BPA’s Apprenticeship Program: Substation Operators

Enjoy a rewarding career maintaining electric reliability in the Pacific Northwest by becoming a high-voltage substation operator through BPA’s Apprenticeship Program. The 3.5-year training program offers motivated individuals the opportunity to pursue a rewarding career that is essential to helping BPA deliver low-cost, carbon-free energy to numerous local communities.

For substation operators, BPA’s Apprenticeship Program is the first step toward beginning the hands-on work of operating energized high- and low-voltage power system equipment, monitoring substation conditions for security and proper functionality, and planning and performing switching, among other tasks.

Interested in applying?

The program application period opens in January each year. New apprentices accepted into the program start in the summer and begin with a three-week orientation to prepare them for work in the field. After orientation, apprentices begin field work at their assigned duty station where they are accompanied by experienced journeymen, who oversee and guide the apprentices throughout the program.

First-hand experience from a program graduate

Substation Operator Apprenticeship Program graduate Jesse Byron applied to the program with no prior electrical experience. He shared the program more than prepared him for regular work in the field. “By the time you’re done with the program you’re definitely ready to be an operator,” he said. “I was out switching on my first day in the field.” 

Byron now serves at a senior DC substation operator at Celilo Converter Station, the northern terminus of the extra-high-voltage Pacific Direct Current Intertie spanning from Los Angeles, California, to The Dalles, Oregon.

After completing the program orientation, apprentices are immediately assigned to a crew with skilled mentors in the same field. “Your journeymen are there to protect you, especially in the early steps,” Byron said.

The program is split up into seven steps or training periods. As apprentices move through the program steps and gain valuable experience, they in turn help guide and monitor lower-step apprentices. Upon completion of the seven-step program, apprentices transition into the journeymen substation operator role. 

Throughout the program, apprentices can expect to travel between different work sites as needed. During his time in the program, Byron explained there are days where apprentices will work at two to three substations throughout the day. “You’re trying to chase down every bit of work you can get,” he said.

Byron said the amount of on-the-job training he received was a crucial factor in preparing him for work in the field. “There are going to be times where you get out into the field and encounter something you’ve never seen before,” he said. “These are the time where you need to think on your feet, and that’s what the program prepares you for.”

The program’s Operations Training Center is particularly helpful for apprentices. Though not connected to BPA’s power system, the OTC acts like a completely functional substation, allowing apprentices to practice their switching. “You can make mistakes, you can learn from the things you have done wrong to make sure you’re not making those mistakes on the real system,” Byron said. 

For those considering entering the program, Byron said it’s a decision that should be considered carefully. “It’s a challenging program that you will need to devote a lot of yourself to,” he said. “The reward is a great job in a craft full of smart, capable people.”