Knowledge of electrical equipment and electronics is necessary for
employment; many applicants complete 1 to 2 years at vocational schools and
community colleges, although some less skilled repairers may have only a
high school diploma.
Employment is projected to grow more slowly than average, but will vary
by occupational specialty.
Job opportunities will be best for applicants with a thorough knowledge
of electrical and electronic equipment, as well as repair experience.
Businesses and other organizations depend on complex electronic equipment
for a variety of functions. Industrial controls automatically monitor and direct
production processes on the factory floor. Transmitters and antennae provide
communication links for many organizations. Electric power companies use
electronic equipment to operate and control generating plants, substations, and
monitoring equipment. The Federal Government uses radar and missile control
systems to provide for the national defense and to direct commercial air
traffic. These complex pieces of electronic equipment are installed, maintained,
and repaired by electrical and electronics installers and repairers.
Electrical equipment and electronic equipment are two distinct types of
industrial equipment, although much equipment contains both electrical and
electronic components. In general, electrical portions provide the power for the
equipment, while electronic components control the device, although many types
of equipment still are controlled with electrical devices. Electronic sensors
monitor the equipment and the manufacturing process, providing feedback to the
programmable logic control (PLC), which controls the equipment. The PLC
processes the information provided by the sensors and makes adjustments to
optimize output. To adjust the output, the PLC sends signals to the electrical,
hydraulic, and pneumatic devices that power the machine—changing feed rates,
pressures, and other variables in the manufacturing process.Many installers and
repairers, known as field technicians, travel to factories or other
locations to repair equipment. These workers often have assigned areas in which
they perform preventive maintenance on a regular basis. When equipment breaks
down, field technicians go to a customer’s site to repair the equipment. Bench
technicians work in repair shops located in factories and service
centers, fixing components that cannot be repaired on the factory floor.
Some industrial electronic equipment is self-monitoring and alerts repairers
to malfunctions. When equipment breaks down, repairers first check for common
causes of trouble, such as loose connections or obviously defective components.
If routine checks do not locate the trouble, repairers may refer to schematics
and manufacturers’ specifications that show connections and provide
instructions on how to locate problems. Automated electronic control systems are
increasing in complexity, making diagnosis more challenging. Repairers use
software programs and testing equipment to diagnose malfunctions. Among their
diagnostic tools are multimeters, which measure voltage, current, and
resistance; and advanced multimeters, which measure capacitance, inductance, and
current gain of transistors. Repairers also use signal generators, which provide
test signals,and oscilloscopes, which display signals graphically. Finally,
repairers use handtools such as pliers, screwdrivers, soldering irons, and
wrenches to replace faulty parts and adjust equipment.
Because repairing components is a complex activity and factories cannot
allow production equipment to stand idle, repairers on the factory floor usually
remove and replace defective units, such as circuit boards, instead of fixing
them. Defective units are discarded or returned to the manufacturer or a
specialized shop for repair. Bench technicians at these locations have the
training, tools, and parts needed to thoroughly diagnose and repair circuit
boards or other complex components. These workers also locate and repair circuit
defects, such as poorly soldered joints, blown fuses, or malfunctioning
transistors.
Electrical and electronics installers often fit older manufacturing
equipment with new automated control devices. Older manufacturing machines are
frequently in good working order, but are limited by inefficient control systems
for which replacement parts are no longer available. Installers replace old
electronic control units with new PLCs. Setting up and installing a new PLC
involves connecting it to different sensors and electrically powered devices
(electric motors, switches, and pumps) and writing a computer program to operate
the PLC. Electronics installers coordinate their efforts with those of other
workers who are installing and maintaining equipment. (See the statement on industrial
machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers elsewhere in the Handbook.)
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation
equipment install, adjust, or maintain mobile electronic communication
equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance
systems on trains, watercraft, or other mobile equipment. Electrical and
electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay inspect, test,
repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations,
and in-service relays. These workers may be known as powerhouse electricians,
relay technicians, or power transformer repairers. Electric motor, power
tool, and related repairers—such as armature winders, generator
mechanics, and electric golf cart repairers—specialize in
repairing, maintaining, or installing electric motors, wiring, or switches.
Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles
have a significantly different job. They install, diagnose, and repair
communication, sound, security, and navigation equipment in motor vehicles. Most
installation work involves either new alarm or sound systems. New sound systems
vary significantly in cost and complexity of installation. Replacing a head unit
(radio) with a new computer disc (CD) player is quite simple, requiring the
removal of a few screws and the connection of a few wires. Installing a new
sound system with a subwoofer, amplifier, and fuses is far more complicated. The
installer builds a fiberglass or wood box designed to hold the subwoofer and to
fit inside the unique dimensions of the automobile. Installing sound-deadening
material, which often is necessary with more powerful speakers, requires an
installer to remove many parts of a car (for example, seats, carpeting, or
interiors of doors), add sound-absorbing material in empty spaces, and reinstall
the interior parts. The installer also runs new speaker and electrical cables.
The new system may require additional fuses, a new electrical line to be run
from the battery through a newly drilled hole in the firewall into the interior
of the vehicle, or an additional or more powerful alternator or battery. Motor
vehicle installers and repairers work with an increasingly complex range of
electronic equipment, including DVD players, satellite navigation equipment,
passive-security tracking systems, and active-security systems.
Many electrical and electronics installers and repairers work on factory
floors, where they are subject to noise, dirt, vibration, and heat. Bench
technicians work primarily in repair shops, where the surroundings are
relatively quiet, comfortable, and well lighted.
Installers and repairers may have to do heavy lifting and work in a variety
of positions. They must follow safety guidelines and often wear protective
goggles and hardhats. When working on ladders or on elevated equipment,
repairers must wear harnesses to prevent falls. Before repairing a piece of
machinery, these workers must follow procedures to ensure that others cannot
start the equipment during the repair process. They also must take precautions
against electric shock by locking off power to the unit under repair.
Motor vehicle electronic equipment installers and repairers normally work
indoors in well-ventilated and well-lighted repair shops. Minor cuts and bruises
are common, but serious accidents usually are avoided when safety practices are
observed.
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers held about 172,000 jobs
in 2002. The following tabulation breaks down their employment by occupational
specialty:
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial
equipment
85,000
Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
31,000
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and
relay
21,000
Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles
18,000
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers,
transportation equipment
18,000
Many repairers worked for utilities, building equipment contractors,
machinery and equipment repair shops, wholesalers, the Federal Government,
retailers of automotive parts and accessories, rail transportation companies,
and manufacturers of electrical, electronic, and transportation equipment.
Knowledge of electrical equipment and electronics is necessary for
employment. Many applicants gain this knowledge through programs lasting 1 to 2
years at vocational schools or community colleges, although some less skilled
repairers may have only a high school diploma. Entry-level repairers may work
closely with more experienced technicians who provide technical guidance.
Installers and repairers should have good eyesight and color perception in
order to work with the intricate components used in electronic equipment. Field
technicians work closely with customers and should have good communication
skills and a neat appearance. Employers also may require that field technicians
have a driver’s license.
Various organizations offer certification, including ACES International, the
Consumer Electronics Association, the Electronics Technicians Association
International, and the International Society of Certified Electronics
Technicians. Repairers may specialize—in industrial electronics, for example.
To receive certification, repairers must pass qualifying exams corresponding to
their level of training and experience.
Experienced repairers with advanced training may become specialists or
troubleshooters who help other repairers diagnose difficult problems. Workers
with leadership ability may become supervisors of other repairers. Some
experienced workers open their own repair shops.
Job opportunities should be best for applicants with a thorough knowledge of
electrical equipment and electronics, as well as with repair experience. Overall
employment of electrical and electronics installers and repairers is expected to
grow more slowly than the average
for all occupations over the 2002–12 period, but varies by occupational
specialty. In addition to employment growth, many job openings should result
from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the
labor force.
Average employment growth is projected for electrical and electronics
installers and repairers of commercial and industrial equipment. This equipment
will become more sophisticated and will be used more frequently as businesses
strive to lower costs by increasing and improving automation. Companies will
install electronic controls, robots, sensors, and other equipment to automate
processes such as assembly and testing. As prices decline, applications will be
found across a number of industries, including services, utilities, and
construction, as well as manufacturing. Improved reliability of equipment should
not constrain employment growth, however: companies increasingly will rely on
repairers because any malfunction that idles commercial and industrial equipment
is costly.
Employment of motor vehicle electronic equipment installers and repairers
also is expected to grow as fast as the average. However, motor vehicle
manufacturers will install more and better sound, security, entertainment, and
navigation systems in new vehicles, limiting employment growth for aftermarket
electronic equipment installers. In addition, newer electronic systems are more
reliable and require less maintenance.
Employment of electric motor, power tool, and related repairers is expected
to grow more slowly than average. Improvements in electrical and electronic
equipment design should limit job growth by simplifying repair tasks. More parts
are being designed to be easily disposable, further reducing employment growth.
Employment of electrical and electronic installers and repairers of
transportation equipment is expected to grow
more slowly than the average, due to declining industry employment in rail
transportation, aerospace product and parts manufacturing, and ship- and
boatbuilding.
Employment of electrical and electronics installers and repairers,
powerhouse, substation, and relay is expected to decline slightly. Consolidation
and privatization in utilities industries should improve productivity, reducing
employment. Newer equipment will be more reliable and easier to repair, further
limiting employment.
Median hourly earnings of electrical and electronics repairers, commercial
and industrial equipment were $19.77 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned
between $15.13 and $24.03. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $11.71, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $27.08. In 2002, median hourly earnings
were $23.68 in the Federal government and $16.87 in building equipment
contractors, the industries employing the largest numbers of electrical and
electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment.
Median hourly earnings of electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
were $15.49 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $11.82 and $19.99. The
lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.32, and the highest 10 percent earned more
than $25.34. In 2002, median hourly earnings were $14.05 in commercial and
industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and
maintenance, the industry employing the largest number of electronic motor,
power tool, and related repairers.
Median hourly earnings of electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse,
substation, and relay were $24.85 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between
$20.81 and $27.90. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $15.92, and the
highest 10 percent earned more than $32.08. In 2002, median hourly earnings were
$25.69 in electric power generation, transmission, and distribution—the
industry employing the largest number of electrical and electronics repairers,
powerhouse, substation, and relay.
Median hourly earnings of electronics installers and repairers, motor
vehicles were $12.51 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $9.97 and
$16.02. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.47, and the highest 10 percent
earned more than $19.45.
Median hourly earnings of electrical and electronics repairers,
transportation equipment were $18.56 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned
between $13.85 and $22.96. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.68, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $26.87.
Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.
Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05
Edition,
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers
, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/
ocos184.htm
(visited May 19, 2004).
