About This Career

Coordinates, regulates, or distributes electricity or steam.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

• Coordinates with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
• Responds to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and routes current around affected areas.
• Controls, monitors, or operates equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
• Directs personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.
• Distributes or regulates the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections.
• Manipulates controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.
• Prepares switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
• Monitors and records switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.
• Implements energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules.
• Calculates load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Rotating shift work
• Weekend work