Substation Program

Learn More About the ALBAT Substation Apprenticeship Program

Throughout their apprenticeship, Apprentices in the American Line Builders Apprenticeship Training (ALBAT) program are able to earn while they learn, meaning that they get paid while having on-the-job experience in their field of study.

While working toward completing their ALBAT apprenticeship, students are required to attend mandatory related training classes, complete course material and attend several certification and qualification training courses. The training they receive enhance their opportunity for success in the outside electrical construction industry.

Substation Technicians build, maintain and monitor the equipment at electrical substations.

Substation Technician Apprentice will develop skills through employment in the following areas:

Grounding

Construction of protective grounding grid for electrical systems, controls, cabinets, transformers, control house, fences and steel structures

Foundations

Installing foundations and bases for control cabinets, transformers control houses and steel structures. All digging, trenching, rebar construction, utility location and conduit installations (Includes pole boxes and manholes)

Fence

Layout and build protective parameter and/or security fence for substation and public protection. Knowledge and understanding of minimum approach distance while working in the vicinity of energized circuits

Layout

Plan and layout work from blueprints, diagrams or utility specification sheets

Wiring

Cable pulling, coding, wiring and termination of cables for electrical systems, control monitoring and communication within the substation and outside sources

Steel Erection

Erection of steel support structures for high voltage electrical apparatus and construction of steel control houses for monitor and switching

Transformers

Installation, connection and service of substation transformers and circuit breakers for maintenance and new construction

Conduit

Bending and installation of isolated high voltage pipe or bus for distribution connections within substation between transmission lines, distribution lines and transformers

Strain Bus

Installation of suspended wire used as bus for distribution connections within substation between transmission lines, distribution lines and transformers

Bus Welding

Welding on conduit used as bus for circuit connections within substation. Welding of various materials and welding techniques use in different applications

Switches – Installation and adjustment

Assembly of switch gear for transmission and distribution of high voltage

The American Line Builders Apprenticeship Training (ALBAT) program is a cooperative labor-management training program funded and administered by American Line Builders Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Fourth and Sixth Districts. In the IBEW Fourth District, ALBAT performs the training for Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. ALBAT serves the IBEW Sixth District in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

ALBAT’s advantage as an apprenticeship provides the opportunity for individuals seeking highly-skilled, high-paying jobs and for employers seeking to build a qualified workforce. Our programs are built on providing flexible training that combines job-related technical instruction with structured on-the-job learning experiences. We are proud to train the top electricians in the following programs: Cable Splicing, Outside Line, Substation, Traffic Signal, Transmission, and URD (Underground Residential Distribution).