Electrical and electronic engineering technicians provide technical support and service during the production, installation, operation, and repair of electrical equipment and systems. They are employed by electrical utilities, communications companies, manufacturers of electrical equipment, consulting firms, a wide range of manufacturing, processing and transportation industries, and the federal and provincial governments.
As a technician, you may choose to specialize in debugging or reworking products before they are manufactured, but it is more likely that you will be servicing products after they have come from the plant. In a smaller company you may find yourself doing both.
If you work in a production plant, you will help in the inspection, testing, adjusting and evaluation of electronic and electro-mechanical components. You may find yourself on the design team, building prototypes to specifications. You might also work with researchers in electrical engineering and physics.
If you work as a service technician, you install, operate and maintain equipment and systems for customers. You also calibrate electrical or electronic equipment and instruments according to technical manuals and written instructions. You may find yourself travelling extensively.
Regardless of whether you are a production or a service technician, you will collect data and assist in the preparation of estimates, schedules, budgets, specifications and reports. You may be paid a salary or hourly wages and you have a fair amount of job mobility.
You must deal with a wide variety of problems. Often you have to rely on your previous experience to find innovative solutions to problems when you work with new technology.
It is a constant challenge to keep up with the changing technology. You need to be self- motivated, inquisitive and willing to learn on your own. If you have a deep interest in electronics, you will find that the work is exciting.
The job, however, can also be stressful. For example, you might be called to repair a robotic arm in a manufacturing plant while the production line waits for you to locate and solve the problem.
Alberta, for example, offers some accelerated programs for engineering technicians that are 18 months in length. Most newly hired technicians receive some on-the-job training which varies in length from company to company.
* The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
First Division, 45
Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 401
Willowdale, Ontario M2N 5Y1
Tel. (416)
226-5155
Electrical engineering technicians do not include electronic technicians whose principal duties are to service household and business electronic equipment, computers, avionics or aircraft instruments.