What they do
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Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
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| Also called: |
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Auxiliary Operator, Control Operator, Control Room Operator, Multicraft Operator (MCO), Operations and Maintenance Technician (O & M Technician), Plant Control Operator, Power Plant Operator, Senior Power Plant Operator, Station Operator, Unit Operator
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Wages
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| Vermont - 2020 |
| Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
| 10% |
$ 20.47 |
$42,580 |
| 25% |
$ 23.99 |
$49,890 |
| Median |
$ 34.05 |
$70,830 |
| 75% |
$ 42.75 |
$88,920 |
| 90% |
$ 49.01 |
$101,940 |
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| Average |
$ 33.64 |
$69,970 |
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| More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
| United States - 2018 |
| Industry | Percent of total |
| 71% |
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals
| 13% |
- Educational services; state, local, and private
| 4% |
- Federal government, excluding postal service
| 2% |
- State government, excluding education and hospitals
| 2% |
| More at BLS |
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Knowledge
| People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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| More at O*NET |
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Skills
| People in this career often have these skills: |
- Operation Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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- Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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- Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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| More at O*NET |
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Interests
| People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
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- Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
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| What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
| People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
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- Self Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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- Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
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| More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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| Related Occupations
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| Career Video
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Projected Employment
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| Vermont |
| 2018 employment |
80 |
| 2028 employment |
80 |
Annual percent change
(compounded) |
0.0% |
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations) |
8 |
| More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Long-term on-the-job training
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| Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Job Zone
| Some Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require
over 3 months up to and including 1 year
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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| Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
| How much education do most people in this career have? |
| Education level |  | Percent of
U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate | | 0% |
| Bachelor's degree | | 0% |
| Associate's degree | | 3% |
Certificate or some college,
no degree | | 23% |
High school diploma
or equivalent | | 74% |
| Less than high school diploma | | 0% |
| More at O*NET |
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Abilities
| People in this career often have talent in: |
- Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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- Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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- Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
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- Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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| More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
| In general, what you might do: |
- Controlling Machines and Processes
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
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- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
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- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
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- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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| More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
| What you might do in a day: |
- Operate energy distribution equipment.
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- Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
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- Operate energy production equipment.
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- Operate pumping systems or equipment.
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- Exchange information with colleagues.
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| More at O*NET |
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Tasks
| On the job, you would: |
- Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.
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- Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
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- Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
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- Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.
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- Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
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| More at O*NET |
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