How To Become A Utility Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a utility technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A utility technician maintains and repairs various utility systems, such as water and gas lines, electrical power grids, and telecommunications networks. They use specialized tools and safety gear to perform tasks such as inspecting equipment, installing new systems, and troubleshooting issues. They must be able to read blueprints and diagrams, communicate effectively with team members and customers, and adhere to safety protocols. A successful utility technician is detail-oriented, physically fit, and possesses strong problem-solving skills.

ScoreUtility TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,073

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.6

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.17%

Asian 4.57%

Black or African American 11.16%

Hispanic or Latino 19.40%

Unknown 4.26%

White 59.44%

Gender

female 14.18%

male 85.82%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a utility technician?

Pros

Good pay and benefits
Ability to work independently
Job satisfaction from providing essential services
Variety of tasks and responsibilities
Ability to work with advanced technology

Cons

Exposure to hazardous materials
Irregular schedule and long hours
High stress and pressure in emergency situations
High risk of injury or accidents
Continuous training required to keep up with changes in technology and regulations

Key steps to become a utility technician

Explore utility technician education requirements

Most common utility technician degrees

High School Diploma

32.1 %

Associate

25.8 %

Bachelor's

24.5 %

Start to develop specific utility technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	13.04%
Ladders	6.04%
Safety Procedures	4.16%
HVAC	3.36%
Cranes	3.12%

Complete relevant utility technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New utility technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a utility technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real utility technician resumes.

Research utility technician duties and responsibilities

Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
Assist engineers in daily duties such as lighting and HVAC.
Process includes both mechanical and electronic integration-programming of settings, PLC linking power settings, etc.
Collect, compact and bail cardboard, transport cardboard pallets to pickup area with a pallet jack.

Prepare your utility technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your utility technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a utility technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable utility technician resume templates

Build a professional utility technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your utility technician resume.