Scholarship Winner Finds Path To Serve Local Community
By Theresa Phillips
For many people, the work linemen do is only noticed when the power goes out. What’s less visible is the long road it takes to become 1—and the commitment required to stay the course.
For Lassen Municipal Utility District Lineman Garrett Prater, that road began with an interest in hands-on work and a desire to build a career that would allow him to stay connected to the community where he grew up. In 2015, he received the LMUD Community Scholarship, which helped him take the next step toward shaping his future: attending lineman school.
“I started planning to become a lineman during my junior year of high school,” Garrett says. “My mom really wanted me to get a college degree, so I got my AA, but I knew I still wanted to be a lineman.”
After earning his associate degree, Garrett attended Northwest Lineman College in Oroville, California. When he graduated, he looked for any opportunity to gain experience in the field.
Lineman training is not easy. The coursework is technical, the expectations are high, and the physical demands are constant. Students must learn electrical theory, safety procedures, and equipment operation, all while developing the strength and confidence required to work high in the air and in unpredictable conditions.
Graduating from lineman school doesn’t automatically make you a lineman.
“You still have to do your apprenticeship,” Garrett says. “I signed on with the union and started as a groundman. I did that for about a year and a half until I got an apprenticeship with Mountain States Electrical Contractors in 2020.”
After completing his apprenticeship, Garrett returned to the West Coast and signed on with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Locals 1245 and 659. Finding steady work wasn’t immediate.
“Work was slow, and the books were pretty stacked up,” he says. “I couldn’t get a job with 1245, which is LMUD’s branch of the IBEW, so I took a job with 659 in Yreka.”
Garrett worked in Yreka for about 6 months before a journeyman lineman position opened at LMUD.
“My wife saw the position on Facebook,” he says. “Since Susanville is our home, I applied.”
Working as a lineman means being ready when others need you most: during storms, equipment failures, or unexpected outages. It also means ongoing learning, teamwork, and a commitment to doing the job right every time.
“My favorite thing about being a lineman is that I get to do something different every day,” Garrett says. “I love working outside and working with my hands.”
Garrett’s path reflects the opportunities that exist within skilled trades, and the role community support can play in making those opportunities possible. Programs like the LMUD Community Scholarship help local students pursue training for essential careers that directly serve the people and places they call home.
When asked what advice he would give to others considering a career as a lineman, Garrett is honest about the challenges.
“Lineman school is a good way to go, but it’s a lot of money,” he says. “The LMUD scholarship helped, but it didn’t come close to covering the full cost of the training.”
If cost is a barrier, Garrett suggests another route: earning a Class A driver’s license and signing on with multiple IBEW locals as a groundman.
“Get out there, get experience, and be prepared to travel,” he says. “Once you get some hours under your belt, you can apply through the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees.” The road to becoming a lineman isn’t easy, but for those willing to put in the work, it offers purpose, stability, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day.