Electricity generation workers operate and look after power plant equipment. They can work in gas, oil or coal-fired, nuclear or hydro-electric power stations.

Operators can work directly with the machinery on the shop floor, or run it remotely from a control room. Their duties include:

• diagnosing and repairing faults
• maintaining safety procedures and environmental good practice
• handling the materials that their plant uses to generate electricity
• carrying out routine testing
• following contingency plans, for example isolating or shutting down a system.

Maintenance crews repair all the mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment in the plant. They may work on site to strip down or rebuild machinery, or remove it to a workshop for repair. At other times, they can install new equipment or replace faulty wiring and components.

Hours and Environment

Hours and times of work can vary. Some electricity generation staff work a basic 37 to 40-hour, five-day week, often with overtime. Others work rolling shifts to provide cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some workers may be on standby for call-out in case of emergencies.

Skills and Interests

To be an electricity generation worker you need:

• good practical skills
• the ablility to find faults and solve problems
• an understanding of technical drawings and manuals
• basic knowledge of physics and maths, to understand the principles of electricity generation
• the ability to work as part of a team
• initiative
• good communication skills
• awareness of health and safety and the environment.

It will be also be useful to have a driving licence, since shift work is common.

Entry

You do not always need qualifications to become an electricity generation worker, although some employers may ask for some GCSEs/S grades or equivalent qualifications like NVQs. Check entry requirements with individual employers - you can find company contact details in local telephone directories or on the internet.

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship scheme. Funding for apprenticeships is available for 16-24 year olds and some over-25s. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For an apprenticeship you will usually need four GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3), including maths, English, and another relevant subject such as science, engineering or design and technology.

If you are not joining the industry through an apprenticeship scheme, you will find it useful to have previous experience or qualifications in electrical engineering and maintenance.

Employers may expect you to be registered in a safety passport scheme - see the Training section for more details of schemes.

Training

You will usually be trained by your employer, usually through a mixture of on-the-job training and some formal courses at a training centre. You will usually work towards the following City and Guilds NVQ/SVQs:

• NVQ/SVQ Levels 1, 2 and 3 in Engineering Technology Operations
• NVQ/SVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Engineering Technology Maintenance.

See Energy & Utility Skills website for more details and a list of training providers.

Many employers insist that you are registered in an appropriate safety passport scheme before they will allow you to work on site. Although this is not yet a legal requirement, it will be law by 2010. To register, you must hold an NVQ/SVQ or acceptable equivalent, and also pass a health and safety assessment.

Relevant safety passport schemes for electricity generation include:

• Client/Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) Safety Passport – see Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) website for details of training and assessment centres
• Basic Electrical Safety Competence scheme (BESC) – see Energy & Utility Skills Register website for centres.

You could also take short distance learning courses in subjects such as high voltage safety, through AFAQ-ETA (formerly the Electricity Training Association). See their website for details.

With experience, you could progress to become an electrical engineering technician (see Electrical Engineering Technician profile for further details).

Opportunities

Regional and national electricity generation companies employ generation workers. Contact individual companies for information about job vacancies - addresses in telephone directories or on the internet.

Electricity generation workers may be able to progress to working in the control room or to a supervisory job, usually after gaining NVQ/SVQ level 3.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Starting salaries for apprenticeships are usually £10,000 to £15,000 a year.
More experienced workers can earn between £16,000 and £21,000.
Experienced workers with a level 3 qualification can earn £20,000 to £40,000 or more.

Further information

Friars Gate Two
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN
Tel: 0845 077 9922 Tel: 0845 077 9922 Blue Court
Church Lane
Kings Langley
Hertfordshire
WD4 8JP
Tel: 01923 260000
NASEC Administration Team: 01923 402155

First Floor
17 Waterloo Place
London
SW1Y4AR
Tel: 020 7930 9390

185 Park Street
Bankside
London
SE1 9DY
Tel: 020 7922 1630