Shogun1, there are different levels of technicians, and...
different ways to get the experience and skills. You can even be a really good tech without schooling, largely based on self teaching, but you'll always be operating at a disadvantage for compensation and job security.
- QA Technician. Largely spends his/her time at a bench testing new and repaired equipment. Works with the same equipment, all the time. Usually works from a check list. May work with the lead tech or engineer to develop the test methods and documentation to be used later during full production.
Relevant training is learning proper operation of typical bench equipment, like meters, analyzers, DMMs, oscilloscopes, etc. Some small knowlege of DC and AC theory helps. Most people get this in the military. Some community colleges here in California used to offer these classes, but thanks to improved designing for automated testing this is largely done on ATE machines now. Pay is minimal, benefits rare, job security nada.
- Bench Technician. Still mostly works at a bench, using a wide assortment of equipment and processes. Works from schematics and procedures documentation. The better techs can troubleshoot down to the component level. This is prefered, as the engineer is freed up to do bigger things than find assembly errors. It is a rare bench tech who can't do his own rework and change out the bad parts he/she finds. Still, most manufacturing sites have people dedicated to doing just that. The technician has better stuff to do, too.
After several years, most bench techs find themselves working on other projects. They help the engineers build prototype circuits; inspect new designs for possible problems; evaluate OEM equipment for use in company products; maintain, inspect, monitor and repair inhouse equipment; they get to advise, sometimes even write, diagnostic code to facilitate the test and repair of product. And answer phones, change toner cartridges, refill the towel dispensers, and whatever else arises.
This calls for at least two years of school to obtain a certificate of competence. Several years doing electronic work in the military is usually counted to be equivalent. An AS (Associates in Arts) in Electronics may, or may not, take more time, but is worth the effort.The compensation is better, but more importantly, the title-happy people in the Human Resources Office are more likely to give you the thumbs up and pass you on to the inner circle for an interview if you have an AS degree in hand. An AS degree is also more expensive. DeVry is a private school that stresses quick education, so you can get a degree faster, but they are (I'm told) pretty expensive. They have a decent reputation, but I worked with one of their graduates who couldn't be trusted to change a light bulb.
- Engineering Technician. Sometimes called an "Engineers' Aide". Some people pick up so much knowledege along the way, and work with the engineers so well, they just fall into the job. You may not have the title, but you have the responsibility, prestige and compensation to show for it. There are higher level colleges that offer this as an "upgrade" for technicians with an AS and two or more years in their field. This may take 2 or 3 semesters. You get into heavy duty math and software languages, a lot of these classes approaching engineering classes.
After graduation ETs can do most anything the engineer does, with a little supervision. But their previous years as a technician with their latest training makes them a highly prized worker, as a technician has practical hands on experience and has a good understanding of what works and what doesn't. He isn't so much a brake on the engineer as he/she is a regulator that keeps the green engineer from going off on unproductive flights of fancy.
The last two categories for technician are further defined by the field they specialize in:
- video
- radar
- audio
- microwave
- special military equipment, like cryptography machines
- digital boards, like embedded processors
- high speed analog (usually measuring systems) not covered in the above
- etc.
A great many fields can only be learned and practiced in the military. The downside is, most of the equipment is unknown in the civilian world or is used in such a manner as to be unrecognizable to a retiring military tech.
(I worked on ejection seats. I was greatly sought after to stay on in the US Air Force, and offered a great deal of money to reenlist. I got out at the end of my first hitch to avoid another tour in Viet Nam. But I had this training, so I asked: can I get a job outside in the US aerospace industry? I was told there was 28 positions for pyro technicians in the entire country, and none of the training I had received was relevant. And this, unfortunately, is largely true in all fields in the military. Except for basic electronics. This can be applied most anywhere.)
And then there's the field engineer (like the cable guy), and hygeine techs (janitors), and blood draw technician (phlebotomist, the guy in the hospital lab that takes blood samples), and the rest of the working world that gets "technician" in their title in lieu of a decent salary.
- Engineers. These people generally fall into two large groups: electrical and electronics. And like the technician above, they are further divided into the fields they work in.
It takes 3 to 4 years of intense study in electronics, physics, math, computer aided design work (CAD, schematics capture, board layout, circuits modeling), software programming, and the list goes on. It is, I'm told, a real grind. This judgement is usually supplied by the engineer just before he hops into his Jaguar to roar off for drinks with his cronies, followed by a night of debauchery (the young ones, anyways). They are greatly sought after, and wooed mightily by the industry, offered large salaries and many benefits. Once hired, they are worked like dogs. But, most of these people are young and love their job, and want and NEED a real challenge to show their stuff, so they deal with the pressure and thrive. Mostly. Some crack under the pressure and drag from job to job, looking for easy meals.
Problem: Engineers are the tip of the spear.
Management expects them to improve existing product, design bleeding edge technology to advance the company's product line and bestow bragging rights on them. And do it cheap.
The technicians expect them to provide diagnostics and documentation that allows them to test, troubleshoot and repair the product. At no matter the cost. Now.
The assembler wants them to drop everything and figure why the assembly process is failing.
The suppliers want them to come up with a substitute part THEY carry because the original part the engineer specified isn't on the shelf right now, and won't be for 34 weeks.
The manuafacturer just obsoleted the part that was the center piece in the design. Now the engineer has to find a substitute or adapt the board to use the next best thing. Which may or may not work.
And each engineer is competing with the other engineers, looking for advancement.
There is a real demand for graduating technicians. New, young technicians. People who will work cheap and put up with long hours at small wages to get the two years in that most of the bigger companies want to see on your resume before they'll let you in.
It is a rewarding, worthwhile job if you are ready to pay the price. You can only hope after the schooling that the jobs are there and that you discover you really did want to do electronic work. I wish you the best of luck.
kenjj
PS Does my Englilsh pass muster with you?