Job Duties
Working in this area may involve completing tasks such as these:
- installing electronic components of a radar system at a commercial airport
- setting up special electronic equipment used to diagnose illnesses in hospitals
- repairing components of an automated assembly line in a manufacturing plant
- cleaning and servicing an industrial robot
- repairing a malfunctioning component of a missile tracking system at a military base
- installing a radio transmitter for a new radio station
Completion of these and other related tasks may require the ability to:
- use electronic tools such as ohmmeters, voltage meters, oscilloscopes, and signal generators
- use simple hand tools such as pliers, wire cutters, or screwdrivers
- read blueprints, wiring diagrams, or equipment specifications
- maintain logs of service and repairs for a specific system or piece of equipment
- test and calibrate electronic components
- identify reasons equipment has malfunctioned
- replace defective electronic components
- install or replace wiring for an electronic system
- clean dirty parts of a piece of equipment or an entire system
Technicians working in this field may perform a wide range of jobs. The Dictionary of Occupational Titles lists the following responsibilities, which may be covered by this and related positions:
Repairing of electronic equipment, such as computers, industrial controls, radar systems, telemetering and missile control systems, transmitters, antennas, and servomechanisms, following blueprints and manufacturers' specifications, and using hand tools and test instruments: tests faulty equipment and applies knowledge of functional operation of electronic units and systems to diagnose cause of malfunction. Testing electronic components and circuits to locate defects, using oscilloscopes, signal generators, ammeters, and voltmeters. Replacing defective components and wiring and adjusts mechanical parts, using hand tools and soldering iron. Aligning, adjusting, and calibrating equipment according to specifications. Calibrating testing instruments. Maintainingrecords of repairs, calibrations, and tests. May install equipment in industrial or military establishments and in aircraft and missiles. May operate equipment, such as communication equipment and missile control systems, in ground and flight tests, and be required to hold license from governmental agency.
Working Conditions
Electronics technicians work in a variety of settings. A typical job site might be a room or shop area devoted to repair and servicing of equipment. Such an environment usually will feature good lighting, controlled levels of temperature and humidity, and an overall work setting that is consistently comfortable. The work environment is generally somewhat casual, where employees wear informal clothes and feel free to talk among themselves or play soft music while working.
Not all jobs or tasks are performed in such a setting, however. Technicians may repair or service equipment where it is used rather than in a central servicing facility. This situation can take workers to a wide range of settings, such as assembly lines, different offices within a large organization, manufacturing facilities, construction sites, military bases, or other locations where electronic equipment is used. Inevitably, some sites will be less pleasant than others, but an offsetting factor is the variety workers may enjoy in the process.
In general, electronics technicians can count on favorable working conditions. Because electronic devices may be sensitive to humidity, temperature extremes, and other environmental features, they usually are located in areas that also are comfortable to human beings. The end result is that technicians usually avoid the discomfort sometimes experienced by those who must work outdoors or in other physically challenging settings.
Background and Training Needed
Persons who hope to work as electronic technicians in the industrial or commercial sector should demonstrate most or all of the aptitudes that a technician is expected to possess. Of particular importance is an orientation to addressing and solving problems.
In addition, some type of training generally will be necessary to work in this field. This might consist of vocational classes offered at the high school level or through an adult education program, training in a technical or proprietary school, an apprenticeship, or on-the-job training.
A frequent path to a career in this area is completion of an electronics program offered by a two-year college. Such programs are offered in many community, junior, and technical colleges.
For example, Delaware County Community College in Media, Pennsylvania, offers an associate degree program in electronics technology. The program, which can be completed in two years of full-time study, prepares students to perform such tasks as the following:
identifying malfunctions in electrical and electromechanical instruments
- repairing instruments that are not functioning properly
- calibrating instruments used for industrial or scientific purposes
- providing equipment maintenance using standard procedures
- testing input-output parameters of electronic devices
- assembling scientific and industrial test equipment
- identifying electronic devices or systems
- presenting technical information in oral and written formats
A typical course of study under this program would extend over four academic semesters as follows, although students can take longer than two years if they desire to attend part-time or simply take fewer courses at any one time:
First Semester: English Composition, Technical Mathematics, Technical Physics, DC Circuits, Basic Technical Skills
Second Semester: English Composition, Technical Mathematics, Program Design and Development, Electronics
Third Semester: AC Analysis Electronics, Electro-Mechanical Technology, Humanities, Elective Social Science
Fourth Semester: Microprocessors, Career Elective, Linear Integrated Circuits, Internship or Electronics Elective
The content of electronics courses such as these provides students with detailed background in the key areas needed to work in industry following program completion.
For example, students enrolling in Electronics learn to perform tasks such as the following:
- analyze the behavior of simple diode circuits
- analyze the behavior of single-stage transistor amplifier circuits and of single-stage field-effect amplifier circuits
- follows schematic diagrams to connect simple circuits
- builds DC rectifier circuits and measures their ripple factor
- builds single-stage transistor amplifier circuits and measures their gain
- test diodes, transistors, and field-effect transistors for proper operation.
In the Digital Electronics course, students learn about digital techniques and circuits, including the operation of digital logic gates as well as integrated circuit families used in digital equipment. By the end of the course, successful students are able to:
- discuss the applications and advantages in using digital techniques
- implements logic functions using standard digital logic gates
- discusses the operation of flip-flops, counters, and shift registers
- design elementary digital circuits
At Haywood Community College in Clyde, North Carolina, all students in Electronic Engineering Technology take the following courses:
First-Year Courses: Technical Drafting, Intro to Computers, Intro to Technology, CADD for Electronics, C++ Programming, DC/AC Circuit Analysis, Algebra/Trig
Second-Year Courses: Electronic Devices Digital Electronics Physics-Mechanics Industrial Controls Linear IC Applications Intro to Microprocessors Lasers and Applications Intro to PLCs
In addition, students take seven technical courses in areas such as robotics and drafting, plus several general education courses such as expository writing and psychology.
Not all two-year colleges offer programs in electronics, but most technical colleges and many community colleges include such programs among their standard offerings. Many also feature their own variations of electronics programs. For instance, Indiana Vocational Technical College students may specialize in industrial electronics or in communication technology. Other colleges may offer options in automation instrumentation, fiber optics communications, or other areas. To determine what is available at any college, consult its catalog or contact the admissions office or the electronics department.
Questions to Ask Yourself
If you think a career in this area sounds appealing, consider the following basic questions:
1. Do you enjoy working with your hands?
2. Are you good with tools?
3. Are you curious about technical matters (for example, wondering how a certain device works)?
4. If you become a student, will you be able to handle the math involved?
5. Can you picture yourself working in an industrial or commercial environment, spending most of your time working on electronic equipment?
6. Are you patient?
7. Do you have good eyesight (or can vision problems be corrected with glasses or contact lenses)?
8. Can you effectively read (or learn to read) technical material such as blueprints, diagrams, and manuals?
9. Have you finished high school, or are you on track to high school completion?
10. Are you willing to complete additional education?
If you can answer "yes" to most or all of these questions, then a career in commercial or industrial equipment repair may be well worth pursuing.
