Electrical Maintenance Intern, Nathan Dawson, has spent his summer at Prairie State performing corrective repairs and preventive maintenance throughout the plant.
Nathan’s daily work consisted of various work orders. At the beginning of each day, he was partnered with another electrical I&C maintenance technician, and they were given one or two work orders.
After receiving these work orders, they were responsible for performing a pre-job brief, collecting necessary supplies, following procedures, and communicating with the control room. Following completion of these tasks, they filled out post-job paperwork.
Nathan began his internship shadowing the maintenance team to gradually become familiar with maintenance procedures. For him, Prairie State is the first exposure to electrical work outside of the classroom, so he appreciated being able to acclimate slowly.
Over time, Nathan was given more opportunities to assist the maintenance team; he was able to participate in replacing parts such as actuators and pressure sensors. He also performed preventive maintenance, such as changing light bulbs, and corrective maintenance, such as repairing igniters.
Nathan appreciates that the electrical maintenance staff has been very approachable and knowledgeable. He now feels much more prepared to enter the workforce after graduation. “I’ll remember the opportunities I’ve had to work in the plant while being mentored, as well as having the electrical maintenance staff walk me through the repair processes.”
Prior to this internship, Nathan was unsure what to expect in a typical day as an electrician, but he now has a better understanding of their tasks. This internship was his opportunity to see if he would enjoy working in a power plant.
Nathan will return to Ranken this fall. After graduating in December, he would like to work in a power plant or production assembly line.