7243-NOC

Power system electricians

(NOC 72202)
Annual Earnings
$101,819
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, 2 or more years
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
170

Career Overview

Power system electricians:

  • Install, maintain, test and repair electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system equipment and apparatus
  • Work for electric power generation, transmission and distribution companies

Duties

Power system electricians perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Install and maintain electrical power distribution equipment such as transformers, generators, voltage regulators, switches, circuit breakers, capacitors, inductors, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems
  • Install and maintain electrical equipment and apparatus in generating stations or powerhouses
  • Inspect and test installed electrical equipment and apparatus to locate electrical faults and check their operation, using volt meters, ammeters and other electrical test instruments and equipment
  • Repair or replace faulty electrical equipment and apparatus
  • Complete test and maintenance reports

 

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$101,819

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$71.71/hr
Median$48.82/hr
Low$26.96/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

490

% Employed Full Time

78%
Source: 2021 Census

Key aspects of the work in this occupation:

  • Work takes place both indoors and outdoors, so workers may be exposed to various weather conditions
  • Exposure to electrical circuitry, high tension wires, transformers or other equipment in the workplace may be a potential source of electrical shock

Career Pathways

Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic

Job Titles

Apprentice power system electrician
Power electrician
Power station electrician
Power system electrician

Education, Training and Skills

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required
  • Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program for power system electricians
    or
    A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in electrical technology is usually required
  • Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Manitoba, Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut

 

Education programs in B.C.

EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

68%
Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

65%
Repairing

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

65%
Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

62%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

59%
Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.

56%
Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

56%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

53%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

53%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

53%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

490
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 25 5.1%
Kootenay 70 14.3%
Mainland/Southwest 205 41.8%
North Coast and Nechako 15 3.1%
Northeast 20 4.1%
Thompson-Okanagan 80 16.3%
Vancouver Island/Coast 80 16.3%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

170
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 10 -0.7%
Kootenay 30 -0.3%
Mainland/Southwest 70 0.6%
North Coast and Nechako Not available Not available
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 20 0.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 40 0.6%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Utilities120
Construction40
Information, Culture And Recreation10
Manufacturing0
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.