I’m a tree trimmer who’s spent storm seasons clearing oaks and cottonwoods off 12kV lines alongside utility crews, from predawn bucket runs to mile-long right‑of‑way cleanup. For those who jumped from line clearance to the hot side, how much did rigging and MAD awareness translate, and what should I brush up on before applying for an apprenticeship?
Your rigging and MAD awareness from clearing 12kV do carry over, but the gap that trips most tree folks () is electrical theory and system work you never touch. Before you apply, nail Ohm’s law/phasing, get a Class A CDL, and spend time on hooks doing gaff‑to‑gaff plus hurt‑man rescue; skim OSHA 1910.269 to tighten your MAD/switching mindset: 1910.269 - Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution. | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. On those “predawn bucket runs,” were you doing any tagging/hold‑offs or strictly tree side?
@oliver_har45 nailed theory; I’d add system ID reps — carry a pocket notebook and ‘draw the next pole,’ marking phase, neutral, cutouts, banks, and your guessed feed direction, then confirm later on a one-line so the layout sticks (it’s like learning the grid’s handwriting). You comfortable reading transformer nameplates yet?
Biggest gap from tree to hot side is grounding and backfeed. Before you apply, learn equipotential bonding and bracket grounding, and be able to point out where you’d hang grounds on a ‘12kV’ radial vs. a loop; if you don’t have a CDL, grab that now — taken the CAST yet, or need a study link.