The Electric Utility Technology program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College offers training for careers related to electric utility technologies. The primary option is an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electric Utility Technology (EUT) that prepares students to become technicians in the power generation industry and in other large industry settings.
Completing the EUT Associate of Applied Science degree prepares students to enter into a Relay Technician apprenticeship program offered by some electric utility companies, or students may transfer to another college and work toward a four-year degree. Graduates will be well prepared for the beginning test of technical knowledge that are part of apprenticeship programs.
Electric utilities are facing a shortage of relay technicians. Many relay technicians will be retiring from area electric utilities, and typical training time needed to become a journeyman relay technician takes multiple years. Relay technicians enjoy high pay and challenging jobs. Tasks are becoming increasingly challenging as more state-of-the-art electronic technologies are used for protective relaying, while the relay technicians still need to continue servicing older equipment.
Apprentice relay technicians need computer expertise, solid technical skills in electricity and magnetism, plus a wide background of education to become valuable employees in this changing work environment. The demand for relay technicians is expected to grow. Students will receive a broad general education that will equip them to become life-long learners in this technical industry.
A separate Clean Energy Technician certificate is also available. Additional options may be added in the future to address the needs for technically trained people in and around the electric power industry.