Electrical substations are an integral part of working electrical grid that provides ample of energy to a wide community of people who are dependent on energy. Although substations are often unattended once built and operational, it still required a motley crew of skilled people in the electrical trade to establish it and even maintain its good working order.
Some people chose the substation route as a journeyman electrician simply because the services it provides cater directly to a large population, including the very household to which they live in. Although many in the field are after the trade as a means for livelihood, it is still a utilitarian job nonetheless, something of which to take pride on even if not many notice.
But as noble as the job’s nature may be, it is so which comes with its own perks and disadvantages.
See Also: Electrician Levels / Ranks
Pros of Being a Substation Electrician
• Becoming a Substation Electrician is a Paid, OJT Experience
In case you are not aware, it does not take a school degree in order to become a journeyman such as a Substation Electrician. But it does require training and is something you could do in an apprenticeship—essentially a form of training which lets you learn while doing the actual job and, by doing so, getting paid in the process.
Some who chose the path of a Substation Electrician even managed to do so while learning on-site, in addition to what skill they already possess after the 4 or so years of training. Essentially, what it boils down to is that you are being paid while still in the process of learning more about the trade. There are not many fields that does that.
• The Pay for a Substation Electrician is Higher than an Engineer in the Same Field
An electrical engineer, like an electrician, spends years in schooling. But unlike an engineer whose primary purpose on the job is to make a design that best represent a working site, electricians do the more hands-on approach to the actual building process which is significantly more difficult than the mastermind behind the schematics. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that electricians get better pay than an engineer in the electrical field.
Furthermore, if you are a member of the union as a Substation Electrician, your salary is bargained for competitiveness and so are your rights within the workplace.
• Good Pay Scheme
There are not too many Substation Electricians who would prefer to work at a time when the sun is still not up. But those who do—whether by option or by dictate of the job—are paid double their daytime rate. In addition, a Substation Electrician who did managed to work during the dark is also eligible for a paid “sleep time” after work.
See Also: Electrician Types
• Union Members are Not Expected to Work During an Inclement Weather Condition
As part of the union’s ability to bargain its working condition, Substation Electricians who are members of the union are not expected to work in a condition where there is a likely presence of rain. But this is for a few good reasons—not only does the weather increases the risk of harm when dealing with electricity, it is also hampering of everyone’s productivity in the field.
• Security from Work as a Union Member
There is politics that is at play in the industry which could pre-dispose an employee to impulsive and unfair actions. If you are a union member, you belong with a group of like-minded people who also share similar interest as yours and thereby are willing to uphold it for everyone’s interest. Engineers and technicians in the management field may not harbor the same benefit as being as member of the union and are thus susceptible to it.
• Probability for Career Advancement
For any Substation Electrician who spent ample enough time in the trade, there is a ladder to climb which would give a sense of advancement to his career. For instance, a well-performing Substation Electrician has a chance of advancing to a managerial role as a Foreman if he is so inclined to do management of his fellow crews.
See Also: Electrician Tools
Cons of Being a Substation Electrician
• Career Growth is Slow
There is an employment prospect for Substation Electricians which suggest that within a decade, beginning from 2010, the growth for the trade is only expected to be around 5%. But this is primarily due to two reasons—the increasingly becoming privatized nature of the business and the initiative to boost productivity in the trade.
If this insinuates anything, it means that competition in the field gets significantly stronger in the coming years, likely with a preference towards individuals who met certain credentials such as an associate’s degree or any anything else better.
• Hazardous Nature of Work
For a workplace which dabbles in high transmission voltages and where literally even seemingly innocent objects are a potential site for electrical flow, the job of a Substation Electrician is risky. Although there are well laid out safety guidelines which everyone is expected to adhere to while on-site, even experienced electricians commit mistake from time to time.
Some most commonly of which can be just a simple electrical shock that does nothing but remind a person of the presence of electricity. But there are also cases where others meet their untimely demise because of a major mishap while on their job. Fatal injuries, in this case, are not caused by high electrical voltage as other risky conditions such as the height and the presence of heavy materials cause concern as well.
See Also: Electrician Safety Clothing
• Imbalanced Working Schedule
If working 8 hours per day is not difficult enough for a Substation Electrician, working overtime makes for an added weight to its role. But this is not to say that the issue is not rife in the trade in general. Regardless, if working overtime most of the time is not a part of your expectation if you are aspiring to become a Substation Electrician, now is the time to contemplate on it.