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Traditional Electric Utilities

Electric utility employers are looking to hire a new generation of energy workers.

Traditional utility plants produce electric energy from non-renewable sources, such as fossil fuels (coal and gas), nuclear fuels, and the energy generated from falling water.

As baby-boomers retire and the work in plant operations becomes more high-tech and rewarding, employers are looking for more electric utilities workers. Although technological advancements and increased automation have raised the knowledge requirements in the energy industry, the core competencies are common to other fields (machinery manufacturing, construction, transportation, and engineering services). If you are already trained in one of these areas and have technical work experience, you can transition that much easier into electric utilities.

Read more about the utilities industry.

Job Title Median
Hourly
Wage
Typical Education Level Needed Alternative Job Titles
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
$22.15 Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) Industrial Electrician, Biofuel Maintenance Mechanic  
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Production and Operating Workers
$25.27 Work experience (in related occupation) Plant Manager, Shift Supervisor  
Power Plant Operators
$29.96 Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) Biofuel Plant Operator, Boiler Operator, Auxiliary Operator  
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
$26.21 Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) Maintenance Engineers  
Gas Plant Operators $26.57 Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) Liquid Natural Gas Plant Operator  
Civil Engineers
$37.07 Bachelor's degree Structural Engineer, Transmission Design Engineer  
Electrical Engineers
$39.27 Bachelor's degree Wind Turbine Electrical Engineer, Power Systems Engineer, Energy Engineers  
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $42.99 Bachelor's degree Integrated Circuit Design Engineer, Design Engineer  
Mechanical Engineers
$34.79 Bachelor's degree HVAC Engineer, Wind Turbine Mechanical Engineer  
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians $26.47 Associate degree Design Technician, Equipment Engineering Technician  
Industrial Engineering Technicians
$22.54 Associate degree Quality Process Engineer, Project Engineer, Quality Control Engineering Technician  

Indicates better job availability relative to other occupations in Minnesota over the last six months.

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.