WHY IS ELECTRIC UTILITIES CENTRAL A GOOD CAREER PATH?
SOME OF THE HIGH- PAYING ELECTRIC UTILITIES CENTRAL JOBS YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you’ve always taken delight in the effort of those who install, repair and maintain power lines and other electrical systems, chances are that you might want to pursue a career in electrical utilities central.
With the need for electricity in homes and businesses ever increasing, it’s pretty predictable that the electrical field will always remain a thriving venture. Bearing this in mind, myriads of high school graduates with a liking for the electrical field might want to know if electrical utilities central is really a good career path.
To help you learn about the electrical utilities central industry, we’ll walk you through a comprehensive discussion about the industry, with emphasis on its value, profitability and some of the common jobs in electrical utilities. You’ll also find out up-to-date information about the industry’s job outlook and the number of available positions for some of the job titles in the industry.
An Overview of the Electrical Utilities Central Industry
This industry largely revolves around the distribution of electricity to businesses, households and other end users of electricity. In the broader sense, the electrical utilities central industry is concerned with the installation and maintenance of electrical power networks. It is to this end that the industry boasts plenty of specialists with varying job roles including electricity system installation, power distribution, power line repair, electrical system maintenance, and so on.
Value of the Industry
The value of the electric utilities industry is expected to rise due to the increased demand for electrical power. In the last five years, 2017—2022, the US’ electrical utilities market experienced 0.8% growth, and as per data provided by IBISWorld, the US’ utility industry in 2022 boasts a huge market size with its revenue worth around $645 billion.
Across the world, electrical utilities central is veritably a valuable industry. NextEra Energy –an outfit worth $159 billion –is considered the most valuable power supply company in the United States.
Profitability of the Industry
Data provided by Indeed verifies that the hourly salary of the electrical foreman is estimated at $34.97 while their net annual salary is $67,736. While the stated salary figures give insight into what a US electrical foreman earns, it’s worth noting that several other electrical utilities professionals earn more.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the net annual salary of line installers and repairers stands at $75,530, while the annual salary of electricians is estimated at $80,040. Further BLS-provided salary statistics show that the annual salary of electrical engineers stands at $101,780.
The salary figures we’ve just provided for electrical utilities professionals, especially those from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are considered updated as of 2021.
Requisite Skills for Operating in the Electric Utilities Industry
Generally, the skills you need to operate in the electrical utilities industry are more than likely the requisite skills for working as electrical professionals. To work in the industry, below is a well-itemized set of skills that you should arm yourself with:
- Troubleshooting ability –You must be able to troubleshoot issues pertaining to electrical systems, components, etc.
- Interpersonal skills –These are definitely needed as they involve the ability to effectively communicate with other professionals within and outside the industry
- Innovative capacity –The electrical utility industry is one that appeals to innovative tendencies in various aspects, including resolution of electrical issues. So, somebody willing to work in the industry should be able to reason innovatively –i.e. ‘‘think outside of the box’’ –while dealing with electrical issues
- Technical skills –These are generally needed for plying any technical profession
- Organizational skills –These skills would prove handy to top-level professionals within the industry, especially in the execution of projects that pertain to electrical system installation and management
Finding a High-paying Electric Utilities Job –Here’s What You Should Do
While searching for a high-paying electric utilities job, two key things to consider are the high-paying job titles and the companies with the best remuneration systems. Rather than browse the Internet endlessly for sites with high-paying electric utilities jobs, you can make good use of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
BLS is not only a repository for general labor statistics, but also a reliable resource for finding out specific and up-to-date details. For instance, BLS’ Occupational Outlook Handbook provides data on salary figures of the various job positions in your preferred industry. With the help of this Handbook, you should be able to compare the salary figures and ultimately decide the position best suited for you.
Through BLS, you’ll be able to find reliable information about various job positions simply because BLS provides statistics that are relevant as per the previous year’s findings. With that said, you can also filter your search for specific electric utilities jobs by your favourite company.
Some of the Common Jobs in Electrical Utilities
In the electrical utilities industry, there are plenty of jobs pertaining to differing purposes including electrical system installation, power distribution, electrical engineering, and electrical system maintenance
Some of the commonest jobs in the industry are as follows: Electrical Engineer, Electrician, Electrical Foreman, and Line Installer and Repairer. In another context, the listed jobs may also be regarded as some of the career paths in electrical utilities central.
Electrical engineer: This is the electrical professional that develops and tests the required machinery for producing electrical equipment. Aside from developing and testing the machinery, the electrical engineer may play a supervisory role over the producers of electrical equipment.
As a career path, electrical engineering is one that requires acquiring a BSc in any relevant field such as engineering. Meanwhile, the job outlook for electrical engineering looks promising as a 7% increase in job positions is expected between 2020 and 2030. Currently, there are more than 300,000 job positions for the electrical engineer.
Electrician: The electrician mostly operates within his neighborhood where he helps individuals and businesses carry out the installation, maintenance and repair of electrical and communication systems.
Unlike that of the electrical engineer, the major academic qualification for the technician is considered less sophisticated, as you can tender your high school diploma while applying for a job position as an electrician. All the electrician will need –in addition to the diploma –is just to enrol in a certification class and/or take an Apprenticeship in order to engage in some hands-on training.
It’s expected that between 2020 and 2030, there would be a 9% increase in the growth of electrician jobs. As we speak, the employment situation for electricians looks favorable as there are more than 700,000 electrician jobs around.
Electrical foreman: This professional plays a litany of roles including project discussion with clients, organization of orientation and training for new electricians, supervision of on-site electricians, and evaluation and budgeting of electrical projects.
To become an electrical foreman, you can combine an Apprenticeship with your high school diploma. In fact, statistics show that a relatively low population entered the field through an Associate’s degree whereas most employees in the field secured their positions through high school diplomas.
While it’s clear that your high school diploma is enough to land a job as an electrical foreman, you’ll need to further study before you can get licensed as Electrical Foreman. After several years in the electrical industry, it’s advisable that you seek to obtain your Electrical Foreman license.
Line installer and repairer: This is the electrical professional responsible for the repair of dysfunctional power lines as well as installation of new ones. Line installers and repairers have the onus of ensuring that electrical power and telecom systems are restored probably after a breakdown impacted by a thunderstorm or other disasters. The job of these installers and repairers is certainly technical, but with just a high school diploma under your belt, you could become a line installer and repairer.
Is Electrical Utilities Central a Good Career Path?
In terms of value, profitability and job outlook, it’s hard to refute the fact that the electrical utilities industry is performing excellently. The industry’s excellent performance undeniably translates into the impression that electrical utilities central is a good career path.
The indispensable need for electricity across homes, business premises, and other places of human interaction makes it an irrefutable fact that the electrical utilities industry is highly relevant.
Interestingly, the bottom line is that electrical utilities central could be an ideal option for you especially if you prioritize high employment chances and lucrative annual earnings in choosing your career path.
Conclusion
If you’re observant enough, you will notice that several BLS-provided labor statistics about electrical utilities central are contained in this post. With the BLS considered a reputable resource for labor statistics, you should be convinced that this post is intended to help you acquire statistics-backed knowledge about the electric utilities central industry.
Armed with such knowledge, you should be in the best position to decide if electric utilities central is a suitable career path for you. Coupled with what we said about profitability of the electrical utilities industry, our answer to ‘Is Electrical Utilities Central a Good Career Path?’ might be enough for you to make a smart decision.