Electricity generation worker

As an electricity generation worker, you'll:

• operate machinery from a power plant control room
•  carry out scheduled maintenance work
•  follow electrical diagrams to find and fix faults
•  isolate and test equipment to make sure it's working safely
•  respond to emergencies, for example shutting down part of a plant
•  monitor control systems and report issues
•  work closely with engineers and contractors

• the ability to operate and control equipment
• observation and recording skills
• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• excellent verbal communication skills
• knowledge of maths 
• to be flexible and open to change
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role
• applying directly

With experience and further training, you could become a supervisor, operations and maintenance technician or control and instrumentation engineer.

You could also take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in power engineering and become an electrical or mechanical engineer.