Apprenticeship Committee
21) Mason County PUD No.1 Apprenticeship Committee
22) McCleary Light Power Lineman Apprenticeship
23) Northwest Line JATC
24) Okanogan PUD Apprenticeship
25) Orcas Power & Light Cooperative
26) PUD #1 Clallam County Apprenticeship Committee
27) Pacific County PUD No. 2 Apprenticeship Committee
28) Pacific Power & LU 125 JATC
29) Parkland Light And Water Company JATC
30) Peninsula Light Company Apprenticeship Committee
31) Public Utility District No. 1 of Benton County IBEW #77 Apprenticeship Committee
32) Skamania PUD NO.1 Apprenticeship Committee
33) Snohomish County PUD Number 1 Apprenticeship Committee
34) Tanner Electric Cooperative Lineman Apprenticeship Committee
35) Town of Eatonville
41 Apprenticeship programs are listed if an active apprentice was enrolled at the time of the data pull (May 2025).
42 Source: Washington State Department of Labor and Industry
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 47
Substation technician apprenticeship programs
1) Chelan County Public Utility District No. 1 Apprenticeship Committee
2) Grand Coulee Power Office Apprenticeship
3) Grant County PUD No. 2 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee
4) Grays Harbor P.U.D. No. 1 Apprenticeship Committee
5) Inland Power and Light Co Apprenticeship Committee
6) King County Metro Transit Joint Apprenticeship Committee
7) Peninsula Light Company Apprenticeship Committee
8) Puget Sound Energy Apprenticeship Committee
9) Snohomish County P.U.D. Number 1 Apprenticeship Committee
Line clearance tree trimmer apprenticeship programs
1) Power Line Clearance and Tree Trimmers Apprenticeship Committee
2) PUD #1 Clallam County Apprenticeship Committee
3) Lewis County PUD Apprenticeship Committee
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WORKFORCE STUDY 48
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