Electronic equipment service technicians are employed by electronic service companies, retail and wholesale distributors and the service departments of electronic manufacturers. They install, troubleshoot, maintain and repair a variety of household and business equipment such as televisions, radios, video cassette recorders, stereos, photocopiers, and computers. Due to the increasing complexity of electronic technology, most technicians specialize in a particular type of equipment.

There will always be plenty of work for those who service and repair the electronic equipment used in homes and businesses. After all, everything is electronic in today's world.

You may find yourself working in a fully equipped shop to which items are brought for service or you may go out to the customer's home or office. If you call on customers you have to rely heavily on your knowledge and skills to solve the problem since you can only bring a limited set of tools with you.

You are usually paid an hourly wage, though it is possible to paid a salary. Some companies pay you a bonus based on the number of calls you complete.

Do You Have What It Takes?

You will enjoy this job if you like hands-on work in electronics. To do it well, you have to be a logical thinker who enjoys problem-solving and you need to be a stickler for detail. It's a constantly changing field, so your have to update your knowledge and skills regularly, often on your own.

When it comes to making service calls, your people skills are extremely important. You have vital role to play in establishing a positive company image since you may be the only one who deals with the customers.

Electronic business equipment such as photocopiers can be very heavy, so if you service office equipment you need to be strong enough to move it. When working with some types of equipment, you need a good sense of hearing and the ability to recognize small differences in colour to be an effective troubleshooter.

What You Need

• a high school diploma with senior credits in math, English, and some background in sciences and electronics
• a two-year college diploma in electronics or a one-year program in electronic servicing and repair
• one or two years of practical experience in a company to become fully qualified
• a four-year apprenticeship program in electronic servicing and repair
• provincial trade certification is compulsory in Alberta but voluntary across the rest of the country
• technicians have the option of joining the Canadian Electronic and Appliance Services Association

To Find Out More, Contact

• your high school guidance counsellor
• your local public library
• a community college which offers courses in electronics or electronic servicing and repair
• The Canadian Electronic and Appliance Service Association
  10 Wynford Heights Crescent
  Suite 115
  Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1K8
  Tel. (416) 447-2511

* The Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists
285 McLeod Street
Second Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1A1
Tel. (613) 238-8123

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