Overhead Line Worker

Overhead line workers are the unsung heroes of our electrical infrastructure, ensuring that power flows smoothly to homes and businesses across the UK. Their expertise is crucial for maintaining safety, reliability, and efficiency in our energy supply, making them vital players in the transition to a sustainable future.

Overhead Line Worker

12

Transport & Logistics

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO12%moving to57%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSC
STARTING PAY£22,000 - £28,000
PHYSICAL MOATThe work is hands-on, in the real world. Software alone can't do it.
This job holds up well against AI
AI cannot yet do much of what this job actually involves, and the work is hands-on, in the real world. Software alone can't do it. That is about as safe as careers get right now, though it is still worth learning to use the tools well.

Career progression path

1FIRST STEPJunior Overhead Line WorkerAs a junior overhead line worker, you will assist experienced colleagues in the installation and maintenance of power lines, gaining hands-on experience and training.£22,000 - £28,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-Level Overhead Line WorkerIn this role, you will take on more responsibilities, including leading small teams and managing specific projects, while continuing to develop your technical skills.£30,000 - £38,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Overhead Line WorkerAs a senior worker, you will oversee projects, mentor junior staff, and ensure that all work meets high safety and quality standards.£45,000+
There is more than one way in

You do not have to go the university route to get here. There is an apprenticeship route into this career. There is also a vocational route that skips a degree entirely.

Careermash

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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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