Career
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
Maintain the equipment in power stations and substations.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
- Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
- Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
- Analyze test data to diagnose malfunctions, to determine performance characteristics of systems, or to evaluate effects of system modifications.
- Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Critical Thinking, Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $103,020 a year and 1,800 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0303
- Power Plant Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.1702
- Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, GeneralCIP 46.0301
- Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, OtherCIP 47.0199
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,090 · +0.3%
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$74,340 · +4.3%
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment$84,890 · +5.4%
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,190 · +2.4%
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers$56,210 · +4.4%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.