Power Generation Jobs Overview

Power generation is the process of producing electricity for the UK’s population using fossil fuel, nuclear, or renewable energy. Of course, power generation jobs are vital in making sure everything keeps running.

The National grid recorded in May 2022 that the majority of our electricity was generated by gas at 43.6% of the entire energy supply. Wind energy is behind at 24.4%, with nuclear, biomass, coal, and solar following.

With this being said, it’s crucial to have a strong working team in the power generation industry as the UK and every other country relies on electricity.

Without a highly capable infrastructure ensuring that everything is running efficiently, our country could be left without electricity!

By understanding all the roles a power engineer does during a working day, you will have a better understanding of the job and whether it is the right fit for you.

For those who are already employed in the industry this page can help brush up your knowledge.

Day In The Life Of Working In Power Generation

During your day as a power engineer, you can be expected to complete a variety of tasks. This job can be varied from day-to-day and involve practical tasks along with certain admin and paperwork covering what has been done or needs doing.

Before applying for a job in this sector, it is important to be aware of everything involved in the role and ensure it is the right career for you!

As such, we are here to help!

As with any job, it is important to understand the task being carried out and the requirements which need to be met. A job in power generation could include you need to know how to make and read briefs, assess and evaluate blueprints, or discuss plans and procedures within your team.

Discussing plans with other members of the team and reading the assignments will guarantee the task will be carried out correctly and reach all specifications and guidelines.

Working in this industry can leave you exposed to a level of risk due to the materials and power you are working with. Reading all assignments and implementing adequate safeguards will help maintain higher levels of safety and keep yourself and your team members safe.

Other aspects of the job can involve more practical assignments once all briefs have been studied and the requirements understood.

Power generation engineers often create a variety of electrical systems within their brief requirements, and this is one of the main requirements within their job description.

One day, you can be designing a circuit system for domestic lighting or computers and the next day you can be designing a radar system for the military!

This is where all your years of training really get put to work. Once the system has been designed, you will then be able to construct the power system.

As well as yourself being involved in the project as well as all the briefs and blueprints, engineering generators, transformers, or circuit breakers can be used to help the progress.

Due to the nature of the job and the high level of risk, specifications need to be met precisely. Miscalculations can be costly and increase the risk factor for anybody involved. Therefore, following the brief must be done to the very last detail.

Any problems which arise will be addressed instantly and fixed before anything escalates.

Finally, similar to all careers and industries out there, timescales and costs must be worked out.

These need to be thought about carefully and mathematics will come into play. Whilst working out an estimate, labour, supplies, staff time, and equipment used must be considered and put towards a final figure.

The Skills Required For Power Generation

Like we mentioned previously, this job involves a high level of risk, which means your skills and capabilities must be given honestly to prevent danger or accidents.

Certain typical skills can include communication, multi-tasking, and the ability to work as a team.

Other specific skills and capabilities linked towards power generations are versatility, technical knowledge, and analytic abilities.

Understanding your projects specifications is vital so understanding analytics, working with a team, and having technical knowledge will help you with each project.

No matter which type of industry you are in withing power generation, all these skills will play a vital role!

The Different Areas You Can Be Expected To Work

Power engineers can be seen in many different industries within power generation. Construction, utilities, and military defence are just a few of the areas which are constantly on the lookout.

Whilst you may be surprised about defence, many of our weapons actually rely on electricity to operate. Our weapons which are fitted with lasers, sound beams, microwaves, or particle beams all require electricity which a power engineer can assist with.

As you can imagine the aerospace technology is highly complex and advanced. With these systems needing to be running like clockwork, engineers need to understand these systems to the finest details.

A very common system which many of us use each day is the automotives. Our cars battery, braking system, and lights all require electricity to ensure they all respond and maintain safety.

However, whilst this job is very demanding and hands on, you do not have to work in the practical aspects if you are interested. There are many office jobs available as well as sales management.

Qualifications Required For The Power Generation

Unfortunately, becoming a power generation engineer can be complex and seem like a long process. You will be required to have obtained specific qualifications and training prior to working in this sector.

In order to prepare yourself for higher education and get that head start, we recommend completing your A-Levels in relevant subjects such as maths, science, or physics. If you pass all three subjects with A* to B, you stand a successful chance in securing a spot in university.

Going to university is going to provide you with all of the knowledge you will require theory based as well as the practical side of things.

A bachelor’s degree in power engineering will provide you with hands on learning over the course of three or four years, depending which course you choose.

London South Bank University provide you with a three- or four-years course which specialises in power engineering. Within your years here, you will learn about designing, analysis, renewable energy, and electrical machines.

If you are not keen with the idea of going to university or college, you could go down the apprenticeship route.

Within this route, you will be able to get hands on whilst you are learning. You may start at the very bottom whilst you are being trained but stick with it and you could reach the top!

Potential Salary

Whilst you are learning the ropes and being trained, your wage will most likely be lower.

However, once you have worked your way up the ladder and gained experience and skills, you could be on average £36,651 annually. This can all depend on the area you are working in and your skill set.

The country will always need power and electricity which means jobs will not fall short! The country may be heading further towards renewable energy and further away from fossil fuel, but jobs will still become available in renewable energy industries for this sector!