What Do Substation Technicians Do?
Substation technicians work primarily with electric substations, which send electrical energy into nearby homes, and are also responsible for routine maintenance and updates of substations, as well as emergency repairs when necessary. These technicians must be able to work with schematics and a variety of circuit breakers, power cables, and transformers, and this work can be somewhat dangerous and requires a great deal of knowledge to safely handle this equipment.
Some substation technicians travel to stations many miles apart, and they work primarily outdoors in various locations depending on the employer. They mainly work alone or with one other technician to complete tasks and ensure safety among employees. Substation technicians may work for small government offices or large substations, and a high school diploma and a four-year apprenticeship program are often minimum requirements for this position while some employers also require years of prior experience in the field. Once an apprenticeship is completed, they then take their licensing exams to obtain electrician credentials.
Substation Technician Program
CIP Code §46.0301
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
The Substation Technician training program is a 440 hour, 22-week (assuming 20 hour/week), 5 module course designed to provide students with the training and skills necessary for careers in the electrical T&D field. This course begins with introduction to the power delivery systems, proceeds through safety and NESC (National Electrical Safety Code) for all practical applications and steps. It continues with design and construction practices that go deeper into the safety specifics for jobsite conditions. The Substation Technician program will concentrate on practical impacts of substation construction and systems operations as well as best for the trade practices. This course will touch on system operations and maintenance necessary for uninterrupted power supply. There are scheduled lab days which will be used for practical hands on demonstrations for installations and develop students’ skills with installations.
Certificate holders will be able to immediately join a workforce which is projected to require an additional 65,000 skilled workers (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) and will be confident and competent in contributing to planning and execution of an electrical construction project. Upon graduation of the course, students will be able to be productive and skilled members of the electrical T&D.
MODULES: CLOCK HOURS | LECTURE/LABORATORY/TOTAL
STP 101: Introduction to Power Delivery | 80/0/80
STP 102: Substations – Overview and Equipment | 120/0/120
STP 103: Substations Design and Construction | 60/60/120
STP 104: Substation System Operations | 30/30/60
STP 105: Management and productivity | 60/0/60