Education · 1 of 5
The path
An electrical engineering degree with power courses, then supervised work at a utility or a consultant.
- 1
High school
Grades 11 and 12
Calculus, Advanced Functions, Physics and Chemistry. Physics is the one that matters most.
- 2
Accredited electrical engineering degree
4 to 5 years with co-op
Choose power and energy electives: machines, power electronics, protection, system analysis. Few schools offer a separate power systems degree.
- 3
Work terms at a utility
During the degree
Provincial utilities, system operators and consultants all take co-op students, and most hiring starts there.
- 4
Engineer-in-training
About 4 years
About four years of supervised experience registered with your provincial regulator.
- 5
P.Eng (professional engineer) licence
After about 4 years
Pass the law and ethics exam and submit your experience record. Then you can seal designs for substations and lines.