“Lineman” typically refers to outside power line workers who install and maintain high-voltage transmission and distribution lines. The path to becoming a lineman in Hawaii involves a specialized apprenticeship and possibly certification beyond the standard electrician route. 

Here are some of the common pathways you can take:

• Electric Lineman Apprenticeship: The primary route is through an IBEW/NECA lineman training program. IBEW Local 1260 (which covers Hawaii) offers a Lineman Apprenticeship. This is a 3-year program that totals 7,000 hours of on-the-job training plus 480 hours of related classroom instruction. You will learn to work on poles, substations, transformers, and high-voltage conductors, while also studying math, wiring, safety, and OSHA rules. To enter the program, you will generally need a high school diploma (or GED) and pass an aptitude test, plus physically pass a climbing and other requirements.

• Military or Utility Experience: Some linemen come from military engineering units where they might have done electrical distribution work or moved from inside electrical roles to outside via additional training. But most Hawaii linemen are trained via the union apprenticeship on Oahu since neighboring islands have fewer utilities. A few utilities may have their own training programs. For example, Maui Electric used to sponsor apprentices.

• Licensing Requirements: There is no separate “lineman electrician” license from DCCA. Instead, after you complete your lineman apprenticeship or the equivalent time on the job under a qualified lineman, you will qualify as an outside lineman in the industry. If you later wish to work as a contractor, Hawaii offers a C-62 Pole and Line Contractor license for businesses that do line installations. But an individual lineman doesn’t need that, as it is for firms.

• Continuing Education: Linemen often need additional certifications, such as cranes or hoists, first aid, and specialized equipment. Some unions and employers mandate training like line-clearance safety or live-line work suits. But the state board’s CE requirement still applies. You must renew your electrician license every 3 years with NEC update courses.

Once you are trained, you will usually work for an electric utility like Hawaiian Electric or a line contractor. Usually, the pay is very high due to the skill and danger. For instance, the apprenticeship wage rates climb each year of training. After the apprenticeship, a journeyman lineman can earn union-scale wages, which in Hawaii are among the top in the country.

Having the standard electrical license (EJ) is not strictly required for linemen, but many linemen are dual-licensed because it increases employability, especially on “substation” jobs, which involve more equipment. If you’re set on power line work, focus on the lineman path first, then consider getting your Hawaii electrician license for additional work scope.