Apprentice Electrician

Learn to install, operate, and maintain electrical equipment

As an electrician at BC Hydro, you play a key role in ensuring that homes and businesses across B.C. have access to reliable electricity.

What you learn and experience

• How to install, test, operate, maintain and repair electrical equipment such as transformers and breakers on the electrical system
• How to follow proper safety procedures, how to use tools and materials, and how to operate equipment before moving on to more complex technical skills and challenging assignments
• How to work safely outdoors in a wide range of locations including substations and generating stations
• How to safely climb structures and equipment to perform work, and how to work in confined spaces
• How to handle large, bulky and often heavy materials or equipment
• How to restore power to customers at any time of the day or night, and the satisfaction that brings.

Qualifications: what you bring

• You're a high school graduate with English 12, Pre-calculus 11 and Physics 11 or the equivalent.
• You have a class 5 or 7N B.C. driver's license.
• You enjoy doing hands-on, physical work outdoors and have the fitness and upper body strength to do this. You may be a man or a woman, and you may develop this strength through a weight training program before starting the apprenticeship.
• You have normal colour vision
• You have strong interpersonal skills and are able to deal with both internal and external customers.
• You have a mechanical aptitude, and familiarity with computers, industrial tools, and industrial equipment would be an asset.

Equivalence documentation and transcripts

To successfully claim an equivalent status, you must provide documentation that effectively demonstrates you've taken equivalent courses. You'll submit either a letter from your place of education or your instructor indicating the course(s), stating that the course(s) taken would be considered equivalent to or better than a grade 12 level.

Once selected as an apprentice, you need to provide a copy of transcripts demonstrating your high school graduation including Math 12, English 12 and Physics 12 as well as a driver's abstract and claims history.

Program details and future job prospects

As an apprentice electrician, your career in the electricity trade begins with 48 months of on the job and in-school technical training for 10 weeks per year. After a probation period, you’ll follow a course of study which involves moving locations throughout the province. Your progress in both your work and the study program are both essential to continuing in the apprentice program.

After you graduate, you can apply for electrician jobs anywhere in the province working on BC Hydro’s system.

Where you train and work

During your apprenticeship, you’re required to work in 3-4 headquarters, usually starting out in substations and moving to the larger generating stations over the next 4 years. Typical locations include Victoria, Campbell River, Lower Mainland, Cranbrook, Bridge River, Mica Creek, Prince George and Hudson's Hope.

Pay and benefits

As an apprentice, you earn 75% of the full journeyperson trade rate while you learn, with further increases during the apprenticeship.

You learn and work in a healthy and safe environment supported by a competitive benefit package that includes vacation (minimum of 3 weeks), overtime pay, designated day offs with pay, disability income, health and vision care, and dental benefits.

Application timelines

Job postings are typically found on our current opportunities page. Click here to see application timeline information. If no information is available yet, you can set up a job alert so that you will be notified as soon as the posting goes up.

Due to the very high number of applications recruiters receive, only those who are shortlisted will receive a phone call.