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Power Plant Operators
(SOC Code : 51-8013)
in San Diego County

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Include auxiliary equipment operators. Exclude "Nuclear Power Reactor Operators" (51-8011).

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) .

San Diego County is the same as San Diego-Carlsbad MSA.
Occupational Wages[Top]
AreaYearPeriodHourly MeanHourly by Percentile
25thMedian75th
San Diego-Carlsbad MSA20231st Qtr$39.51$27.05$37.70$50.64

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")[Top]
 AreaEstimated Year-Projected YearEmploymentEmployment ChangeTotal Job Openings
EstimatedProjectedNumberPercent
San Diego County 2018 - 202823023000.0220

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange[Top]
 
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Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)[Top]
Data for Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List) not available.

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Data for Training Programs not available.

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About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)[Top]
Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)
Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, and pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.
Operate, control, or monitor gasifiers or related equipment, such as coolers, water quenches, water gas shifts reactors, or sulfur recovery units, to produce syngas or electricity from coal.
Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal.
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
Inspect thermal barrier coatings on integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) equipment for sintering, phase destabilization, or temperature variances to ensure compliance with standards and insulation efficiency.
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.
Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.

More Tasks for Power Plant Operators


Top Skills used in this Job
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

More Skills for Power Plant Operators


Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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.

More Abilities for Power Plant Operators


Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)
Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.
Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)
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.
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.

More Interests for Power Plant Operators

 
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