Anyone here go through the hydro one apprenticeship?

[bushfaller89]

I've applied to Hydro One's utility arborist apprenticeship for a few years now and this year I got an e-mail inviting me to do an online interview, which was just a questionnaire, similar to what was in the original application. Anyways I'm taking it that they're looking into my file as I've gained some relevant work experience in the past couple years.

If anyone here has gone through their apprenticeship, what was the interview process like? I searched on google and found a couple people claiming that they only hire people with so many x,000's of hours of utility line work and that there is a theory test. I'm not sure how you can pass unless you already are an arborist, which I am not.

 

[TheShanks]

Looks like the system in Ontario works different than BC. In BC the utilities tree company you work for registers you as a Utilities Arborist apprentice and then you take the time off work when courses start. Then they monitor your hours accumulation. You don't have to work through Hydro at all since all the tree / vegitation work is subcontracted. I'm in the same position as you, I go to the course in the spring.

My advice. Move to BC, You'll end up staying here. I did.

 

[bushfaller89]

I've actually worked in BC for a couple years and would love to live there permanently. Do the subcontractors for BC Hydro make decent money? Hydro One has apprentices starting at $29/hr I think.

 

[TheShanks]

Couldn't tell ya. When I start collecting my hours I'll let you know but I doubt its 29 an hour. I took a bit of a pay drop when I got on with a tree company but I had been out of work for a couple months and wasn't going to argue about it.

BC is great. Love it. The first couple winters are amazing. It almost never snows in the lower mainland, you don't have to own a snow shovel and you can get away with a good rain jacket. The next few winters you'll wanna kill yourself when the rain is steady for weeks on end. And then you get used to it. You get used to packing an extra shirt and sweater with you to work so half way through the day you can have dry clothes on under your soaked rain gear

If you like trees BC is the place. Lots of cool species, and lots of really big trees. Especially on the island.