Power Distributors & Dispatchers
Distribution System Operator, Power System Operator, System Operator, Transmission System Operator
What they do:
Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
On the job, you would:
- Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
- Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
- Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
Knowledge
Safety and Government
- public safety and security
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Engineering and Technology
- product and service development
- computers and electronics
Communications
- telecommunications
Skills
Basic Skills
- keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
- notice when problems happen
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Visual Understanding
- quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things
- see hidden patterns
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Self Control
- Integrity
- Persistence
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Excel
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Industrial control software
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Wide area monitoring system WAMS software
Education
Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
certificate after high school
usually needed
certificate after high school
usually needed
Job Outlook
Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about power distributors and dispatchers.