Overhead linesman Review

Working on the low and high voltage overhead electricity network. The job involves a varied range of skills from digging out pole holes to tensioning 33kv power lines up a 14m pole on spikes. There can be a lot of driving involved and we work in all weather day and night.

I have learnt a whole range of new skills. I have also gained extra qualifications and operator tickets. You'll learn about electricity and power networks at college. You'll learn all the construction and theory needed to build and repair over head networks. You'll also learn all the safety implications and standards.

Here is the downside for me. Despite being an adult learner with electrical engineering qualifications prior to the course, I have found most of the training process highly stressful and not at all enjoyable. The college course was drawn out and maybe 25% completely irrelevant to the job. The apprenticeship was miss sold to us and involves a huge amount of paperwork that actually detracts from you gaining skills rather than enhance them. I would not have entered into this training program if I had known what was involved. On a plus note, the practical training was excellent and enjoyable. The highlight is actually the on the job training you do with the qualified linesman.

Not good. At the start of the year there is a plan, but only a for the year, not the 3 years. You'll be given last minute notifcation of courses and be held back if holidays clash with courses. The structure for the trailblazer was/is absolutely terrible. There is also no structure behind mentoring, so on the job training can vary, I am very lucky to be training with a great bunch of guys.

There is a lot of support available at sse. A great example is I injured my back outside of work, but they paid for private physio which really helped. My manager is absolutely brilliant and easy to talk to if I have any issues. If something is unsafe we are 100% supported when stopping work. When it comes to tools and vehicles there is very little supporr, to the point it gets very frustrating. As a trainee often you are often treated as a lesser employee.

As for training support, I'd say there is support, but it is limited. I repeatedly raised issues with the amount of stress trailblazer causes but was told it has to be done so had to just accept it. There was plenty of support at college. I find safety is top of the list and the support when it comes to staying safe is brilliant.

Unfortunately it didn't really help. I already held a level 3 qualification in electrical engineering, so the level 2 in power engineering felt like a bit of a waste of time. Computer aided design was a huge waste of time, time in could have spent learner other things more relevant to the job.

We do socialise outside of work. There was a whole week induction when the training started, but it wasn't a good experience. I go mountain biking with guys from work, we have curry nights, some of the others are all going skiing. I'd highly recommend the job from a social point of view

No

Poor pay parity. Unfair pay across the job. Poor levels of tooling, which is frustrating. The training is drawn out and trailblazer is so poorly designed and managed I'd never recommend it to anyone, despite the job at the end being great. Frustrating management. Quick to criticise and slow to reward. Plus side, amazing safety culture and the actual work is rewarding. If pay was fair, people were treated fairly and the training was more like the old nvq system I would actually highly recommend sse.

Get trained elsewhere then apply for a job, you'll get paid more and not have to do 3 years of jumping through hoops and what feels like endless paperwork. Sse is a big company and progression up through the ranks is encouraged, so entering at the bottom isn't a bad thing.