Alberta's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 28
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ALBERTA’S TOP EMPLOYERS
ATCO brings learning to life for apprentices
T
homas Payne knew
being a powerline
technician could
give him a good life,
having seen both his
father and grandfather excel in the
trade. He knew that when he got a
technician job, he wanted it to be
with ATCO.
They definitely care and
want you to do the best
you can.
— Thomas Payne
Powerline Technician
Fuelled by the power of approximately 20,000 people throughout
ATCO and its subsidiary and
affiliate companies worldwide, the
corporation is a one-stop provider
for housing, energy and defence.
In Alberta, ATCO Energy Systems
focuses on delivering essential
energy for an evolving world,
with safety and reliability at the
forefront.
The diversified Calgaryheadquartered company is one of
the best places to be a powerline
technician, says Payne. “They
provide the best career opportunities, reliability to customers,
safety record and compensation,”
he says. “It’s very coveted to work
with one of the major utilities
here in Alberta, and it’s very
competitive.”
Four years ago, he applied to
ATCO’s apprenticeship program.
While aspiring technicians
can complete their apprenticeship through post-secondary
Aspiring technicians at ATCO can complete their training through the organization’s in-house school, offering
access to the best labs and equipment available.
institutions in the province, ATCO
has its own in-house school that
offers “more depth, access to
better labs, and better equipment
to train with,” says Payne. “They
definitely care and want you to do
the best you can.”
Meghan Stuart, director of
human resources at ATCO Energy
Systems, says the company’s program pairs classroom education
with hands-on learning opportunities for powerline technician
apprentices. At its Leduc training
centre, apprentices do relays and
test their comfort level scaling
power poles in a climbing yard,
work on substations, and gain
experience on other equipment.
“We really bring their learning
to life,” she says. The program
is open to new apprentices on a
bi-annual basis.
The program equips apprentices
with safety protocols and handson best practices, ensuring they
enter the field fully prepared to
work safely and confidently. As
apprentices get more experience
through the program, they
regularly work with competency
assessors. They’re also paired with
experienced mentors.
“Speed to competency is really
critical, but we also want to make
sure that people are safe,” Stuart
says.
Now a certified journeyman
powerline technician working
for ATCO in Stettler, Alta., Payne
says his mentors and now fellow
colleagues were an invaluable
resource. “Your mentor is there
to help you, show you how to do
it and help you become a better
worker,” he says. “The people I
had in my group were great, very
smart and dedicated. They’ve been
tremendous.”
Canada is currently facing
a significant gap in skilled
tradespeople. Stuart says ATCO is
trying to feed the talent pipeline
by visiting Alberta high schools
to talk to students about a career
in the trades. It has also donated
supplies to high school machine
shops. In the past, she says, skilled
trades workers were drawn to the
company for its offer of a life-long
