If you love using your hands and ingenuity to solve tricky mechanical issues, consider a career as a maintenance technician. Unlike other types of engineers, these professionals work on the front lines. Plus, the amount of schooling required is often far less. Learn more about this in-demand field, and decide if it’s something you could excel at.
Job Description
The specific duties of the maintenance technician will depend largely on where they are employed and what role they fill. Generally, however, maintenance technicians are responsible for fixing mechanical issues, handling upkeep on facilities, and using specialized skills when called upon. Some of these professionals, for instance, specialize in HVAC or electrical issues and direct their focus to these specific issues. Maintenance technicians work in all sorts of manufacturing settings and are often employed to handle building and facility maintenance at hospitals, offices, and schools.
Educational Requirements
There are some maintenance technician positions that are available to candidates with only a high school diploma. Others will require some college education, and candidates with any kind of engineering background are privileged. Specialized certification programs exist and can be used to demonstrate specialized skills, or experience in specific settings. Often, ability and experience are more important than degrees and certifications in this line of work. All candidates must demonstrate an ability to solve a diverse and unpredictable range of maintenance issues.
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment outlook for maintenance technicians is about average. The field is expected to grow by 9 percent by 2022 and add up to $125,200 new jobs. Currently, maintenance technicians earn on average $35,210 per year or $16.93 per hour, but keep in mind that specialized and seasoned technicians can expect to earn much more. Plus, unlike some other engineering fields, maintenance technician are largely immune to the effects of outsourcing and automation.
Current Vacancy
A company in Lawrenceville, GA is currently looking for an electromechanical maintenance technician to work on a variety of sophisticated manufacturing equipment. The ideal candidate will have two years of technical education, four years of experience, and the ability to work from equipment manuals. This is one of several specialized maintenance technician positions available at the same facility. Click here to learn more.
Consider the fact that you might have all the credentials and qualifications you need to become a maintenance technician right now. Find more vacant engineering positions by relying on the experienced staffing professionals at Selectek.
