Apprenticeships and Structured Training Programs
Colorado Springs Utilities supports our mission of providing safe, reliable and competitively priced utilities to our citizen owners and customers by developing a skilled workforce and ensuring we maintain regulatory compliance through apprenticeship and structured training programs.
Apprenticeship Programs
Colorado Springs Utilities provides many apprenticeship programs through The University of Springs Utilities. The programs are certified by the Department of Labor (DOL) and Veteran's Administration (VA), incorporate self-study, technical training, and on-the-job learning to enhance craft and trade skills. Openings for apprenticeships will be posted on our jobs page when available.
Our current apprenticeship programs include:
- Apparatus Electrician Apprenticeship
- Electric Meter Apprenticeship
- Gas Pipefitter Apprenticeship
- Instrument and Control Apprenticeship - Plants
- Line Technician Apprenticeship
- Power Plant Electrician Apprenticeship
- Power Plant Mechanic Apprenticeship
- Service Line Apprenticeship
- Substation Technician Apprenticeship
- Wastewater Collection Apprenticeship
- Wastewater Mechanic Apprenticeship
- Water Mechanic Apprenticeship
- Water Pipefitter Apprenticeship
Structured Training Programs
To ensure our employees are trained and skilled to proficiently perform their jobs, The University of Springs Utilities also offers many craft specific training programs. These programs are not registered with the Department of Labor or Veteran’s Administration, but are structured very similar using on the job training. They are developed to teach employees the skills required to perform job related tasks. Openings for apprenticeships will be posted on our jobs page when available.
Examples of some of these structured training programs include:
- AMI Training Program
- Cathodic Protection
- Dispatch Training Program
- Electric Self Contained Metering
- Gas System Operator
- Horizontal Directional Drilling
- Instrument and Control Apprenticeship WW
- Operator Qualification (Gas)
- Planner Analyst Program (ESD)
- Planner Analyst Program (W, WW)
- Power Plant Control Room Operator
- Power Plant System Operator
- Raw Water Fundamentals
- Security Control Center
- State of Colorado W / WW Operator License
- Transmission System Operator
- Utilities Locator
- Utility Service Specialist
- Water System Operator
Internships
Are you a full-time college student working on an undergraduate or graduate degree relevant to occupational areas at Colorado Springs Utilities? Are you excited about obtaining your degree and entering the “real-world” of work? Are you prepared? Do you have any experience yet? Savvy students like you are gaining this experience through internships.
At Colorado Springs Utilities an intern is defined as a college student currently enrolled on a full-time basis (12 or more credit hours for undergraduate students – 6 or more credit hours for graduate students) with a minimum 2.5 GPA hired into an internship related to his/her field of study. Colorado Springs Utilities internships are paid positions and provide valuable service to the organization. Through an internship with Colorado Springs Utilities, you can expect to utilize knowledge gained through your course of study in a real-world setting as you participate in meaningful projects and tasks contributing to your success.
Most interns at Colorado Springs Utilities work 40 hours per week during the summer months although some internships may extend into the school year on a part-time basis. At times, internships are set up as part-time during the school year to coincide with business needs. Regardless, all internships are located in Colorado Springs or nearby surrounding areas so interns must be prepared to reside within the area. Colorado Springs Utilities does not provide any relocation assistance for interns.
Internship disciplines vary however the majority focus on the following areas:
- Engineering (e.g., Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Environmental, Chemical)
- Business Support (e.g., Project Management, Business Continuity, Finance)
- Information Technology (e.g., Desktop Support)
- Water Quality Management (e.g., Treatment, Maintenance)
How to Apply for an Internship
Summer internships are usually posted between February and April each spring for the following summer. All internships are posted on our careers page at: jobs.csu.org and on the career sites of relevant colleges and universities across Colorado. However, internships are typically posted for only a short period so be sure you check the website frequently to see if anything is posted. If you meet the criteria of an intern and are interested in receiving notifications when a vacancy is available, we recommend you set up a job alert. Please note that specific qualifications are included in each job posting and you must apply online for a specific internship position in order to be considered. To set up a job alert follow these instructions:
- Go to our Jobs page.
- Select one or more jobs types of interest to you
- Click "Search"
- Above the search results, you will see "To be notified by email of new opportunities that match this search criteria set up a Job Alert." If you are not currently logged in, you will be asked to enter your email address. Otherwise, the job type(s) you selected will be saved as your search.
- You will then be notified by email when a job is posted matching your search criteria.
High School Programs
Colorado Springs Utilities offers the School To Employment Program (STEP) for talented high school students. STEP is a partnership with local high schools which focuses on high school students, 16 years or older, interested in gaining exposure to the business side of Colorado Springs Utilities. STEP allows students to gain work-related training in order to prepare for the workplace after graduation. The STEP Program provides the opportunity to apply concepts learned in the academic environment to job-related, hands-on experiences in the work setting.
What is STEP?
School Based Learning: Classroom instruction based on high academic and occupational skills standards.
Work Based Learning:
Work experience, structured training and mentoring at job sites.
Connecting Activities:
Courses developed to integrate classroom and on-the-job instruction, match students with employers, and maintain bridges between school and work.
Am I eligible to participate?
- Are you a high school student in District 2, District 3, or District 11?
- Are you enrolled in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) or relevant program at your high school?
- Are you 16 years or older and currently enrolled in high school?
- Do you maintain at least a 2.5 GPA?
- Are you in good standing at your respective high school?
- Do you have a good attendance record?
- Are you available to work from 3:00 – 7:00 PM Monday-Friday?
If you answered "yes" to these questions, talk with your parent/guardian and Career and Tech Education teacher or STEP Coordinator about taking advantage of this excellent opportunity.
How do I apply for STEP?
Applying for the program is easy. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:
- Ask your Career and Tech Education teacher or STEP Coordinator if your school participates in the STEP program and if he/she has access to open positions.
- If a position is available, complete the online application with the guidance of the teacher or coordinator.
Hiring Process
- Colorado Springs Utilities’ representatives will review applications and conduct interviews with final candidates.
- Students will be notified of their selection or non-selection.
Get Into Energy Career Pathways Roadmap
The Get Into Energy Career Pathways Roadmap provides a career pathway and detailed information for a variety of energy utilities positions. Please click here to be taken to the detailed roadmap for that career.