Utility Jobs: Supplying The World's Needs?
Utility companies are the lifeline of modern society as they
provide people with energy and water. Wherever there is a building,
there is a job related to utility service.
Gas, electricity, and water are all delivered to homes,
businesses, and organizations by utility companies. Most utility
jobs are technical in nature although there are some other
departments such as financial, marketing, and sales. However, the
core of the utility industry involves qualified individuals who
have technical and scientific skills to supply today's high demand
for energy and water.
Working in the utility industry is ideal for people of certain
character, work habits, and skills. When it comes to the work
setting, the choices are either inside utility plants or
outdoors.
For example, electricity is generated at power plants while
water supply is processed at treatment facilities. Some common
positions at power and water treatment plants involve monitoring
and checking the equipment. Since most of the operations at these
plants are automatic, there is no need for around the clock
physical labor. Rather, most of the work involves patrolling the
facilities constantly. Power plants have a relatively small crew of
workers, so it is a quite work environment. The different types of
power plants are hydro, nuclear, fossil fuel, and coal burning.
A large portion of utility jobs are done outdoors. The most
common examples include maintaining and repairing power lines and
grids. Utility workers fixing electricity poles in the middle of a
street is a familiar scene for everyone. These types of utility
workers often work in emergency situations and they don't have a
fixed schedule. They must respond in case of blackouts and power
failures immediately.
Similarly, utility companies that deliver water and natural gas
have workers that install, check, and repair supply lines,
particularly pipes. These jobs involved harder physical labor than
working with electric power lines.
Some of the most important attributes of utility company workers
include problem solving skills. They must be able to diagnose
technical problems quickly and know how to respond. A strong
background in math, science, engineering and technology is
essential. With the rise of alternative energy, utility companies
demand that their workers be familiar with the latest power
solutions such as solar, ethanol, and wind sources.