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Electronics technicians help design, develop, test, manufacture, install, and repair electrical and
electronic equipment
The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
such as communication equipment, medical monitoring devices, navigational equipment, and
computers. They may be employed in product evaluation and testing, using measuring and diagnostic devices to adjust, test, and repair equipment. Electronics technicians may also work as sales workers or field representatives for manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers giving advice on the installation, operation, and maintenance of complex equipment and may write specifications and technical manuals. Electronics technicians represent over 33% of all engineering technicians in the U.S. In 2009, there were over 160,000 electronics technicians employed in the U.S.
Electronics technicians are accredited by organizations such as the
Electronics Technicians Association
The Electronics Technicians Association, International® (doing business as ETA® International) is a US-based not-for-profit 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 1978. The association provides certifications in industries such as basic electroni ...
(ETA), or International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET).
Education and training
Most employers prefer to hire electronics technicians with an associate degree or other post-secondary training in
engineering technology
An engineering technologist is a professional trained in certain aspects of development and implementation of a respective area of technology. Engineering technology education is even more applied and less theoretical than engineering education ...
. Training is available at
technical institute
An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...
s, at
community colleges
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
, at extension divisions of colleges and
universities
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...
, at public and private vocational-technical schools, and in the
Armed Forces. Naval electronics technicians are the largest group of engineering technicians in the military (see
Electronics Technician (US Navy)). Many 2-year associate degree programs accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) include at least college algebra and trigonometry and one or two basic science courses. Depending on the specialty, more math or science may be required. About 200 ABET-accredited programs are offered in engineering technology specialities.
ABET-accredited electronics technician programs usually require at least two mathematics courses and two physics courses in addition to the core competencies.
Electronics technician curriculum generally consists of courses in basic electricity and electronics, including
Ohm's Law, Parallel and Series Circuits,
Magnetism, AC/DC Circuits,
Capacitance
Capacitance is the capability of a material object or device to store electric charge. It is measured by the change in charge in response to a difference in electric potential, expressed as the ratio of those quantities. Commonly recognized ar ...
,
Inductance,
Transformer
A transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit, or multiple circuits. A varying current in any coil of the transformer produces a varying magnetic flux in the transformer' ...
s,
Resonance
Resonance describes the phenomenon of increased amplitude that occurs when the frequency of an applied Periodic function, periodic force (or a Fourier analysis, Fourier component of it) is equal or close to a natural frequency of the system ...
,
Filters
Filter, filtering or filters may refer to:
Science and technology
Computing
* Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming
* Filter (software), a computer program to process a data stream
* Filter (video), a software component tha ...
,
Semiconductors,
Transistors
upright=1.4, gate (G), body (B), source (S) and drain (D) terminals. The gate is separated from the body by an insulating layer (pink).
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to Electronic amplifier, amplify or electronic switch, switch ...
,
Amplifiers,
Integrated Circuits
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny ...
and
Digital electronics
Digital electronics is a field of electronics involving the study of digital signals and the engineering of devices that use or produce them. This is in contrast to analog electronics and analog signals.
Digital electronic circuits are usual ...
. In addition to vocational learning outcomes associated with the study of electronics and control systems, graduates of electronics technician programs are also expected to have essential employability skills and meet certain general education learning outcomes. Individual schools largely determine the specific program structure, delivery methods, and other curriculum components to be used to assist students in achieving the required program outcomes.
A significant component of course material includes laboratory experimentation. These lab courses and projects often represent up to 50% of the course material and are used to reinforce theoretical concepts associated with the study of electronics. Schools offering electronics technician programs will have electronics laboratories to support the delivery of course curriculum. Historically, these laboratories have been traditional "hands on" learning environments, although in recent years the trend is moving towards
electronics simulation Electronic circuit simulation uses mathematical models to replicate the behavior of an actual electronic device or circuit.
Simulation software allows for modeling of circuit operation and is an invaluable analysis tool. Due to its highly accurat ...
software such as
Multisim
NI Multisim (formerly MultiSIM) is an electronic schematic capture and simulation program which is part of a suite of circuit design programs, along with NI Ultiboard. Multisim is one of the few circuit design programs to employ the original ...
and
CircuitLogix. Electronics software simulation is also used in conjunction with traditional labs to provide greater opportunities for students to complete laboratory projects as part of their studies.
Career prospects
The demand for jobs in the electronics engineering and service fields is the result of a recent proliferation of both consumer and industrial electronics products. The design, installation, servicing and maintenance of this equipment has created significant employment opportunities in the electronics industry.
Typical job-related activities may involve:
* design
* assembly
* installation
*
maintenance
Maintenance may refer to:
Biological science
* Maintenance of an organism
* Maintenance respiration
Non-technical maintenance
* Alimony, also called ''maintenance'' in British English
* Champerty and maintenance, two related legal doct ...
* testing
*
troubleshooting
Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process op ...
* repair
* upgrading of associated electronic equipment and systems.
Job opportunities for electrical and electronics technologists and technicians are increasing because many industries use electronic products and systems. Key sectors are
telecommunications
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
, audio/video, computers,
robotics
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrate ...
,
energy conversion
Energy transformation, also known as energy conversion, is the process of changing energy from one form to another. In physics, energy is a quantity that provides the capacity to perform work or moving, (e.g. Lifting an object) or provides heat ...
and efficiency,
power generation, transmission and distribution, and electrical equipment manufacturing.
Employment opportunities for electronics technicians vary and are largely based on their areas of expertise. For example, employment growth for Electronics technicians in areas such as robotics, energy conversion, and power generation is expected to grow by 5%/yr from 2010 through 2020.
References
Further reading
Electrical and Electronics Engineering TechniciansClassification & Qualifications
{{Authority control
Technicians
Electronics industry