Maintenance technicians are skilled individuals who work on the repair and maintenance work of electrical and mechanical equipment. They are also known as repair or maintenance workers. Maintenance technician work functions often vary from organization to organization. They may either specialize in a particular function such as electric equipment repairing, pipe fitting, insulation, furniture work and welding or they may carry out a number of different tasks as per the requirement.
They may work in different fields such as hospitals, production factories, offices, or even military facilities. Most hiring organizations look for maintenance technicians who can perform a wide variety of tasks as opposed to specialists in certain fields. They have to ensure the optimal working condition of all equipment at all times. They play an important role in the overall scheme of things of a production centric company.
Maintenance Technician Work Description
As a maintenance technician, one has to carry out maintenance and repair tasks related to different equipments in the organization. They may also need to help with the installation of certain equipment and train themselves on the troubleshooting of these machines. Occasionally, they may have to train other employees on the basic usage of equipment. They may also need to prepare periodic reports on the scheduled and completed maintenance work and submit these reports to the immediate supervisor. Other functions include monitoring machinery, periodically checking for any malfunctioning parts and ensuring that compliance standards met at all times.
Skills
Maintenance technicians have to be skilled in the repair and maintenance work of various equipments as they have to perform a number of different tasks. They need to have a good aptitude for performing repair work and understanding the basic functioning of different machinery equipment. They should be good with using tools such as screwdrivers, welding machines, electric cutters, etc. They need to possess good problem solving capabilities while performing complicated procedures on large machinery.
Educational Requirements
Most maintenance technicians gain their skill and expertise by observing other senior technicians and working as an apprentice. However, there are a number of vocational training schools that undertake technical training for those aspiring to work as maintenance technicians. These training programs contain various modules dedicated to mechanical, electrical, welding and hydraulics work. Upon completion of the training program, they are required to work as intern in order to gain firsthand experience of working in the field. In some cases, when maintenance technicians have to perform specialized work such as HVAC (Heating ventilation and air conditioning), they may have to possess a valid license from a regulatory body.
Work Conditions
Maintenance technician work is physically demanding in nature and may involve long hours of standing at a stretch. They may have to work in extreme weather conditions, owing to the nature of the job. Occasionally, they have to climb on high ladders in order to perform maintenance work. Maintenance technicians work for over 40 hours in a week. They may have to work in rotational shifts and occasional overtime if the amount of work and demand is high.
Career Advancement
With increased experience and expertise in the field, maintenance technicians are promoted to supervisory positions. Having done additional certification courses in the field increases the chances of a promotion and so does good performance on a regular basis. A few technicians may also advance to managerial roles based on exceptional performance and good personnel management skills.
Salary and Benefits
Maintenance technicians can earn anywhere between $13 and $27 per hour. Based on the experience and skill level of the person, this figure may go slightly higher. Full time employees of organizations may receive additional benefits such as paid leaves, health insurance plans, pension plans, etc.
Maintenance technician work is a technical line of work in which knowledge about various equipment and machinery is of utmost importance. For those who are looking to pursue a career in this field, it is a viable career option with good benefits and career advancement prospects.