How2Day: Electrical Power Generation Careers

More than 400,000 people in the United States worked for electricity utilities as of May 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Numerous job types are available in the field of electric power generation, including professional and manual labor careers. Each electric power generation career has its own education requirements and potential for growth.

Electrical engineers have the responsibility of designing the systems that generate electricity from raw materials. Professionals in this field also improve existing systems to increase efficiency. After creating plans, engineers build models to test their theories and make changes as necessary. The minimum education necessary to work as an electrical engineer is a bachelor's degree. The BLS predicts that the demand for professionals in the field will grow by two percent from 2008 through 2018. The average salary earned by electrical engineers in May 2009 was $86,250, according to BLS.

Line installers lay the cable necessary to carry electricity from power plants to consumers, while line repairers ensure that this network of wires and cables functions properly. Since both positions involve working around electrical current, a risk of shock and injury exists in both jobs, the BLS explains. Laborers in the field may have to work during evenings, overnight and on weekends to handle emergency situations like power outages. A high school diploma or GED is typically necessary to work in the field. Some community and technical colleges offer certificates and associate degrees in electrical line installation and repair. As of May 2009, installers and repairers averaged annual salaries of $55,860, the BLS reports.

Power plant operators work inside power stations and operate the machinery used to generate electricity. The work is largely sedentary, with operators monitoring and adjusting panels of controls and computer screens. Operators are typically required to make periodic, routine inspections of the power plant facility to ensure that everything is operating correctly as well. Evening, overnight and weekend shifts are common for power plant operators because power plants operate around the clock. Most employers prefer to hire power plant operators who have a certificate, associate degree or some post-secondary college coursework, but a high school diploma or the equivalent is typically the minimum requirement, according to BLS. Nuclear power plant operators must have a special license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in addition to any state licenses. The average annual salary for power plant operators was $60,270 as of May 2009, according to the BLS. Operators who worked in nuclear plants earned an average of $74,180 per year at that time.

Load dispatchers also monitor equipment and make inspections of power plant equipment. However, instead of controlling the machinery that produces electricity, dispatchers oversee the operation of the equipment that releases generated electricity into wires for transmission to the public. Like operators, dispatchers frequently work during evenings and weekends. Education requirements are also similar. Dispatchers at nuclear plants do not have additional requirements from those at other types of facilities. Workers in the field averaged salaries of $66,910 per year as of May 2009, according to the BLS.

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