As one of our 200+ employees, distribution technician Miles Davey shares some of the skills behind the switch very few islanders are aware of, giving us a glimpse into how to keep a community functioning.
Join us as a distribution technician
Our electricity distribution team play a truly critical role on the island, ensuring power gets distributed to all homes and businesses. But what is it like being at the forefront of modern life in Guernsey as a career? Miles explains.
In a nutshell, what is a distribution technician?
“A distribution technician is the backbone of our electricity system, helping safeguard continuous power supply to keep the lights on and laying the groundwork for the island’s energy transition."
Electricity in Guernsey gets generated at the European grid, from on-island solar arrays, and at the Vale power station. Then from our local substations and transformers, our electricity gets distributed to every home and business through a network of underground cables, and it’s our team of technicians who are the feet on the ground helping maintain, develop, upgrade, and enhance this complex system to keep energy flowing.
There are thousands of these grid assets scattered across the island, which means there’s a lot of diverse work to keep us all busy.”
What do you enjoy most about being a distribution technician?
“With so much going on, I enjoy the variety of work I have as a technician. I’m able to manage critical work for the island in a way that works best for both the business and myself, and I’m responsible for making sure critical projects are delivered to the highest possible standard.
My job gives me the chance to push the boundaries of applied science and help solve technical issues that shape society and its future using creative problem solving. My skills and experience have been stretched in ways I’d never expected, and I’m also learning transferable skills that are helpful in my personal life.”
Can you tell us something about your work that not many people know about?
“Our team are the ones responsible for restoring power supplies in all weather conditions, which can sometimes be under pressure from factors outside of our control.
You’ll certainly never get bored working with us if electrical engineering and problem solving is your passion.”
What are you responsible for?
“We’re responsible for many things that always keeps us on our toes.
Some of these responsibilities include assisting an engineer with high voltage switching programmes on essential infrastructure, finding and fixing low voltage cable faults, delivering a secondary substation replacement, and upgrading parts of the low voltage network to help prepare the island for decarbonisation.
Once you're confident in your role, as a technician you’re also able to take on the responsibility of writing and carrying out your own switching programmes on high voltage equipment.
A switching programme refers to a set of procedures and actions to control, manipulate, or adjust the high voltage (HV) operations within an electricity distribution system, and I might be responsible for executing this program on specific HV components such as transformers or circuit breakers. I may have to isolate certain parts of the electrical network, re-route power flows, or make adjustments to make sure the power system is running as efficiently as possible.”
Do you work alone, or as part of a team?
“Both. Because of the variety of work I do, some days involve collaboration with engineers, jointers or fitters. And other days I can work independently. Another positive is there is always a great team around me with assistance and advice whenever I need it. At the end of the day, keeping an electricity grid live needs teamwork.
For example, a jointer specialises in connecting and splicing electrical cables to help maintain and improve the electricity infrastructure and a fitter specialises in fitting or installing the various components and equipment in the electricity distribution system. They may work on equipment such as transformers, switches, or other mechanical and electrical plant within the electricity distribution infrastructure. Many people have some idea of what an engineer does, and in this context they are involved in designing and overseeing the high voltage switching programs, such as manipulating the flow of electricity at high voltage levels so it’s directed to meet the fluctuating demands of the electrical grid, plus network planning and design.”
Is this an everyday, 9-5 job?
“This definitely isn’t a typical job. There will be some days where I spend the majority of my time working in the office on project delivery schedules and switching programmes. Other days, I’ll be out on site all day, which could be anywhere in the island.
Each day brings new challenges. For example, I’m also part of an out-of-hours standby rota as a technician, which means I’m a first point of contact when our control room receives a no supply call from a customer. This could be anytime of the day – or night."
Do you need any specific experience, training, or qualifications?
"Executing switching programs on high voltage plant and equipment needs technical knowledge alongside precision and strict adherence to safety protocols – we can be talking around 33,000 volts sometimes.
This means our technicians need experience as an electrician as a minimum and training can then be provided to become a technician and eventually, if this fits your career progression, an engineer.
We play a critical role ensuring our electricity grid is always reliable and functioning, which means the scope for technical career development – especially as the energy transition gains pace – is huge."
What do you think are the best benefits Guernsey Electricity offers?
One of the main benefits here is flexible working. For me, this means when personal or family matters come up, I can plan my hours to fit work around these important commitments.
A specific benefit we receive is a Nine Day Fortnight, which means I can work a little extra everyday for two weeks and have an extra day off in return, which helps me extend my weekends or fit in a day off when I need it.
If you spoke to someone interested in becoming a distribution technician, what would you tell them about the job?
“The day-to-day aspects of the job can change, and with every day comes new challenges and opportunities. There’s great potential for personal development and career growth if furthering yourself is what you aspire to achieve.
As long as the island needs electricity, we’ll need skilled technicians to help distribute it to where it’s needed, meaning your skills and experience will always be in demand.”
Find out more about joining this team.
Interested in another role as part of the sustainable energy transition?
