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Power plant and substation workers

How to become a Power Station Operator

Also called: Thermal power maintenance worker, Hydroelectric power maintenance worker, Power room electrician, Switchroom maintenance worker, Power station operations worker

Runs and maintains power stations of all kinds, including thermal, hydro, geothermal, nuclear, solar, wind and biomass.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university or high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but many people have studied engineering such as electrical, mechanical, chemical, nuclear, civil or architectural at technical high school, kosen (college of technology), university or similar. After joining, as well as on-the-job training, operators train in accident response using simulators, firefighting and radiation protection, and maintenance staff receive the training they need at skills training centres. With experience, some become operations managers. You handle hazardous materials and work around dangerous high-voltage equipment, so you are expected to build specialist knowledge and skills through experience and gain qualifications linked to the job. Typical qualifications include chief electrical engineer, first-class chief boiler and turbine engineer, certified energy manager, radiation protection supervisor, chief reactor engineer and chief dam and waterway engineer. Some power companies also have their own certification systems to show skill levels. Power stations have many kinds of equipment, such as boilers, turbines, water turbines, reactors, generators and transformers, so knowledge of electrical and mechanical engineering is needed to work in thermal, hydro or nuclear power. You also need cooperation to work as part of a team, accurate operation, calmness in emergencies and a sense of responsibility.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Power Station Operator?

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but many people have studied engineering such as electrical, mechanical, chemical, nuclear, civil or architectural at technical high school, kosen (college of technology), university or similar. After joining, as well as on-the-job training, operators train in accident response using simulators, firefighting and radiation protection, and maintenance staff receive the training they need at skills training centres. With experience, some become operations managers. You handle hazardous materials and work around dangerous high-voltage equipment, so you are expected to build specialist knowledge and skills through experience and gain qualifications linked to the job. Typical qualifications include chief electrical engineer, first-class chief boiler and turbine engineer, certified energy manager, radiation protection supervisor, chief reactor engineer and chief dam and waterway engineer. Some power companies also have their own certification systems to show skill levels. Power stations have many kinds of equipment, such as boilers, turbines, water turbines, reactors, generators and transformers, so knowledge of electrical and mechanical engineering is needed to work in thermal, hydro or nuclear power. You also need cooperation to work as part of a team, accurate operation, calmness in emergencies and a sense of responsibility.

How much does a Power Station Operator earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥7,072,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

Do you need a degree to become a Power Station Operator?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 20% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: College of technology (高等専門学校, kosen).

Will AI change the work of a Power Station Operator?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026