Power Plant Workers

Consumer demand for electric power is expected to increase in the next decade, but power-generating plants will install more automatic control and computerized systems and more efficient equipment, which should limit the growth of operating staffs. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for all power plant workers will decline 6 percent through 2028. Workers who have knowledge of computers and automated equipment will enjoy the best employment prospects. Nuclear power reactor operators, specifically, will experience a 16 percent decrease in employment through 2028.  

Most job openings will develop when experienced workers retire or leave to go into other occupations. Jobs in electric power plants are seldom affected by ups and downs in the economy, so employees in the field have rather stable jobs.