Energy: 13 skills, step by step

Skills in order

Open any skill to see what it needs first, what it opens up and what to read. Skills in the same step can be learned in any order.

Where this path leads

Jobs this route feeds into, from the U.S. Department of Labor O*NET and the European ESCO classification. Job titles and duties vary by employer and region.

• Electrical Engineers ProfessionalO*NET OnLine
• Solar Photovoltaic Installers Entry levelO*NET OnLine
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay TechnicianO*NET OnLine
• Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers Skilled tradeO*NET OnLine
• Wind Turbine Service Technicians SpecialistO*NET OnLine
• Power Distributors and Dispatchers TechnicianO*NET OnLine
• Power Plant Operators TechnicianO*NET OnLine
• Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators TechnicianO*NET OnLine
• Electrical engineer Professional

  Electrical engineers design and develop electrical systems, electrical equipment, components, motors, and equipment with the feature of energy transmission. They engage in large scale projects such as the design and maintenance of power stations, and the distribution of power to smaller applications such as household appliances.

  ESCO
• Electric power generation engineer Professional

  Electric power generation engineers design and develop systems which generate electrical power, and develop strategies for the improvement of existing electricity generation systems. They strive to conciliate sustainable solutions with efficient and affordable solutions

  ESCO
• Substation engineer Professional

  Substation engineers design medium and high voltage substations used for the transmission, distribution, and generation of electrical energy. They develop methods for the efficient operation of the energy process, and ensure compliance to safety and environmental standards.

  ESCO
• Energy assessor Technician

  Energy assessors determine the energy performance of buildings. They produce an energy rating or certificate that indicates the estimated energy consumption of a property.

  ESCO
• Energy conservation officer Technician

  Energy conservation officers promote the conservation of energy in both residential homes as in businesses. They advise people on ways to reduce their power consumption by enforcing energy efficiency improvements and implementing energy demand management policies.

  ESCO
• Power lines supervisor Supervisor

  Power lines supervisors monitor the construction and maintenance of power lines and associated equipment. They assign tasks and take quick decisions to resolve problems.

  ESCO
• Power production plant operator Technician

  Power production plant operators maintain and operate the equipment in power stations and other energy production plants. They repair faults, operate machinery directly or from a control room, and handle materials related to electricity production in compliance with safety and environmental procedures

  ESCO
• Electrical transmission system operator Technician

  Electrical transmission system operators transport energy in the form of electrical power. They transmit electrical power from generation plants over an interconnected network, an electrical grid, to electricity distribution stations.

  ESCO
• Solar power plant operator Technician

  Solar power plant operators operate and maintain equipment which produce electrical energy from solar power. They monitor measuring equipment to ensure the safety of operations, and that the production needs are met

  ESCO
• Solar energy technician Specialist

  Solar energy technicians install and maintain systems that collect solar energy. They prepare the necessary fixtures, often on roofs, install solar panels, and plug them into an electronic system including an inverter to connect the solar energy systems to the electricity lines.

  ESCO
• Wind turbine technician Specialist

  Wind turbine technicians maintain and repair wind turbines by performing diagnostic inspections, analysing faults, and performing repair duties. They ensure the wind turbines operate in compliance with regulations, and assist the wind engineers in the construction of wind turbines

  ESCO
• Electricity distribution worker Skilled trade

  Electricity distribution workers construct and maintain electric power transmission and distribution systems. They maintain and repair powerlines, compliant with safety regulations.

  ESCO

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Skill routes: 1 + 6

The branches. Everyone starts with Common Foundation. The six routes run side by side, so you can grow in more than one. Inside a route, skills stack: later steps need the earlier ones.

• Common FoundationSafety habits and electrical basics every route starts with20 skills, 20 with reading. Covers 5 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.
• ConstructionTurn the drawings into conduit, wiring and equipment on site23 skills, 14 with reading. Covers 15 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.
• RepairFind the cause of a fault through observation and measurement concepts11 skills, 9 with reading. Covers 3 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.
• EquipmentUnderstand why motors, control panels and machines run or stop10 skills, 8 with reading. Covers 4 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.
• SystemsConnect power, signals, networks and device configuration10 skills, 4 with reading. Covers 2 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.
• EnergyGeneration, substations, transmission, solar and storage13 skills, 10 with reading. Covers 5 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.
• ManagementDrawings, quantity take-off, schedule and crew coordination11 skills, 9 with reading. Covers 4 of 20 Texas Journeyman exam areas.