What Types of Energy Industry Jobs are Available?
For those who wish to make a career in the energy industry, there are electric energy jobs that pay above the national average for many occupations. The job seeker needs a high school diploma; most companies offer on-the-job training.
When it comes to the energy industry, power plants are essential. They must employ workers to build the lines that connect the plants with the customers. Those who are responsible for installing the new lines are very much like construction workers. The heavy machinery they operate digs holes or makes tunnels and trenches.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor a decline is predicted in the electric power industry. However, there are many older workers who will be retiring within the next ten years, so there will be more energy jobs opening for workers. When it comes to the starting positions for line workers, the requirements include a high school diploma as well as completed courses in math and communications.
What Type of Training Do Energy Industry Workers Need?
Any vocational training that offers additional knowledge of the energy industry will be helpful. There are many places to get this training, such as vocational school, community college, and the armed services.
Training for entry-level employment varies depending upon the type of energy industry jobs sought. Those who operate power plants must have a high school diploma and are preferred to have some postsecondary training. Those who operate nuclear power reactors are required to have special training as well as a license or a bachelor’s degree.
Power-plant operators must take and pass an aptitude test before being offered a job. These tests are administered through Edison Electric Institute. Electric-power technology operators usually have an associate’s degree in a field that is related to their position. There are many who have training or experience from being an apprentice or who have trained in this field while in the military. When one conducts an energy job search one will find many fields within this particular genre.
Although many people do not realize it, wind is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S. right now. The production of this type of energy went up 21 percent in 2007. Wind farms in operation in the U.S. are dispersed throughout thirty-four states. The jobs in this field are mostly specialized. The farms are mainly owned by utility companies and require installation and maintenance. There are wind-energy companies that take care of this particular part of the wind farms.
Solar energy is another industry. The workers in this field come from many different backgrounds, but normally have a construction focus. They are not required to understand all the technical data when it comes to electricity. There are a few requirements for working with electricity in the industrial setting. Some include the ability to use tools, the ability to reason, and the ability to use your hands. The problem-solving part of this career is important; therefore employers like to hire people who are skilled at this.
Communicating with others is extremely important. From writing reports to speaking with others and working as a team, the communication aspect is going to be just as important as the basic knowledge of computers and other tools.
What Are Typical Wages for the Energy Industry?
The workers in the electrical industry as of 2007 were earning approximately $58,970 per year. The installers and repair people average about $52,570 per year and the top 10 percent made more than $74,300 per year. When it comes to nuclear power, which is another type of energy, the workers made approximately $70,410 a year. However, the top 10 percent made more than $94,190 a year. Dispatchers and distributors of power were holding their own with high-wage earners making $83,920 per year and the average income was $63,320 a year.
Innovations in the Energy Industry
With people becoming more concerned with the environment and everything going green it is no wonder renewable energy jobs are starting to become a standard in the industry. Green power is electricity that comes from renewable sources. The sun and wind are both considered renewable sources. In other words, they cannot run out and this energy is not as harmful to the environment as other types.
Using the sources we have readily available is considered to be alternative energy—alternative to oil and coal, for example. According to statistics compiled by the Energy Information Administration, 7 percent of the energy produced in the U.S. is renewable energy. Because the federal government is providing subsidies to those who are researching and coming up with new energy sources, this type of energy is expected to grown much more.
