Electrician at Mid-Columbia Outside Electrical JATC

The Mid-Columbia Outside Electrical JATC sponsors a registered electrician apprenticeship program in The Dalles, OR. This union JATC program focuses on outside electrical work, training apprentices for careers in line construction, utility work, and other outdoor electrical applications. Apprentices receive wages from the start of the program and earn pay increases as they move through each year of training.

The program runs five years, combining 8,000 hours of on-the-job training with 576 hours of related technical instruction. Outside electrical apprentices work on overhead and underground power distribution systems, utility infrastructure, and similar projects in and around the Mid-Columbia region. Classroom instruction covers electrical theory, safety protocols, the National Electrical Code, and the specific techniques used in outside electrical work.

Graduates earn journeyman electrician status with skills tailored to the demands of outside electrical work — a specialized field that supports the region's energy infrastructure and rural power needs. The Mid-Columbia area's mix of agriculture, energy production, and infrastructure development creates consistent demand for qualified outside electricians.