Electric and Gas Distribution
Most electric and gas distribution careers are high paying.
A distribution system is composed of all the facilities and equipment connecting various kinds of energy sources (gas, electricity from fossil fuels, or renewables) to end-users. It includes the lines, poles, switches, and transformers needed to deliver power at the right place, at the right time, and at the required voltages.
Since existing transmission lines have reached their load capacity, substantial federal resources will be spent on the modernization of the nation's energy grid. In Minnesota, a consortium of transmission-owning electric utilities is seeking approval for approximately 600 miles of 345 kilovolt lines that will connect rural with urban areas and harvest dispersed renewable sources such as wind.
Employers in electric and gas distribution are looking for workers with construction and trades skills, usually acquired through on-the-job training. As shown in the table below, most of these careers are high paying even though they require less postsecondary education than most other industries.
| Job Title | Median Hourly Wage |
Typical Education Level Needed | Alternative Job Titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $27.39 | Moderate-term on-the-job training (1-12 months) | Electric Meter Technician |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $32.62 | Long-term on-the-job training (more than 12 months) | Lineworker |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $36.10 | Long-term on-the-job training (more than 12 months) | Gas Controller and Dispatcher |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $23.68 | Moderate-term on-the-job training (1-12 months) | Heavy Equipment Operator |
Electrical Engineers
|
$40.20 | Bachelor's degree | Wind Turbine Electrical Engineer, Power Systems Engineer, Energy Engineers |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
|
$18.50 | Postsecondary vocational training | Electrical Assembler |
| Electricians | $30.17 | Long-term on-the-job training (more than 12 months) | Wireman, Control Electrician |
| First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $29.61 | Work experience (in related occupation) | Facility Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Foreman |
| Mechanical Engineers
|
$36.05 | Bachelor's degree | HVAC Engineer, Wind Turbine Mechanical Engineer |
| Pipelayers | $27.49 | Short-term on-the-job training (1 month or less) | Pipeline Installer |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $30.65 | Long-term on-the-job training (more than 12 months) | |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $33.33 | Postsecondary vocational training | Relay technician, Substation mechanic, Instrument and Controls (I & C) Technician |
This shows that demand is higher than other occupations in Minnesota over the last six months. It indicates current, not future, demand.
Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
