Electrical Lineworker Program — Oroville, CA

The Electrical Lineworker Program (ELP) is a 15-week pre-apprentice program that offers comprehensive education and training for individuals pursuing a career in the electric power industry. Students learn how to safely construct, maintain and operate the nation’s power grid, gain the skills needed to work in elevated positions using the latest safety equipment, and learn to operate bucket trucks and digger derricks. Graduates earn nine industry-recognized certifications, including a climbing certification, and an Electrical Lineworker Program Certificate of Completion.

Located north of Sacramento, the Oroville campus at 2009 Challenger Ave has four classrooms and administration space (10,000 sq ft), a 14,000-sq-ft indoor lab area and an 18-acre field-training area. Northwest Lineman College–California is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), a recognized institutional accrediting agency.

Founded in 1993 by journeymen linemen, Northwest Lineman College describes itself as the largest provider of linework training in the U.S., with more than 45,000 graduates, 4,000 hiring employers and 900+ apprenticeship partners. Since 2018 it has been part of Quanta Services, a Fortune 200 company and the nation’s largest employer of craft professionals.

• Every instructor is a journeyman lineman who also completes NLC’s Professional Technical Educator Program, a Department of Labor registered training program.
• Training exceeds OSHA, ANSI and ASTM standards, and NLC was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to write smart grid curriculum.
• Students earn 9 industry-recognized certifications, including climbing.
• NLC reports an 88% graduation rate and a 75% employment rate, and many students graduate with a job offer in hand.
• Completing ELP and one year of verified job experience earns 34 credits toward an Associate of Applied Science in Utility Line and Management Technology through the Lamar Institute of Technology.

To be admitted to the Electrical Lineworker Program you must be at least 18 years of age by the start date of your term; have a high school diploma or GED; possess a valid driver’s license; be eligible to obtain a Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL); be physically and mentally fit to participate; provide proof of current medical insurance coverage by the start date and keep it for the duration of the program; not have a felony conviction on your record; weigh no more than 270 pounds due to the weight limits of fall protection equipment; and be proficient in English at high school level.

NLC uses open enrollment: complete applications are reviewed in the order received. A complete application consists of the application form, the $100 application fee, a copy of your valid driver’s license, a DOT medical exam and your official high school or GED transcript. Students also need a laptop or tablet meeting NLC’s minimum specifications.

Program length. The program is fifteen weeks of full-time enrollment, totaling 480 clock hours.

Daily schedule. Class and field training are in session Monday through Thursday (occasionally Friday), 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with two 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch. Fridays are reserved for study and preparation. NLC may adjust daily hours for reasons such as lightning or adverse weather.

Term dates. 2026 Term 3 runs December 28, 2026 to April 16, 2027 (closed January 1 and February 15-19); 2027 Term 1 runs May 3 to August 13, 2027. Holidays do not count toward training time, and classes falling on holidays are rescheduled.

Northwest Lineman College publishes a complete price for this campus for the 2026/27 academic year.

• Tuition: $21,095
• Application fee: $100
• Training lab and materials fee: $850
• Climbing and hand tools, safety shirts: $3,550
• Sales tax on tools and shirts: $328.38
• Student Tuition Recovery Fund fee: $0 — California stopped assessing it on 1 April 2024
• Total program cost: $25,923.38

For 2027 Term 1 the California campus publishes tuition of $21,625, tools and shirts of $3,640 and sales tax of $336.70, for a total of $26,551.70.

Optional courses are charged separately, including Crane Operator Certification and Class A CDL training. These are the college's own published figures for the 2026 terms; tuition and fees are subject to change.

$25,923.38 total charges for the entire program, as published by the college.

NLC says the program connects graduates to more than 30 careers, among them apprentice lineman, groundman, substation technician, telecommunications lineman, meter technician, crane operator, tree trimmer, fiber splicer, wind turbine technician and solar technician. Most graduates begin as pre-apprentices or groundmen, advance to a 6,000 to 8,000 hour apprenticeship, reach journeyman status, and may go on to foreman, general foreman and superintendent roles. Graduates who complete an apprenticeship using NLC curriculum can secure advanced standing.

NLC reports an annual median pay of $92,560 and a 75% employment rate. NLC does not offer job placement, but supports employment through the Career Planning and Strategies course, mock interviews, an exclusive Job Portal where utilities, cooperatives and contractors post openings, and an opportunity for every student to interview with Quanta Services.

Training format. Training is split 60/40 between field and classroom, Monday through Thursday, with Fridays reserved for study and preparation. Students work in crews of four to five, supporting one another while instructors guide them as crew leaders would. Student-to-faculty ratios are kept to a maximum of 20:1 in the field and 76:1 in the classroom. Skills are first demonstrated, then practised, then timed and rated for proficiency, and the skill phase is often strenuous. Training proceeds regardless of weather.

Graduation requirements. To earn the Certificate of Completion you need 70% or higher in each academic class, all field competencies and certifications before the last week, a ‘Meets’ or ‘Exceeds Expectations’ rating in Behavior Assessment, a Class A CDL (waived for DACA recipients, international or U.S. territory students and interns), and no more than five absences.

The Electrical Lineworker Program prepares students for entry-level work as a powerline technician. It runs 15 weeks of full-time enrolment totalling 480 clock hours, combining classroom instruction with hands-on pole-climbing and line work. Graduates must hold a Class A commercial driver's licence to complete the program.