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Apprentice and internships

Apprenticeships and internships are two different approaches to job training and work experience. EWEB's apprenticeships offer employment, education and training in state-certified workforce programs. EWEB also partners with higher education to provide students with work experience.

Apprenticeships
EWEB has four state-certified electrical trade apprenticeship programs: 

• Electric Line Repair
• Electric Meter Repair
• Transformer Technician
• Substation Wireman

Each apprenticeship program takes a minimum of 6,000 hours and three years. This may be extended depending upon individual progress and performance.

There are six steps to each program and the pay starts at 70 percent of the average journeyman wages for the specific field of study. Apprentices will receive incremental raises approximately every six months until meeting journey level (100 percent average journeyman wage) at the end of the program. This is dependent upon progress and performance.

Apprentices do have some financial responsibilities including purchasing climbing hooks, a belt and a few other small tools and accessories. The initial cost averages $300 to $400.

Program participants are required to give a minimum of 144 hours of related training for each year of the apprenticeship in addition to their 40 hour work week. This includes class time (probably weekends), correspondence course work, safety and first aid training, attending trade seminars and other miscellaneous training as related to the field of study.

Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship program, participants are required to take a State of Oregon journeyman exam for their field. After passing, apprentices receive a Journeyman card from the State of Oregon, and full time employment at EWEB as a Journeyman level employee in their trade.   

The most recent wage rates are listed below:

Current estimates indicate a shortage of skilled electrical workers in the industry. This trend is expected to continue for the next six to ten years, which suggests a secure job market.

The work is both physically demanding and rewarding. Often electrical workers are called out to work during extreme weather conditions, during the middle of the night, and on weekends and holidays. The sacrifice of personal time is compensated through excellent wages, but many in the trade view the service to their fellow mankind as the greater reward. 

In the past, EWEB has recruited for its apprentices strictly from an internal pool of employees. However, external applications may be considered when a position is open. Watch our current openings page for future vacancies. Please note that we cannot accept applications unless a position is open.

Contact a member of the Eugene/Springfield Joint Apprenticeship Training Council for further information.

Internships

EWEB currently offers two internship programs:

Oregon State University’s MECOP and CECOP (Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program and the Civil Engineering Cooperative Program)
Lane Community College Energy Management Technician Co-Operative education program 

In addition, EWEB occasionally offers other internships for college students.  If you are interested in internship opportunities, please email Recruitment Team/EWEB Human Resources with specific details about your area of interest.