While there is no formal educational requirement for gas plant operators, many companies require a high school diploma or equivalent certificate for a candidate to be considered. Companies often give priority to applicants who have college education, vocational training or work experience in a related field.
Most companies provide in-house training for their new hires. Typically, this type of training consists of time spent both in the classroom and in the field. During the first stage, the trainee completes classes on topics such as plant safety, basic gas properties, emergency protocols and job benefits. Some companies also require specific certifications that employees must earn before advancing to the second phase of training.
During the second stage of training as a gas plant operator, the new hire is paired with a senior employee to learn the daily responsibilities of the job. These include controlling gas flow, maintaining equipment, recording gas levels and transferring gas to storage tanks or transport vehicles. This stage ends when the supervisor deems the trainee ready to work on her own.