Schedule Planner

TVA’s Power Service Shops are a hub of activity. With a host of highly skilled craft workers and state-of-the-art equipment, TVA is able to repair the specialized equipment found in power plants, at dams or in some of TVA’s other facilities.

That’s a huge benefit for TVA!

Brian Dodd helps guide these projects from planning through completion.

He also works with newer workers – paying forward the mentorship he had when he first started.

“When I was young and green, I was paired with gentleman from Paradise (Kentucky) Fossil plant doing field machine operation. The craft folks there were so good, so patient. We had tight tolerances and had to meet schedule, but that mentor made sure that the pressure didn’t affect our attention to detail.”

A Day in the Life

Dodd began working for TVA as a machinist. After 13 years in that role, he moved into a career as a schedule planner.

He creates everything from work packages to ordering materials for the Power Service Shops in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

“Sometimes we are working on upwards of 20 jobs simultaneously,” Dodd said. “And each of those jobs could have 70 work orders or instructions.

“But no matter how busy we get, we do the job safely – we do the job right.”

Becoming a Schedule Planner

Schedule planners are undercover problem solvers. They look at projects and determine what people and supplies are needed. They order supplies and make schedules. They track progress.

If something happens with the plan – like supplies not being available on time or an emergency repair – they find a solution. They communicate with workers, supplies and customers to keep projects moving forward.

Most jobs require a high school diploma and work-related experience.

Schedule planners need:

• Organization skills
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving skills

If you got a knack for keeping time, this is the career path for you!

A project controls scheduler may earn a starting salary of around $68,000 and may progress to positions earning up to around $150,000.