If industrial is your way to go, you'll need some specialized education which differs from what most electricians do. You'll need to know DC well as well as controls and PLC's.
Although I would never work for a union again, I think that you can't beat a union apprenticeship for some specialized trades and industrial maintenance electrician is one of those.
It costs you 5 years of your life but you'll know everything by the end and be making good money. Talk to the HR department's of the plants in your area and they will tell you what's available and point you in the right direction.
