Learn a Trade. Power Your Career.

Our apprentices have an opportunity to earn good wages and benefits while learning highly technical skills that open the door for rewarding, long-term careers.

Apprenticeship Programs

Invest in a Stronger Future

The finest and most highly trained workers in the country receive their training through local joint apprenticeship training committees (JATC).

NorthWestern Energy is proud to have a long history of active JATCs that train and develop individuals for careers in electric transmission and distribution line work, electric substation and relay systems, meter shops, natural gas service work, system control operators, hydro operators and more.

 

 

Taking the First Step

Crew clean up after a tree fell through a power line.

Taking the First Step

The first step to getting accepted into an electric line or gas apprenticeship program with NorthWestern Energy is to apply for an open entry-level, pre-apprentice craft position such as a groundmen, production worker, laborer or other positions within the company. These positions provide foundational work experience for apprenticeships. We post all of our open positions on our Careers page, where you can apply online. 

View positions and apply online
Once you are working as a full-time, part-time or seasonal employee, you may apply for an apprenticeship through openings announced via our standard internal job posting process. Apprenticeship programs, which combine class work with paid, on-the-job training, provide pathways to well-paying careers.

Linemen Apprentice Program At A Glance

29
total apprentices in Montana
2 years
average time to complete the program
10
total apprentices in South Dakota

Step 1: Fundamental Work Experience

The first step to getting accepted into an apprenticeship program with NorthWestern Energy is to apply for an open entry-level craft position such as a groundmen, production worker, laborer or other positions within the company. We accept applications only when positions are open and each opening has a deadline so check our website frequently.

Open Positions

Step 2: Meeting the requirements

To apply, you will need a high school diploma or equivalency test. You also will need a solid foundation in math and must enjoy working outdoors in all kinds of weather. Each position has its own unique physical requirements that will be detailed on the job posting. Any work experience in the construction industry is also valuable.

Step 3: Applying for an apprenticeship

Once you are working as a full-time, part-time or seasonal employee, you may apply for an apprenticeship through openings announced via our standard internal job posting process. Apprenticeship programs, which combine class work with paid, on-the-job training, provide pathways to well-paying careers.

 

From the moment you are in a pre-apprentice or an apprentice role, you work in the field and earn:

Competitive wages

 

Healthcare insurance

 

Retirement benefits

 

Vision insurance

 

Dental insurance

 

Electric Line or Gas Apprentice Program At-A-Glance

Apprenticeship Program Contacts

Close

Close

A Focus on Safety

We focus on creating a workplace that fosters the safety, health and well-being of our employees as well as the safety of our customers. We are committed to preventing all accidents, injuries and occupational illnesses by ensuring our employees participate in safety education and awareness at all levels of the organization. One of our guiding safety principles is that any work-related accident or illness is an unacceptable part of doing business and that no job is so important and no service is so urgent that employees cannot take time to perform these activities safely. Your professional growth and personal safety matter to us because we believe that when you do well, we do well.
Learn More About Our Commitment to Safety

Offering equal opportunities

At NorthWestern Energy, we base employment decisions on merit, qualifications and abilities. We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. We are committed to the maximum utilization of all human resources and the goal of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. We provide Equal Employment Opportunity for qualified disabled veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, recently separated veterans, other veterans in a protected class and individuals with disabilities. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination and access to benefits and training opportunities to grow.