You can become a control room operator in one of two ways. Many industries benefit from on-the-job training because it produces operators with the necessary skills. To fill these more technical positions, many more industries require formal and ongoing education. A control room operator is frequently the only person in charge of critical equipment that controls an industrial process. The nature of the job shifts dramatically from routine dial and gauge monitoring to rapid decision-making in the event of any unusual or dangerous conditions.
Many industries are governed by government agencies and local governments, which mandate that operators have specific training. To become a control room operator, you may only need to get an entry-level job and then complete and pass employer-provided training and testing. The employer will either provide trainers or arrange for the employee to work with more senior operators while also completing at-home or off-site training.
Formalized training will be required in fields that have an impact on public health and safety, such as water and waste-water treatment. The amount of training required will be determined by the size of the facility and the plant’s complexity. Many operators begin their careers at small plants and progress to larger ones as their careers progress.
Chemical processing plants and oil refineries are more traditional workplaces, with operators starting as manual laborers, learning how their plants work, gaining more experience, and eventually being promoted to control room operators. This scenario is less likely due to the nature of most modern facilities. Classroom instruction and simulator practice are typically required for robotic control and complex control systems.
Skid-mounted utility plants that serve small areas, such as a single industrial site, may be able to certify a carefully chosen individual as a control room operator. In such cases, the manufacturer may provide training. Certified operators will be required by larger utilities that supply power to the public sector. Operators of very complicated or high-risk facilities, such as nuclear power plants, must have formal education up to and including a bachelor’s degree. Retired Navy nuclear plant technicians fill many of these positions.
The majority of operator positions will necessitate ongoing training. In facilities that require control rooms, new technologies, more efficient control systems, and more stringent monitoring requirements are all constants. Control room operators must be adequately informed to avoid industrial shutdowns, environmental damage, or risks to human health and safety. Workers take on a lot of responsibility as they work toward becoming control room operators.