Matt Stapleton joined Seattle City Light in September 2018. As part of the team at Boundary Dam, Matt serves the utility as an electrical constructor apprentice. “I like to refer to my position as the ‘sponge role’ because I’m always hungry for new information and am eager to learn,” Matt explained.
He lives in Pend Oreille County, not too far from Boundary Dam. “I moved around a lot as a kid, but I think I decided to stay in Washington state because we get to experience all four seasons,” Matt shared. Before joining City Light’s apprenticeship program, Matt served in the Marine Corps and attended Avista Lineman School.
In this week’s (spot)Light, learn about Matt’s hobbies, his work and life in northeastern Washington.
“There is a lot of outdoor activity in Pend Oreille County. I enjoy hiking in the summer and splitboarding in the winter. Splitboarding is my favorite activity. I also enjoy woodworking and am currently in the process of building a tiny house out of a recycled shipping container.”
“I was attracted to City Light because of its culture. I am a strong believer in workplace equity. The RSJI program that the City implements brings a lot to the table for people of color. It’s night and day from other utilities where I’ve worked.”
“I really enjoy my job. I work one-on-one with a Journeyman electrical worker to complete new construction jobs, annual maintenances, and general electrical maintenances around Boundary Dam – all for the purpose of bringing clean, reliable and efficient energy to our customers. My favorite project at the moment is working on this year’s overhaul/rewind; there are so many moving parts to it. And it’s all part of the exciting work that’s happening at Boundary. It’s extremely awesome to be involved this early into my apprenticeship.”