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Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $103,020 Median per year · $49.53/hr Most earn $65,730–$129,920

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
  • Maintain inventories of spare parts for all equipment, requisitioning parts as necessary.
  • Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
  • Test insulators and bushings of equipment by inducing voltage across insulation, testing current, and calculating insulation loss.
  • Schedule and supervise splicing or termination of cables in color-code order.
  • Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
10% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 1,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals15.2%
  • Fossil fuel electric power generation14.5%
  • Power and communication line and related structures construction4.7%
  • Nuclear electric power generation4.5%
  • Management of companies and enterprises4.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not usually a straight-out-of-school job. Most people start with a certificate or apprenticeship and some hands-on electrical work, and it typically takes about 2 to 4 years of related experience before they work on substations, power plant equipment, or relays.

  1. High school diploma with strong math and science

    4 years

    Math, physics, and shop or electronics classes build the basics for reading circuit diagrams and understanding how electricity works.

  2. Electrical or industrial maintenance certificate or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    A technical program or apprenticeship teaches wiring, safety rules, test equipment, and how to troubleshoot electrical systems.

  3. Electrical Maintenance Technician

    1-2 years

    You work on motors, controls, and electrical equipment in a plant or facility, building the hands-on troubleshooting skills that substation work demands.

  4. Substation Technician

    2-4 years total

    You test, inspect, and repair substation equipment and protective relays, usually working under a senior technician at first.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Substation Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on the most complex testing and repairs, lead small crews, and help train newer technicians.

  2. Power Dispatcher

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move toward running the grid by monitoring power flow and directing switching, which requires strong knowledge of how substations and relays interact.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics and algebra or higher mathCircuits and power systems rely heavily on math and physics, so strong grades here make technical programs much easier.
  • Join a robotics or electronics clubBuilding and wiring circuits in a club gives you hands-on practice and something to talk about in applications.
  • Take shop, electronics, or drafting classesThese classes teach you to read diagrams and use hand and electrical tools safely.
  • Get a summer or part-time job at a hardware store, construction site, or maintenance crewAny job where you work with tools, equipment, or repairs shows employers you are reliable and handy.
  • Ask about dual-enrollment or career and technical education (CTE) coursesMany schools offer electrical or industrial technology courses that can give you a head start on a certificate.

In college

  • Enroll in an electrical or industrial maintenance technology programA certificate or associate program covers circuits, motors, controls, and safety, which is exactly what employers look for in this field.
  • Apply for an electrical apprenticeshipApprenticeships pay you while you learn on the job and often count toward the experience this career usually requires.
  • Take courses in power systems, relays, or industrial controls if your school offers themThese topics connect directly to substation and protective relay work.
  • Work a campus maintenance or facilities jobWorking on campus electrical systems, lighting, or HVAC gives you real troubleshooting experience while you study.
  • Learn basic electrical safety and get certified in first aid and CPRSafety certifications are often required or strongly preferred for field work around high-voltage equipment.

Tips for getting started

  • Take every math, physics, and electronics class you can, since they are the foundation for almost every step on this path.
  • Look for apprenticeship or technical school programs in your area early, because many of them have application deadlines and sometimes require a minimum math score.
  • Ask a local electrician or utility worker if you can shadow them for a day, so you can see the work up close before you commit.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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