Apprenticeship

Power System Electrician

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Power system electricians are employed in the utility, industrial, oil and gas, renewable energy sectors. The duties include the installation, maintenance and repair of electrical power generation (including coal, natural gas and renewable energy), transmission and distribution systems and equipment.

In general, they work in the distinct areas of power generation, substation equipment, protection and control, and metering. Each of these areas has their own physical and technical requirements.

Power generation includes generators, wind turbines, solar arrays, biomass and associated equipment. Substation equipment includes high voltage equipment such as circuit breakers, transformers, switches and switchgear. Protection and control include a variety of equipment such as protective relaying and various remote control and monitoring systems (SCADA systems). Metering includes work with a spectrum of recording devices. This work includes the calibration and installation of metering equipment (meters).

Quick Facts

Credential: Journeyman Certificate

Hands-on and expert-led apprenticeship and industry training for skilled trades and technology professionals.

Campus: Main

Any in-person components of your courses will be delivered at NAIT's Main Campus in Edmonton. View map

Delivery Options:

  • Both On-Campus and Virtual - Some of your coursework will be in-person, on campus and some will be done online.

Periods: 4

Apprenticeship is a method of gaining the expertise needed to become a skilled tradesperson. This is done through a combination of on-the-job experience and classroom training.

Most apprenticeship programs are 3-4 periods in length, with an average of 8 weeks for each training period. In addition, there are specific allotments of on-the-job training hours associated with each period, so most apprentices complete 1 period per calendar year.

Hands-on, industry-relevant training 

If you like to have variety in your day-to-day work and are a creative problem-solver, then you will enjoy working as a power systems electrician.

Power systems electricians work in a variety of conditions depending on the repair work, including indoors, outdoors, possibly in inclement weather, near energized equipment, at heights, in confined spaces, in urban and rural environments and emergency response. If safety equipment is properly used, job hazards can be reduced and controlled.

Training at NAIT

The Power Systems Electrician apprenticeship term is:

  • 4 years (four 12-month periods)
  • minimum of 1590 hours on-the-job training in periods 1 and 2
  • minimum of 1560 hours on-the-job training in periods 3 and 4
  • 7 weeks of technical training in periods 1 and 2
  • 8 weeks of technical training in period 3 and 4
Power System Electrician

Enter the workforce with confidence 

As a power systems electrician, you will be employed by utility companies, large industrial facilities and their subcontractors. You will typically specialize in either:

  • substations, working with high voltage equipment used for the protection, indication and monitoring systems
  • metering, working with a variety of recording devices, such as supervisory controls, indicating and recording devices, switchboards and equipment circuitry

Experienced power system electricians may advance to supervisory or management positions, such as foreman or electric services superintendent.

Resources

Power System Electrician

Want to learn more about this program?

Thank you for your interest! We want to get you in contact with the right person to answer your questions.

Please contact the Student Service Centre for general inquiries such as:

  • Student application support
  • Program entrance requirements, tuition & fees, and how to apply
  • Program admissions process
  • Enrolment support
  • Student funding options
  • Fee and refund inquiries
  • General program and course withdrawal procedures
  • Navigating nait.ca and MyNAITPortal

Contact Student Service Centre

Please fill out the form below if you have any program-specific questions relating to:

  • Program details
  • Work-integrated learning and cooperative education
  • Advance credit and Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
  • Program and course withdrawal

Periods

Tuition & Fees

The tuition and fee amounts below are estimates based on current academic year’s rates. For financial planning purposes, please use these totals as an approximate estimate of your costs. Actual fees may vary by term and enrolment activities. Students who take all of their courses online are exempt from U-Pass, Health & Dental, and Recreation & Athletics fees. All fees are subject to change. Please refer to the tuition and fees page for more detailed information.

View the technical equipment requirements (PDF)

Scholarships & Awards

How to Apply

Complete an apprenticeship application & contract form

Effective November 1, 2014, you must fillout the application located on the MyTradesecrets website for Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board staff to determine if you are eligible for status as an indentured apprentice.

Dates & Deadlines

Once you are an indentured apprentice, you can review the availability and start and end dates of the program you are interested in. Log into your MyTradesecrets profile and do a search under the Class Registration section. Then you can determine the schedule that best fits your needs.

We recommend submitting your program application at least 90 days before the application deadline.

Apply to Program

Apply to the program with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the application process. Please note, processing time may vary for applicants, so we recommend starting early.

Apply nowHow to apply checklist

Want to learn more about this program?

Thank you for your interest! We want to get you in contact with the right person to answer your questions.

Please contact the Student Service Centre for general inquiries such as:

  • Student application support
  • Program entrance requirements, tuition & fees, and how to apply
  • Program admissions process
  • Enrolment support
  • Student funding options
  • Fee and refund inquiries
  • General program and course withdrawal procedures
  • Navigating nait.ca and MyNAITPortal

Contact Student Service Centre

Please fill out the form below if you have any program-specific questions relating to:

  • Program details
  • Work-integrated learning and cooperative education
  • Advance credit and Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
  • Program and course withdrawal



The personal information on this form is being collected under the authority of the Post-secondary Learning Act and section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). The information will be protected by the provisions of FOIP, and will be used for the purpose of registration and administration of the event. If you have any questions or concerns about the collection, use, security or disclosure of the personal information, please contact General Council at 780.471.7664 or legal@nait.ca.

Apply for Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Begin the application process through MyTradesecrets.

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