Power Engineering Questions

[outdoorcat]

Hey guys.

So I'm new to this forum. Been researching Power Engineering as a career choice for a while.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has any information on the career? There is a lot of physical/manual labour on the job right? And there is class 5 being the lowest and class 1 being the highest.

Those who are currently in the career, how do you like it? Also, is there demand for power engineers in edmonton or calgary?

Any additional information would be helpful too. Thanks.

[CR5]

Had my 3rd class since 1997, operating can be really busy, dirty and phisically intensive or it can be really boring and lazy, just depends where you get a job.
I am a control room operator in FtMac and I find it boring and would like to change career's but I can't think of anything that pays this well that I won't have to go back to school for.

There is way too much competition in Calgary and Edmonton to expect to get a job there without a minimum of a third class and a second would be much better. This is a who you know industry and it can help alot with getting one of the good jobs.
The hours are hard on family and marriages since you will most likely be working 12 hour shifts days and nights including weekends. Most people start in small towns away from family and friends which makes things even harder on the wife or girlfriend.
I find that too many people get into this field for the wrong reasons. It pays well but you are expected to be a jack of all trades and have a certain amount of trouble shooting skills and ability to understand process and correct things. Nothing bothers me more than having to train some snotty jerkoff straight outta school that thinks he knows everything because he got an 80% in prime movers class but he can't even change the oil on his own car.

As a side note. Most injuries seem to be during the first 3 years out of school. So if you do get into it listen to those that have been there a few years, they might just save your life.

Good luck.

[rookiemoosehunter]

Originally Posted by CR5

I find that too many people get into this field for the wrong reasons. It pays well but you are expected to be a jack of all trades and have a certain amount of trouble shooting skills and ability to understand process and correct things. Nothing bothers me more than having to train some snotty jerkoff straight outta school that thinks he knows everything because he got an 80% in prime movers class but he can't even change the oil on his own car.
Good luck.

Couldn't of said it better my self.

Power Engineering is a great career to get into but its not for everybody. I am a second class that has been working in the oilsands for around ten years now and love it but like CR5 says it can be dirty and labour intensive at times. It can also have alot of A#S time to it as well.

If you have good troubleshooting skills, jack of all trades, don't mind working shift or away from home than power engineering may be a good choice.

Good luck with your decision.

[chris007can]

the other two guy's are bang on with what you need, the only thing I would add is go to Nait or Sait and take the two year program. This way when you do your practicum you will really find out if this job is for you. We had one guy drop out after he tried shift work. Also you better be able to get along with guy's you don't really know for long periods of time, because you will spend more time with them than you will your own family.

[OutwardBound]

I have my 2nd class ticket and have worked south of Calgry for about 6 years

If you search on the forum under power engineering there has been alot of posts on it over the last few months that will help in your decison.

You are right in the order of the tickets although most people start off with a 4th class ticket with any sort of power engineering schooling. You do not have to write a 5th class ticket.

Your best bet for getting into the career is taking the 2 year power engineering course at SAIT, NAIT or Med Hat.

The physical labor part depends on what field you get into. Some require lots of work others require very little.

As far as jobs around Calgary or Edmonton, they are not hard to get, it just depends on how hard you look. I was hired right out of school at a plant south of Calgary as well as numorus other people. Although the odds of getting one with just a 4th are pretty slim in the higher paying plants.

Dustin

[Off in the Bushes]

One of the biggest problems if you get into a contro room tyoe job where you are monitoring a process is fighting the bordom. If everything is smooth then there is not alot that you have to do.
Also if you measure your self worth by the job you do then this is not for you as it is not very full filling as you never see what it is that you did all day.

[tbone616]

I agree with everything everyone has posted so far and highly recomend taking the 2 year course at NAIT or SAIT. It can be quite difficult for alot of people to get steam time for their forth and third, with the two year courses you get all the steam time you need. As well there any many needs for power engineers like others have posted so you can choose a path that will work for you. I work at a chemical plant close to town so i'm home everyday unlike some of my friends who work up north. As some examples i know people who operate the power plant at the hospital, one who runs the steam system on an ocean liner and one of my buddies used to work for Kokanee in their brewery. As you can see it all depends on which way you wanna go and the pay varies widely as well.

[827rotax]

Great info all and thankyou for sharing. I have too been looking at this. I have tried to do my research everywhere I can, and all say good money, but that is a different amount for each. Coming out of school with a 4th what would be bottom salary and what would be a high salary. And so on 3rd, 2nd class? Shoot a pm if you do not want to put it on a public forum. i am very Mechanical and a very good trouble shooter, been working out of town away from my family all my life. This would even be better as there would bw more time home than I currently have. Again thank you all for sharing your experiences. Dennis

[BuckMaster101]

Originally Posted by tbone616

I agree with everything everyone has posted so far and highly recomend taking the 2 year course at NAIT or SAIT. It can be quite difficult for alot of people to get steam time for their forth and third, with the two year courses you get all the steam time you need. As well there any many needs for power engineers like others have posted so you can choose a path that will work for you. I work at a chemical plant close to town so i'm home everyday unlike some of my friends who work up north. As some examples i know people who operate the power plant at the hospital, one who runs the steam system on an ocean liner and one of my buddies used to work for Kokanee in their brewery. As you can see it all depends on which way you wanna go and the pay varies widely as well.

Total agree, also get a lot off time off with shift work. I'm at a chemical plant and work 7 days/7 nights in five weeks. I love shift work, lot of time to play or work OT if you need too.

[roger]

Originally Posted by outdoorcat

Hey guys.

So I'm new to this forum. Been researching Power Engineering as a career choice for a while.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has any information on the career? who are currently in the career, how do you like it? Also, is there demand for power engineers in edmonton or calgary?

how strong is your math, algebra, volume caculations, scalers vectars etc??
I got a 4th and a couple of jmans tix as well.
I would consider the 5th or 4th to like the entrance exam to the 3rd.
Id say also that the 2nd class would be equivelent to being the 'journeyman' of the industry. In my line the P/e is paid considrably less than the tradesman and are closer to a labourer with an education.
there is always a demand for P/E's.as the marketplace seems to want more education and pay the same. and thats why my boy i getting welding ticket and teeing off to get his fourth asap.
giver

[outdoorcat]

Originally Posted by roger

how strong is your math, algebra, volume caculations, scalers vectars etc??
I got a 4th and a couple of jmans tix as well.
I would consider the 5th or 4th to like the entrance exam to the 3rd.
Id say also that the 2nd class would be equivelent to being the 'journeyman' of the industry. In my line the P/e is paid considrably less than the tradesman and are closer to a labourer with an education.
there is always a demand for P/E's.as the marketplace seems to want more education and pay the same. and thats why my boy i getting welding ticket and teeing off to get his fourth asap.
giver

considering the fact that i've taken university calculus, i'd say my math is just fine.

To be honest, I'm almost done my university degree. I just see more potential in the trades, especially this one.

The fact that as the profession progresses leads to less manual labour definitely is attractive.

Ultimately, I'd like to find out if the career would suit me or not. Honestly, having a homer simpson-type job making six figures sounds pretty sweet imo. Having any kind of office-related job is pretty boring for most people.

My opinion is: you guys got it really good, and I think some of you may not realize just how good you have it. Most professions never break the six figure mark, and with many other professions, people aren't compensated for overtime.

Viewing the job in the grand scheme of things, I see it as offering a valuable service to the public. You go to work to get paid, then spend your time off work doing the things you love to do.

[OutwardBound]

Originally Posted by outdoorcat

Ultimately, I'd like to find out if the career would suit me or not. Honestly, having a homer simpson-type job making six figures sounds pretty sweet imo.

My opinion is: you guys got it really good, and I think some of you may not realize just how good you have it. Most professions never break the six figure mark, and with many other professions, people aren't compensated for overtime.

It's not that everyone is bitter about the job, we are just telling you the pros and cons. It's defintily not a heres your report complete it, good job on that report.

Here is an example of my last 4 night shifts. First 3 had maybe a dozen alarms come in in a 12 hour shift, most very minor / nuisence, basically did nothing for 11 hours. Don't get me wrong i'm not complaining, just it does get fairly old after a while. The fourth night shift. The pump seal went in a boiler feed water pump during the day so we are running on the back up which was waiting to be repaired, hopefully it makes it through the night. 10 pm very high vibration alarms, pump seal blows, shaft breaks between turbine and pump, plant is shutdown and flaring gas within 5 mins. 165 alarms come in in 5 mins, have a phone on each ear (1 is the steam chief the other the plant forman), and 2 plant operators asking for what to do next. Plant has been down for a week and is down for another.

This is a perfect example of a previous post of "we get paid for what we know, not what we do" I got paid for doing nothing the first 3 nights but it was all being able to apply what i know in the 4th night and get the plant shutdown safely, and flaring as little gas as possible.


Another way of looking at the job is, really does any one really want to go to work every day, and it's the best thing they do all week. Prob not, sure I have to work some weekends and nights, but I get half the month of and get paid mid 6 figures to do it. Couldn't imagine woring downtown Calgary 5 days a week for $70,000 a year and fight traffic 2 times a day. I can't think of anything that i could practically do, for the same money and time off, so that in turn makes me enjoy the career!

Dustin

[rookiemoosehunter]

Originally Posted by roger

In my line the P/e is paid considrably less than the tradesman and are closer to a labourer with an education.
there is always a demand for P/E's.

Don't know where you work but this is not the usually the case up north.

[cleson]

If you decide to do it, first, think about what the guys were saying about mechanical aptitude. I've been doing this for 11 years now, and it is critical. You may not need to be a mechanic, but you need to clearly understand how machines and proccess work. You need to be able to problem solve very quickly. Not, "I think it's this," and then try to prove yourself right. Collect data, know the proccess and make corrective decisions quickly. If boredom is a fear, get into a new project. There is a reason that most operators I know don't stick around a plant for more than ten years. They get bored. I have been stuck in the control room for 3 years, and I want out. Having said that, I am rarely bored. I am at a plant which has new technology in the oilsands and it is anything but boring. Sometimes it's too much. I crave a smooth darn plant! And don't think you can go from NAIT to 2 years in the field and be in the control room. It usually doesn't work that way. The biggest thing with this job is don't stop studying. There is always more to learn.

#1 advice I got from my teacher. Show up! Don't blow shifts. Your mate is counting on you. Show up 15 minutes early every single day. Never miss days. Too many young guys I work with have a tough time getting less than 10 sick days a year. Show up. I swear that's more than half the battle right there.

[OutwardBound]

Originally Posted by rookiemoosehunter

Don't know where you work but this is not the usually the case up north.

X2, I think on average a power engineer makes more per year then most tradesmen. Hourly wage maybe the same, but when you factor in OT, Shift differantial, Steam bounus, 9 times out of 10 a power engineer will make more money then the trades guys at the plant.

The trades guys still do very well though!

Dustin

[roger]

Originally Posted by rookiemoosehunter

Don't know where you work but this is not the usually the case up north.

Im in a heating plant with Alberta Health Services that produces steam for domestic water etc.
its defineantely a different dog than the production feild..pulp and paper, oilfeild etc.
thats why the 10.00 wage difference less for a PE. with little to no overtime.
its all about where you live and play vs where you work to live.

i work 13 12hr shifts per month, get the rest off and 5 weeks a year off holidays full pension and benefits.
i opted to make less 'at work', and have had rental houses and bobcat business on the side to make real money.
either way the PE is an excellent course and job whatever the industry it leads you.