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One area that has many interesting jobs available is the electricity sector. Due to the fact that many workers are reaching retirement age, approximately 40 per cent of employees in this industry are expected to leave their jobs in the next 10 years. Plus, it takes about five years for new employees to ramp up to their jobs, so there will be a real demand for graduates from skilled trades and apprenticeship programs in the near future.

These jobs are vital to everyone since energy is one of our most fundamental needs and plays an important part in our lives. Each day we use electricity in a countless number of ways without giving it much thought. Power generation in Ontario is an important industry with a rich history of lighting our cities, warming our homes, cooking our food, and powering our TVs and computers.

Nuclear
Nuclear power is produced when the atoms that make up enriched uranium are split. Nuclear power provides more than 40 per cent of Ontario’s electricity. This type of energy is important because it is reliable and these stations produce virtually none of the gasses that contribute to smog, acid rain or climate change.

Fossil Generation
Plants that run on oil, gas or coal are called fossil plants because the fuels they burn were formed from the remains of prehistoric plants. Fossil generation is a safe and cost-effective way to supply people with the energy they need. Each station can be started up quickly in order to match daily or seasonal peak requirements.

Hydroelectric Generation
Hydroelectric power is generated by the force of falling water. Hydroelectric energy makes up about one quarter of the province’s overall electricity output. Low production costs and zero emissions make this type of energy something we hope to depend upon even more in the future.

Green Power
Green power is electricity that is generated using clean energy resources. These resources include wind, solar, biomass (energy from trees and plants), geothermal, and low-impact hydro. Additionally, electricity generated by burning methane gas produced by landfills is considered green power because it is better to burn landfill gas and put it to work than to vent it directly to the atmosphere.