How to become a power distributors and dispatcher

Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree..Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What power distributors and dispatchers do

• Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
• Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
• Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
• Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.
• Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections.
• Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.

Skills that matter most

• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Speaking
• Writing
• Active Learning
• Mathematics

Is power distributors and dispatcher a good career?

On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 109% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• Washington $144,710
• New York $139,390
• Nevada $138,300
• California $137,570
• Oregon $137,490

Power Distributors and Dispatchers salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.