Plant Operations Supervisor Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Plant Operations Supervisor

Best Schools to become a Plant Operations Supervisor in U.S. 2024

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Stillwater, OK

In-State Tuition:$5,417
Out-of-State Tuition:$20,937
Admission Rate:71%
Graduation Rate:65%
Total Enrollment:25,372

Central Community College

Grand Island, NE

In-State Tuition:$2,820
Out-of-State Tuition:$4,230
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:43%
Total Enrollment:6,519

Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD

In-State Tuition:$3,720
Out-of-State Tuition:$3,720
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:70%
Total Enrollment:2,238

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN

In-State Tuition:$9,718
Out-of-State Tuition:$28,520
Admission Rate:53%
Graduation Rate:83%
Total Enrollment:51,528

Northland Community and Technical College

Thief River Falls, MN

In-State Tuition:$5,627
Out-of-State Tuition:$5,627
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:40%
Total Enrollment:2,495

Iowa State University

Ames, IA

In-State Tuition:$8,678
Out-of-State Tuition:$25,162
Admission Rate:90%
Graduation Rate:74%
Total Enrollment:29,969
Plant Operations Supervisor Job Description:
  • Monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation.
  • Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, and battery banks.
  • Monitor equipment operation and performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance.
  • Perform equipment maintenance and repair as necessary.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Plant Operations Supervisor

Job Duties for Plant Operations Supervisors

  • Identify or address malfunctions of hydroelectric plant operational equipment, such as generators, transformers, or turbines.

  • Inspect water-powered electric generators or auxiliary equipment in hydroelectric plants to verify proper operation or to determine maintenance or repair needs.

  • Operate high voltage switches or related devices in hydropower stations.

Technologies and Skills Used by Plant Operations Supervisors

Electronic mail software

  • IBM Lotus Notes
  • Microsoft Outlook

Industrial control software

  • Distributed control system DCS
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Basic Skills

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Current Job Market and Opportunites for a Plant Operations Supervisor

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Plant Operations Supervisor

FAQs About Becoming a Plant Operations Supervisor