By: Maria Williams

Electrical power-line installers and repairers, commonly known as linemen, are some of the in-demand tradespeople today. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in this field is projected to grow 8% from 2023 to 2033, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The median starting salary is over $85,000 annually, with the possibility to go into the six digits due to overtime pay. With electrical grids undergoing conversion to accommodate renewable energy and electric cars, there is a shortage of linemen in the industry. Power restoration efforts in areas struck by disasters such as hurricanes or tornadoes also drive demand for linemen. 

Helping fill this shortage is Linemen Institute of the North East (LINE), a pre-apprentice electrical lineman trade school based in New York. LINE offers a 500-hour pre-apprentice lineman training program that provides students with the training and certifications necessary to begin their careers as apprentice electrical lineman. Students who complete the program also receive the following qualifications: commercial driver’s license, digger truck operations, first aid & CPR, pole-top rescue, and OSHA 10-hour safety course. Since opening its doors in 2018, the Linemen Institute of the North East (LINE) has successfully graduated a significant number of students, with the majority securing employment as linemen. This high rate of employment has been credited to LINE’s adherence to an apprenticeship-style system with small class sizes, allowing instructors to pay sufficient attention to each student and aim they are adequately learning the skills they need. 

LINE was established by its COO Donald Leiching, who has more than 33 years of experience as a lineman and manager. Donald shares that he had a troubled childhood and dropped out of school at 16 years old. At the age of 17, he completed his GED and joined the US Army, where he received training as a power line specialist, which corresponds to a lineman in a civilian setting. After leaving the military, Donald continued to perfect his craft within a civilian setting. Due to the freedom that comes hand in hand with this line of work, he and his wife Nanci, who is now CEO of LINE, moved around several states, including Maryland, California, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.  

Eventually, Donald and his family moved back to his hometown of Kingston, New York to become a manager at the local power company. One of his duties was overseeing hiring, and he realized that there were no institutions dedicated to training linemen in the Northeastern US. Most apprentices had to go down South to Tennessee or Georgia for their training. The energy crisis in the 1990s also led to many utility companies shutting down their apprenticeship programs, resulting in a dearth of new talent. 

Seeing the growing need for linemen, Donald decided to start LINE, with its very first class consisting of six students. Gradually expanding its staff and facilities, LINE purchased an old school building, renovating it to become its main educational facility, with the upper floors converted into a student dormitory.

The LINE program lasts for around 15 weeks and runs three times a year – in the spring, summer, and fall. When students complete the program, they can find employment as apprentice lineman, with LINE providing assistance in finding prospective employers, thanks to Donald’s extensive experience in the industry. After four to five years as an apprentice lineman, they become a journeyman, which provides a significant increase in income and the ability to find work in almost any state they want.

According to Donald, LINE plans to expand to more locations and hire more staff, as it seeks to retain its apprenticeship-based model and small class sizes – which are a major factor in the success of its graduates.

“Electricity is a necessity in modern society and it’s almost unimaginable to live without it,” Donald says. “The US electrical grid is undergoing a lot of work, whether to upgrade capacity and incorporate renewable energy or to restore hurricane-hit areas, creating a huge demand for linemen. Our students come from all walks of life, including fresh high school graduates and career shifters, seeking to land a lucrative job that pays a high salary and provides medical and retirement benefits. At Linemen Institute of the North East, we provide in-depth and practical training to give aspiring linemen the best possible start in a career where their hard work is appreciated and rewarded.”

Published by: Martin De Juan