Additional Information
To work alone in a control center, a power systems operator needs to be
certified by the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC).
Before certification, you can work as an apprentice, which is usually a
three-year process. Requirements vary depending on the company and location.
To be hired as an apprentice, the minimum education is usually just a high
school diploma. However, post-secondary certificates and degrees are becoming
more common. Training in electrical engineering is particularly valuable,
but any education that involves math, computers and communications is an asset.
"It's a minimum of at least a high school education, but we prefer them
to have at least a two-year degree," says control center supervisor John Stolley.
His company employs five system operators. One has a master's degree while
the rest have two or four years of college. All of them acquired their degrees
after being hired by the utility. Like many utilities, Stolley's company subsidizes
education costs in order to promote employees.
Hands-on experience in the electrical industry is at least as important
as education in getting hired as a power systems operator.
"When we've had openings, we've have trouble getting people with any type
of experience to fill them," says Stolley. "We prefer the individual with
either line crew experience or power plant experience."
Line crew workers fix electrical lines and other equipment when disruptions
happen. Power plant workers do things like fire boilers and control generators.
Both areas provide good experience for those wanting to become power systems
operators.