The City of Tacoma is now accepting applications for Apprentice Signal and Lighting Electricians. The anticipated start date for this recruitment will be Summer of 2026. The traffic signal and streetlight shop is a smaller group of electricians that does a wide variety of work. This job can challenge you both physically and mentally, as it has a great mix of large heavy construction type work and technical expertise type work. We do everything from trenching for electrical conduit and placing reinforced concrete, to programming computers and network systems that operate our traffic signal-controlled intersections. We have challenging electrical equipment from the 1940's (80-year-old circuits that are tied directly to TPU transformers) all the way to brand new state of the art vehicle detection systems for traffic signals using vector tracking and fish-eye cameras systems. We are first responders that includes after hour call outs to collision scenes, and we help keep our citizens safe, with our traffic control systems, school beacons, pedestrian crossing beacons, and lighting.
The City of Tacoma signal and streetlight shop currently operates and maintains 360+ traffic signals; 600+ flashers and beacons; and about 23,000+ streetlights. Electricians in the signal and streetlight shop are divided into three major categories of work as described below. Electricians starting with the City will typically spend several years working as Signal and Lighting Field Staff.
Signal & Lighting Field Staff Responsible for all operations and maintenance work associated with streetlights; and all overhead work associated with traffic signals, flashers, and beacons. Field electricians routinely operate out of 40-Foot and 55-foot bucket trucks, are constantly exposed to adverse weather conditions year round, and are also responsible for the vast majority of the physically demanding work.
Traffic Signal Controller Shop Staff Responsible for operations and maintenance of traffic signal controller cabinets, including wiring, programming, testing, and configuring the City's traffic controllers, conflict monitors, pedestrian push buttons, and vehicle detection equipment. The controller shop is also responsible for programming and scheduling of school zone beacons.
Inspection and Locating Staff Responsible for underground utility locates for signal and streetlight infrastructure and responsible for inspection of private development and City funded capital project work associated with the signal and lighting infrastructure.
Electricians starting with the City must be formally enrolled in the City of Tacoma Signal and Lighting Apprenticeship Program and will start at the bottom of the pay scale regardless of previous experience or certifications held. The apprenticeship program is 7000 hours, which requires approximately 3.5 to 4.0 years to progress through. Once hired, apprentices will spend about one month in ground school and climbing school during normal working hours. For the next three years apprentices typically attend night school 1 night a week between September and June. Apprentices are not compensated additionally for time spent in classes. Step increases are typically at 1,000 hour, 6 month increments and are dependent upon passing practical and written exams. The apprentice program is eligible for VA benefits. Failure to advance at a reasonable pace through the program may be cause for dismissal.
This position may offer volunteer overtime, and/or require overtime as needed. The shop may also operate a seasonal swing crew that works 4pm to Midnight and rotates through all field personnel.
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