Apprenticeship Qualifications, Requirements and FAQs

If you are applying for an apprenticeship at City Light, you must meet the following requirements for consideration:

• Be a U.S. citizen or have legal permission to be employed in the United States
• Be 18 years of age or older by the time of hire
• High school graduate or equivalent, vocational school graduate, or associate degree awarded
• A minimum of one year of high school or one semester or quarter of post-high school algebra, geometry, or trigonometry with a minimum grade of 70%, or successful completion of the Basic Electricity and Applied Mathematics (BEAM) class
• Have a valid Washington State driver's license by the time of hire
• Submit a current complete driver's record from the Department of Licensing
• Able to provide the documentation necessary to prove you meet all conditions listed above

Cable Splicer, Electrician Constructor, Generation Electrician Constructor, and Meter Electrician

In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicants for these apprenticeship positions must also satisfy at least one of the following:

• One year of high school training in electrical theory
• Six months of high school training installing, configuring, maintaining, or repairing electrical equipment
• One semester of post-high school level training in electrical theory
• One semester (at least 15 weeks) of post-high school level training in installing, configuring, maintaining, or repairing electrical or electrical utility equipment
• Three months prior experience (paid or volunteer) applying electrical theory or installing, configuring, maintaining, or repairing electrical or electrical utility equipment
• Four months prior experience (paid or volunteer) handling or assisting in installing and/or configuring electrical equipment or electrical utility equipment
• Completion of the Basic Electricity and Applied Mathematics (BEAM) Class

Basic Electricity and Applied Math (BEAM)

BEAM (Basic Electricity and Applied Math) is a multi-week, free course to help meet the electrical theory and math requirements for pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs.

While this training is not required to apply for City Light apprenticeship programs, it can help you meet minimum or additional qualifications and gain fundamental skills and knowledge for your electrical trades career.

To qualify for BEAM, applicants must pass an assessment administered by City Light, which is open during specific windows throughout the year.

Start your journey by taking the following steps:

The assessment is available during specific windows throughout the year. If the assessment testing period is open, the time frame will be posted below. If a date is not posted, the assessment is not open at this time.

Next scheduled assessment test for upcoming BEAM class: TBD

Next scheduled BEAM class: TBD

To be placed on a future notification list for BEAM or for additional information, please contact us.

1. Create a Cornerstone account or login. Need help? Follow this Cornerstone guide.
   • If you are a current City employee, log into your Cornerstone employee account and search for "SCL Basic Math Assessment Test."
2. Find the “SCL Basic Math Assessment Test.” Once logged into Cornerstone, look in the "Featured” box on your homepage.
3. Click “Launch” and take the test. Note: You will have 60 minutes to complete the test and it must be completed in one sitting.
4. Review your score. If you received a score of 80% or more, you will be entered into a lottery. You will be notified whether you were randomly selected or not to participate in the BEAM class. If you received a score of 79% or less, or you were not randomly selected to participate, we encourage you to try again next round.
5. If you did not pass the Basic Math Assessment Test, or if you were not randomly selected to participate, you will need to retake the Math Assessment Test for future BEAM sessions.

If you need help with math, tools, or driving skills, here are some resources for additional preparation. This is only a sample list and we encourage you to search for additional resources on your own to prepare for an apprenticeship at City Light.

Books

• Practical Math (American Technical Publishers)
• Practical Problems in Mathematics for Electricians (Stephen L Herman)
• Delmars Standard Textbook of Electricity (Stephen L Herman)
• Ugly's Electrical Reference Guide (Charles R Miller)
• Basic Electricity (Van Valkenburgh)

Web Resources

• Ohm's Law
• All About Circuits

Technical Colleges and Vocational Schools

• Bates Technical College, Tacoma, WA
• Clover Park Technical College, Lakewood, WA
• North Seattle College, Seattle, WA
• ANEW, Renton/Seattle/Kent, WA
• Avista/SCC Lineworker School, Joint Program through Avista & Spokane Community College, Spokane, WA (Duration: 16 weeks)
• Northwest Lineman College, Oroville, CA; Meridian, ID; or Denton, TX (Duration: 15 weeks)
• VOLTA Line School, Northwest Line Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, Warrenton, OR (Duration: 10 weeks)
• Northwest Electric Meter School, Program sponsored by Western Energy Institute at North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA (Duration: 5 days)

We offer the following apprenticeships:

• Pre-Apprentice Lineworker
• Cable Splicer
• Electrician Constructor
• Generation Electrician Constructor
• Meter Electrician

Learn more about these positions on our Apprenticeships home page.  

Pending business need/budget, our hiring processes for the apprenticeship programs typically open and close for application one time during the year. Applications can be submitted online when City Light has opened a position.

• January - February - Cable Splicer, Electrician Constructor, Generation Electrician Constructor, and Meter Electrician
• Late Summer/Early Fall - Pre-Apprentice Lineworker

Sign-up to receive a notification for when applications open:

1. Visit City of Seattle Job Opportunities.
2. Click on “menu” in the upper left-hand corner of the page and select “Job Alerts.”
3. Place a check in the box next to "Construction Trades" and “Utilities” to receive email notifications.
4. Click the 'Subscribe' button and fill out the information.
5. Click the 'Submit' button.

When City Light is accepting applications for apprenticeships, you can apply through the Seattle Job Opportunities portal. Search for the job title you are looking for: Pre-Apprentice Lineworker, Cable Splicer Apprentice, Electrician Constructor Apprentice, Generation Electrician Constructor Apprentice, and Meter Electrician Apprentice.

Be sure to read the job description and follow the instructions provided. With your online application, you MUST submit the following:

• A school transcript showing that you completed a minimum of one year of high school or one semester or quarter of post-high school algebra, geometry, or trigonometry with a minimum grade of 70%, OR your certificate showing successful completion of the Basic Electricity and Applied Mathematics class (BEAM) (if you've already completed it).
  • Trade School math will also be accepted.
  • Unofficial transcripts can be accepted with your application in-lieu-of your official transcript. Background checks will require official transcripts.
• A current Full Drivers Abstract showing your driving history. Please check with your state’s Department of Licensing for this document.

Applications without the above documentation will not be considered.

If you need help with math, tools, or driving skills, see Other Resources.

Successful completion of a Basic Electricity and Applied Math (BEAM) class qualifies you to apply for a City Light apprenticeship if you meet the minimum requirements, but it is not required. It also does not guarantee you will be accepted into an apprenticeship program.

BEAM is designed for applicants who feel they do not meet the basic electricity and math requirement of the conditions listed under Minimum Qualifications for Apprenticeships (see above).

• If you meet the math requirement, you can test out of the BEAM portion of the class once enrolled and take the electrical portion of the class instead.
• You can meet the electrical requirements in other ways that are paid, volunteer, job shadowing, YouTube Videos, home improvement, etc.

See more about BEAM.

Yes. Apprentices are represented by IBEW Local 77 for electrical crafts.

Yes. If you are a veteran and meet the eligibility requirements established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 10% (10 points) are added to your final competitive test score per the education benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). Please note, you will need to upload your DD214 showing an Honorable Discharge with your application to receive this benefit.

No. Each apprentice will begin at Step 1 of their apprenticeship program.

Yes. Anyone who meets the qualifications and requirements may apply. However, applicants who are invited to advance in the hiring process will be required to attend an on-site, working test as the second phase of the hiring process. 

Yes. You can learn more on the City of Seattle Human Resources Department website.

Wage increases in steps to a full, journey-level wage. View the salary schedule by role below: