Overhead Lines Apprentice
United Infrastructure
Recruiting nationally
Closes on Sunday 19 July 2026
Posted on 15 June 2026
Contents
Summary
We are looking for Overhead Lines Apprentices to support our clients and customers with the construction, refurbishment and upgrade of transmission infrastructure including both large regional programmes and individual connection projects to deliver new build and refurbishment of power transmission lines and connections.
- Wage
-
Competitive
Competitive wage offered
- Training course
- Power industry overhead linesperson (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, Shifts to be confirmed.
48 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years
- Positions available
-
12
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Day to day, you will work with our mobile site teams who travel extensively.
You will be working on our live project sites and will be assisting the teams who are building, maintaining and repairing overhead transmission lines using approved standards.
Some of your key responsibilities will include:
- Working to strict company and client safety rules, policies and procedures, demonstrating integrity and commitment at all times
- Learning the efficient and proper use/operation of all tools, materials, plant and equipment
- Assisting with installation, connection and rigging in a high voltage environment, working on various structure types of transmission lines at voltages from 132 kV to 400kV
- Assisting with tower steelwork assembly and erection
- Assisting with running out pilot bonds and new conductors under tension
- Assisting with conductor replacement including full tension stringing
- Assisting with working with earthing parties, read and sign on to safety documentation
Where you'll work
- Applicants can be based anywhere in England for this role
- You must be able to travel extensively, as all your work will be on our live project sites across England, and also able to stay away from home
- You will also need to be able to regularly attend training at our dedicated centre in Darlington
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WIGAN AND LEIGH COLLEGE
Training course
Power industry overhead linesperson (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, wiring diagrams, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
- Prioritise and plan work with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify and organise resources to complete tasks for example, consumables.
- Identify apparatus to be worked on.
- Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
- Receive and clear a safety document (permit to work). Brief a working party.
- Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
- Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, safe access and egress, demarcate the work area, working at height, confined spaces, COSHH.
- Respond in the event of an emergency first aid situation including situations where there is electrical risk.
- Apply measures to leave power work environments in a safe and secure condition for example, anticlimbing guards, danger notices, barriers, lighting.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
- Select, check, prepare, use or operate, and store personal tools and equipment.
- Use working at height equipment for example, mobile working platforms, scaffolding, ladders.
- Select, inspect, and use personal climbing equipment to access and manoeuvre to a work position at height on overhead line plant and apparatus.
- Fit and operate a rescue device at height.
- Select, check, and prepare resources.
- Record information.
- Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and environmental impact.
- Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
- Apply team working principles.
- Report or escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, reports.
- Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Select and operate lifting equipment in overhead lines distribution work for example, cranes and winches.
- Carry out visual inspection to identify evidence of overhead services and buried utilities. Use locating equipment.
- Mark the position of services and sub-structures on the work site.
- Follow procedures for working on or in proximity to live apparatus.
- Select and use specialist LV live working PPE.
- Erect overhead lines plant and apparatus for example, poles, support mechanisms, stays.
- Install circuit main earths (CMEs) and additional (drain) earths.
- Install fixed earthing conductors and carry out earth electrode testing.
- Install cut outs.
- Install or replace conductors, insulators and ancillary equipment on overhead line plant or apparatus including sagging, tensioning and termination where required.
- Install, connect, and commission pole mounted plant and apparatus for example, transformers, pole mounted circuit breakers, and switchgear.
- Dismantle pole mounted plant and apparatus for example, transformers, pole mounted circuit breakers, and switchgear.
- Conduct pre-energisation tests.
- Conduct post-energisation (commissioning) checks.
- Perform testing procedures before and after switching operations.
- Interpret testing procedure results and action required.
- Operate switchgear and fuses making and breaking live conductor connections.
- Recognise fault conditions and identify the root cause.
- Replace components or resolve issues for example, replace high resistance joints or damaged conductor.
- Apply customer service techniques.
- Select and operate lifting equipment in overhead lines transmission work for example, cranes and winches.
- Check overhead line plant and apparatus is safe to access, install flag and check wristlets if required.
- Install access equipment for example, platforms, ladders, and spacer trollies.
- Install high voltage temporary earthing equipment.
- Carry out conductor compression jointing.
- Connect spacers to conductors.
- Test compression joints.
- Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, wiring diagrams, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
- Prioritise and plan work with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify and organise resources to complete tasks for example, consumables.
- Identify apparatus to be worked on.
- Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
- Receive and clear a safety document (permit to work). Brief a working party.
- Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
- Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, safe access and egress, demarcate the work area, working at height, confined spaces, COSHH.
- Respond in the event of an emergency first aid situation including situations where there is electrical risk.
- Apply measures to leave power work environments in a safe and secure condition for example, anticlimbing guards, danger notices, barriers, lighting.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
- Select, check, prepare, use or operate, and store personal tools and equipment.
- Use working at height equipment for example, mobile working platforms, scaffolding, ladders.
- Select, inspect, and use personal climbing equipment to access and manoeuvre to a work position at height on overhead line plant and apparatus.
- Fit and operate a rescue device at height.
- Select, check, and prepare resources.
- Record information.
- Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and environmental impact.
- Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
- Apply team working principles.
- Report or escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, reports.
- Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Training schedule
- In order to fully develop in your role, you will be enrolled onto the Level 3 Power Industry Overhead Linesperson apprenticeship qualification
- The programme will last approximately 3 years, and you will attend classroom-based workshops in addition to one-to-one support from your tutor and mentor, who you will regularly meet to ensure you are progressing through your programme and achieving your key milestones
- You will also regularly attend additional training, relevant to your role, at our dedicated centre in Darlington
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Team working
- Physical fitness
- Working at height
- Lifting and climbing
Other requirements
- Good level of fitness, and able to perform physically demanding tasks including climbing, working at height and lifting
- Able to work outdoors with exposure to severe weather conditions and temperature extremes
- Able to travel throughout the UK and stay away from home
- Full UK driving licence
- Be 18+ by the start date as you will be working on our live project sites
About this employer
United Infrastructure is a dynamic and rapidly expanding business, focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects, across the utility and social infrastructure sectors.
Our team of highly skilled and hardworking specialists deliver innovative solutions to the complex challenges our clients face.
Our company is split into two business areas:
Utility Infrastructure – our team of specialists design, build and maintain critical water, energy (gas), power and telecoms infrastructure, for the UK’s largest network owners and operators.
Social Infrastructure - our team of specialists revitalise homes and communities by carrying out a wide range of work, from retrofit to refurbishment, and maintenance.
https://unitedinfrastructure.com/ (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
- Upon successful completion of this apprenticeship, you will be able to continue your career at United Infrastructure as a Overhead Linesperson
- There are opportunities to move into more senior roles for those who wish to progress further
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
United Infrastructure
Rebecca Harrison
earlycareers@unitedinfrastructure.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000037084.
Apply now
Closes on Sunday 19 July 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.