Chelan PUD apprenticeship program builds next generation workforce

WENATCHEE — Chelan County Public Utility District is building its future workforce from within, using an apprenticeship program that blends technical training with a broader cultural shift in how employees learn, teach and work.

During an April 6 commission meeting, apprenticeship training director and coordinator Natá Pulver said the program now spans nine different trades and supports more than 30 apprentices across the district.

“We do have nine … occupational objectives,” Pulver said. “We currently have 33 apprentices in the program, although that’s actually going to change to 34 today.”

Those programs cover a wide range of work across the utility, including line crews, hydro operations, mechanics, fiber and water and wastewater systems.

Most apprenticeships run about three years and require roughly 6,000 hours of on-the-job training, along with 144 hours of classroom instruction each year completed outside of regular work hours. Some programs vary, including a two-year fiber program and a four-year electric utility technician track.

Pulver said the structure is designed not just to train workers for specific roles, but to prepare them for long-term careers within the district.

“Our program has been running since the 1950s,” she said, noting that “several hundred” workers have completed the program over time.

Building a culture, not just a workforce

At the center of the program is a framework known as Human and Organizational Performance, or H&OP, which Pulver said shapes how apprentices and instructors approach both safety and learning.

The approach emphasizes a set of core principles that recognize human error and prioritize learning over blame.

“People have dignity. Error is normal,” Pulver said. “Blame fixes nothing. Context drives our behavior. Learning is deliberate and vital. And our response matters.”

That philosophy is reflected in daily practices, including pre-job briefings where crews review hazards and plan work before heading into the field.

“What are we working on? What are some potential hazards we might face, and how are we going to mitigate those as much as possible?” Pulver said.

She added that while many utility jobs involve inherent risks, the goal is to reduce those risks through preparation and shared awareness.

From hierarchy to collaboration

Pulver said the apprenticeship program is also moving away from a more traditional, top-down training model toward one that encourages participation and feedback from newer workers.

“It’s no longer the typical apprenticeships of the past where it’s, ‘Watch what I do and don’t say anything,’” she said.

Instead, apprentices are expected to engage actively in the learning process.

“We are encouraging and almost mandating that they ask questions, think innovatively, bring up ideas,” Pulver said.

That shift goes both ways, she added, with experienced workers continuing to learn alongside apprentices.

“My journeymen and my foremen are constantly saying how they’re continuously learning from the apprentices as well,” she said.

Training the next generation — and keeping them

The program relies heavily on internal instructors, many of whom came through the same apprenticeship system.

Pulver said the district currently has more than 30 internal instructors, and about 65 percent of them were once apprentices themselves.

“They go through the program and they immediately start giving back to the next generation,” she said.

Commissioners also raised questions about retention, noting that employees who train within the organization may be more likely to stay.

Pulver said the district does track retention and described it as “very high,” though she said she would follow up with specific numbers.

A competitive path into the trades

For those interested in joining, the program begins with a paid trainee position that can last up to a year before entering a formal apprenticeship.

Pulver said applicants are not required to have prior trade-specific education, though additional certifications or coursework can help candidates stand out.

“We do get several hundred applicants for every apprenticeship position,” she said.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old, speak English fluently and obtain CPR certification, which can be completed during the trainee period.

From there, apprentices progress through a structured series of steps, gaining experience and increasing pay levels before ultimately testing for journeyman status.

Pulver said the combination of hands-on training, classroom instruction and mentorship is designed to support both the individual worker and the district as a whole.

“By building H&OP into our practices, we’re not just training people on how to do their jobs,” she said. “We’re developing our high-performing workforce, and that is elevating our entire PUD and our community.”

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media