12
Energy Trades
The energy trades, collectively, are what we can thank for the
power that flows into our homes, schools, and businesses. The
people in this segment of the skilled trades operate our power
plants, maintain our utility lines, hook up our buildings to electricity,
and design and maintain the electrical work that keeps the lights
on. They are also right at the forefront of the renewable energy
revolution, which means they will continue to play an important
(and well-compensated) role in our society going forward.
Specific jobs in the energy trades include
electrical line workers, utility technicians,
power plant operators, renewable energy
service technicians (for solar panels, wind
turbines, and hydro-electric installations,
among other innovations), and more.
Though electricians are often lumped into the
construction trades, they can also be catego-
rized here, as their work can go well beyond
construction. Indeed, electricians aren’t just
hired to wire new houses or fix the electrical
work at commercial buildings but are also
entrusted with the wiring of airplanes, ships,
cars, data and cable lines, and more. Electri-
cians who do this type of work fit more snugly
into the energy trades than they do into the
construction field.
Electricians can even work as part of the
performing arts. Pay attention to the credits
for your favorite movie or TV show and you’ll
surely see someone credited as the produc-
tion’s “gaffer.” Gaffer is an entertainment
industry term for the head electrician or
lighting technician on a film or TV production.