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What courses to take to become an
Engineering Technician and Assistant?
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Engineering Technician and Assistant?
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Important Career Information
- Electrical and electronic engineering technicians make up 33 percent of all engineering technicians.
- Opportunities will be best for individuals with an associate degree or other postsecondary training in engineering technology.
- Employment of engineering technicians is influenced by economic conditions similar to those which affect engineers; as a result, job outlook varies by specialty.
Salary: How Much Do Engineering Technicians and Assistants Make?
Median annual pay in May 2008 of engineering technicians by specialty were:
Aerospace engineering and operations technicians $55,040
Electrical and electronic engineering technicians 53,240
Mechanical engineering technicians 48,130
Industrial engineering technicians 47,180
Electro-mechanical technicians 46,310
Civil engineering technicians 44,2900
Environmental engineering technicians 41,100
Median annual pay of electrical and electronic engineering technicians were $53,240 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent were paid between $41,550 and $64,120. The lowest 10 percent were paid less than $32,490, and the highest 10 percent were paid more than $78,560. Median annual pay in the industries employing the largest numbers of electrical and electronic engineering technicians were:
Wired telecommunications carriers $56,080
Architectural, engineering, and related services 51,650
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 48,960
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing 48,2
Employment services 42,960
In May 2008, median annual pay for aerospace engineering and operations technicians in the aerospace products and parts manufacturing industry were $52,150, and the median annual salary for environmental engineering technicians in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry was $39,510. Median annual pay for civil engineering technicians in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry were $43,880. The median annual pay for industrial engineering technicians in the semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing industry was $43,760. In the architectural, engineering, and related services industry, the median annual pay for mechanical engineering technicians was $47,130. Electro-mechanical technicians were paid a median annual pay of $44,580 in the semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing industry.
What does an Engineering Technician and Assistant do?
Engineering Technician and Assistant Jobs, Job Description, and Responsibilities
Engineering technicians use the principles and theories of science, engineering, and mathematics to solve technical problems in research and development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection, and maintenance. An engineering technician's work is more limited in scope and application-oriented than that of scientists and engineers. Many engineering technicians assist engineers and scientists, especially in research and development. Others technicians work in quality control, inspecting products and processes, conducting tests, or collecting data. In manufacturing, engineering technicians may assist in product design, development, or production. Although many specialists who repair or maintain various types of electrical, electronic, or mechanical equipment are called technicians, these careers are in another category.
Engineering technicians who work in research and development build or set up equipment; prepare and conduct experiments; collect data; calculate or record results; and help engineers or scientists in other ways, such as making prototype versions of newly designed equipment. Engineering technicians also assist in design work, often using computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) equipment.
Aerospace engineering and operations technicians construct, test, and maintain aircraft and space vehicles. They may calibrate test equipment and determine causes of equipment malfunctions. Using computer and communications systems, aerospace engineering and operations technicians often record and interpret test data.
Civil engineering technicians help civil engineers plan and build highways, buildings, bridges, dams, wastewater treatment systems, and other structures, as well as do related research. Some technicians estimate construction costs and specify materials to be used, and some may even prepare drawings or perform land-surveying duties. Others technicians may set up and monitor instruments used to study traffic conditions.
Electrical and electronics engineering technicians help design, develop, test, and manufacture electrical and electronic equipment such as communication equipment; radar, industrial, and medical monitoring or control devices; navigational equipment; and computers. Electronics engineering technicians may work in product evaluation and testing, using measuring and diagnostic devices to adjust, test, and repair equipment.
Electromechanical engineering technicians combine fundamental principles of mechanical engineering technology with knowledge of electrical and electronic circuits to design, develop, test, and manufacture electrical and computer-controlled mechanical systems. Their work often overlaps that of both electrical and electronics engineering technicians and mechanical engineering technicians.
Environmental engineering technicians work closely with environmental engineers and scientists in developing methods and devices used in the prevention, control, or correction of environmental hazards. Environmental engineering technicians inspect and maintain equipment related to air pollution and recycling. Some technicians inspect water and wastewater treatment systems to ensure that pollution control requirements are met.
Industrial engineering technicians study the efficient use of personnel, materials, and machines in factories, stores, repair shops, and offices. They prepare layouts of machinery and equipment, plan the flow of work, make statistical studies, and analyze production costs.
Mechanical engineering technicians help engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture industrial machinery, consumer products, and other equipment. They may assist in product tests—for example, by setting up instrumentation for auto crash tests. Mechanical engineering technicians may make sketches and rough layouts, record and analyze data, make calculations and estimates, and report on their findings. When planning production, mechanical engineering technicians prepare layouts and drawings of the assembly process and of parts to be manufactured. They estimate labor costs, equipment life, and plant space. Some technicians test and inspect machines and equipment or work with engineers to eliminate production problems.
Job Working Conditions for Engineering Technicians and Assistants
Most engineering technicians work at least 40 hours a week in laboratories, offices, manufacturing or industrial plants, or on construction sites. Some may be exposed to hazards from equipment, chemicals, or toxic materials.
Engineering Technician and Assistant Training, College Programs, and Advancement
Prospective engineering technicians should take as many high school science and math courses as possible to prepare for postsecondary programs in engineering technology. Most 2-year associate degree programs accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) require, at a minimum, college algebra and trigonometry and one or two basic science courses. Depending on the specialty, more math or science may be required. About 230 colleges offer ABET-accredited programs in engineering technology.
The type of technical courses required also depends on the specialty. For example, prospective mechanical engineering technicians may take courses in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and mechanical design; electrical engineering technicians may need classes in electrical circuits, microprocessors, and digital electronics; and those preparing to work in environmental engineering technology need courses in environmental regulations and safe handling of hazardous materials.
Because many engineering technicians assist in design work, creativity is desirable. Because these specialists often are part of a team of engineers and other technicians, good communication skills and the ability to work well with others also are important.
Engineering technicians usually begin by performing routine duties under the close supervision of an experienced technician, technologist, engineer, or scientist. As they gain experience, they are given more difficult assignments with only general supervision. Some engineering technicians eventually become supervisors.
Technical institutes offer intensive technical training through application and practice, but they provide less theory and general education than do community colleges. Many technical institutes offer 2-year associate degree programs and are similar to or part of a community college or State university system. Other technical institutes are run by private, often for-profit organizations, sometimes called proprietary schools. Their programs vary considerably in length and types of courses offered, although some are 2-year associate degree programs.
The National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies has established a voluntary certification program for engineering technicians. Certification is available at various levels, each level combining a written examination in 1 of about 30 specialties with a certain amount of job-related experience, a supervisory evaluation, and a recommendation.
Where are the Jobs? Engineering Technician and Assistant Jobs
Engineering technicians held 532,000 jobs in 2004. About a third were electrical and electronics engineering technicians, as indicated by the following tabulation.
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
$182,000 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
94,000 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
69,000 |
| Mechanical engineering technicians |
48,000 |
| Environmental engineering technicians |
20,000 |
| Electro-mechanical technicians |
19,000 |
| Aerospace engineering and operations technicians |
9,500 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
91,000 |
About 36 percent of all engineering technicians worked in manufacturing, mainly in the computer and electronic equipment, transportation equipment, and machinery manufacturing industries. Another 22 percent worked in professional, scientific, and technical service industries, mostly in engineering or business services companies that do engineering work on contract for government, manufacturing firms, or other organizations.
In 2004, the Federal Government employed 37,000 engineering technicians. State governments employed 39,000, and local governments employed 27,000.
Job Outlook and Job Opportunities for Engineering Technicians and Assistants
Overall jobs of engineering technicians are expected to increase about as fast as the average for all careers through 2014. Competitive pressures will force companies to improve and update manufacturing facilities and product designs, resulting in more jobs for engineering technicians. In addition to growth, many job openings will stem from the need to replace technicians who retire or leave the labor force.
Growth of engineering technician jobs in some design functions may be dampened by increasing globalization of the development process. To reduce costs and speed project completion, some companies may relocate part of their development operations to facilities overseas, impacting both engineers and the engineering technicians that support them—particularly in electronics and computer-related areas. However, much of the work of engineering technicians requires on-site presence, so demand for engineering technicians within the US should continue to grow.
Because engineering technicians work closely with engineers, jobs of engineering technicians is often influenced by the same local and national economic conditions that affect engineers. As a result, the jobs outlook varies with industry and specialization. Growth in the largest specialty—electrical and electronics engineering technicians—is expected to be about as fast as the average, while jobs of environmental engineering technicians is expected to grow faster than average to meet the environmental demands of an ever-growing population.
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Although it may be possible to qualify for certain engineering technician jobs without formal training, most employers prefer to hire a technician with at least a 2-year associate degree in engineering technology. Engineering technician training is available at technical institutes, community colleges, extension divisions of colleges and universities, public and private vocational-technical schools, and in the Armed Forces. Persons with college courses in science, engineering, and mathematics may qualify for some jobs but may need additional specialized training and experience. Although employers usually do not require engineering technicians to be certified, such certification may provide engineering technician jobseekers a competitive advantage.
