Overhead Linesman Career

[Fatprawn]

Hi

I've been searching the Internet for info regarding a career as a OHL, but I'm not having a great deal of luck extracting the relevant details to enable a swap to such a career. Plenty of information from the jobs available but struggling to find entry requirements, training periods, pay during training and upon qualification etc.

If there are any OHLs on here that can provide me with more information in line with the areas above then it would be much appreciated.

Cheers

M

 

[Des 56]

Hello Fatprawn
Most on this site are inolved with installation or maitenance,it may be more productive to post your question on a forum such as in this link
Linework Forum

 

[Fatprawn]

Thanks for that Des, appreciated

 

[OHL Recruiter]

Hi!

I am a recruiter for UKs largest electricity distribution operator and I'm currently looking for 14 OHLs for perm roles based around London. If you have a CV, it would be worth having a chat as they may be looking for entry level OHL?

 

[Engineer54]

Hi!

I am a recruiter for UKs largest electricity distribution operator and I'm currently looking for 14 OHLs for perm roles based around London. If you have a CV, it would be worth having a chat as they may be looking for entry level OHL?

Do they still have overhead poles in London?? lol!!

 

[Stonsey]

Saw a job ad a few months ago for trade apprentices, I think from memory the training was 1 or 2 years earning 20k. This was uk power networks in east anglia.

 

[daerve]

Hi

I've been searching the Internet for info regarding a career as a OHL, but I'm not having a great deal of luck extracting the relevant details to enable a swap to such a career. Plenty of information from the jobs available but struggling to find entry requirements, training periods, pay during training and upon qualification etc.

If there are any OHLs on here that can provide me with more information in line with the areas above then it would be much appreciated.

Cheers

M

I was an OHL for 11 years and started with what was the Midlands Electricity Board.

Entry requirements were 5 GCSE's A to C grade and obviously a bit of fitness and a head for heights. I did a 4 year apprenticeship which entailed an NVQ to level 3 in electrical distribution and transmission engineering, City and Guilds 232 in electronic and electrical engineering and the option to do a BTEC in the same subject. Training wise it was training school for between 2 and 6 weeks at a time mixed with on job training.

The pay was to put it nicely, utter crap. I started at 16 on £85 a week and when I left aged 27 I was on just under 21k and that was top whack though there was plenty of overtime if you wanted it.

Any more questions please ask.

 

[Engineer54]

I was an OHL for 11 years and started with what was the Midlands Electricity Board.

Entry requirements were 5 GCSE's A to C grade and obviously a bit of fitness and a head for heights. I did a 4 year apprenticeship which entailed an NVQ to level 3 in electrical distribution and transmission engineering, City and Guilds 232 in electronic and electrical engineering and the option to do a BTEC in the same subject. Training wise it was training school for between 2 and 6 weeks at a time mixed with on job training.

The pay was to put it nicely, utter crap. I started at 16 on £85 a week and when I left aged 27 I was on just under 21k and that was top whack though there was plenty of overtime if you wanted it.

Any more questions please ask.

OHL can make some big money these day's down under in Aussie and NZ, which i hear are also in very short supply. Had a friend in HK that was contracting for the China Light & Power company on MV and LV OHL, he was also on a very decent salary!! So train and gain experience in the UK and then get yourself off overseas....

 

[daerve]

OHL can make some big money these day's down under in Aussie and NZ, which i hear are also in very short supply. Had a friend in HK that was contracting for the China Light & Power company on MV and LV OHL, he was also on a very decent salary!! So train and gain experience in the UK and then get yourself off overseas....

I looked in to it but wifey didn't want to go to Australia because it's too far from her family (exactly thought I). Out of about 10 people I used to work with at 1 location, 8 of them are now working in Australia. Shame really because I had a lot of experience and was trained to work from the cutout all the way up to 400kv tower lines. Hey ho, I'm in a different career all together now though.

 

[Engineer54]

Always the same, wife thinking about family!!! The thing is though, would any of the family not think twice before swanning off to far flung lands to improve significantly the standard of living of their immediate family and the overall improvement of living environment. Not to mention improving the education and opportunities of the children!! I bet there would be a few in any family... lol!!

When all said and done, your only a plane ride away from any family these days, a long plane ride it maybe from down under, but still just a plane ride!!!

 

[Badged01]

Working abroad is interesting, amongst others I did 6 years in Hong Kong (before the take-over), numerous years in Oz and spells in the USA and mainland Europe. Only spot I havent worked is the African continent!! Obviously its always a personal opinion but having spent a lot of time out of the UK I dont believe all-round you can beat what we have in the good old UK. We've definitely got our problems but believe me so does everywhere else in this world ...... and if not now its certainly looming on the horizons. The grass always seems greener on the other side but only by exploring can you decide for yourself!!

 

[Carlos85]

Hi

Do u have any Trainee positions. I really want to get started as a Overhead Linesman. I am 27 years old and have 11 years experience working part of a multi-skilled Maintenace team.