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Hydroelectric Plant Installation Technician

A Hydroelectric Plant Installation Technician has a very hands-on job. A Hydroelectric Technician works in a hydroelectric plant, doing a lot of installation and maintenance work. This includes welding, rigging, machining, and pipefitting.

The career outlook for a hydroelectric plant installation technician is good. They make on average $35-$50 thousand a year.

Preventative maintenance will be a common occurrence, along with installing new components to the hydroelectric plant's systems.

Since hydroelectric plants are constantly striving to create less pollution and make less impact on the environment, they are a great place to work if you want to be in a 'green' career. Hydroelectric plants need constant attention and upgrading to stay safe and up-to-date, so as an Installation Technician, your career can grow along with the plant.

This position requires that you attain Journeyman level as a technician. This is achieved by a combination of types of training. A trade school will give you the basis you need for this job. College degrees that work well with this line of work include welding, hydrology, plumbing, operations & maintenance, and pipefitting. If you have any previous experience with any of these, you will be in a better position for a hydroelectric plant job.

Getting an apprenticeship at a hydroelectric plant is one of the best ways to get into the field. This way you can work towards having the knowledge you need while gaining on-the-job experience.

A person looking into this job should be good at working under supervision while in the apprenticeship stage. You need the ability to remain focused on the task at hand to ensure no mistakes are made. You must understand the fundamentals of mechanics and installation and be a fast learner. New equipment will be coming out all the time, and you must be able to keep up with it.

If you feel you learn quickly and want a green career where you can work with your hands, being a Hydroelectric Plant Installation Technician could be a great job for you. It pays well, generally over $30 an hour, and comes with good benefits. Look into colleges and trade schools to see if they offer an apprenticeship program.

Hydroelectric Plant Installation Technician Resources

*The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower (Mother Earth News Wiser Living)
*2009 Ultimate Guide to Hydropower, Hydroelectric Power, Dams, Turbine, Safety, Environmental Impact, Fish Passage, Impoundment, Pumped Storage, Diversion, Run-of-River (Ringbound and CD-ROM)
*Hydropower Developments: New Projects, Rehabilitation, and Power Recovery (IMechE Conference Transactions)
*The Micro-Hydro Pelton Turbine Manual: Design, Manufacture and Installation for Small-Scale Hydro-Power

Hydropower Jobs

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