Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers

Summary

An electronics repairer must determine problems with equipment by troubleshooting.

Quick Facts: Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers
2010 Median Pay	$49,170 per year $23.64 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Postsecondary non-degree award
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	See How to Become One
Number of Jobs, 2010	141,100
Job Outlook, 2010-20	3% (Slower than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	3,600

What Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers Do

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install, repair, or replace a variety of electrical equipment in telecommunications, transportation, utilities, and other industries.

Work Environment

Many electrical and electronics installers and repairers work on factory floors, where they are subject to noise, dirt, and heat. Installers and repairers may have to lift heavy equipment and work in awkward positions. Nearly all work full time.

How to Become an Electrical or Electronics Installer and Repairer

Most electrical and electronics installers and repairers obtain specialized training at a technical college. Gaining voluntary certification is common and can be useful for getting a job.

Pay

The median annual wage of electrical and electronics installers and repairers was $49,170 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of electrical and electronics installers and repairers is expected to grow 3 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. However, growth rates will vary by occupational specialty. Job opportunities should be best for applicants who have either an associate’s degree in electronics, certification, or related work experience.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of electrical and electronics installers and repairers with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about electrical and electronics installers and repairers by contacting these additional resources.

What Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers Do About this section

Testers are used to find problems with electric motor operations.

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install, repair, or replace a variety of electrical equipment in telecommunications, transportation, utilities, and other industries.

Duties

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers typically do the following:

• Prepare cost estimates for clients
• Refer to service guides, schematics, and manufacturer specifications
• Repair or replace defective parts, such as motors, fuses, or gaskets
• Reassemble and test equipment after repairs
• Maintain records of parts used, labor time, and final charges

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers work on complex pieces of electronic equipment.

Automated electronic control systems are becoming increasingly complex. As a result, 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 the capacitance, inductance, and current gain of transistors.

Repairers also use signal generators, which provide test signals, and oscilloscopes, which display signals graphically. In addition, repairers use handtools such as pliers, screwdrivers, soldering irons, and wrenches to replace faulty parts and adjust equipment.

Commercial and industrial equipment electrical and electronics repairers repair, test, adjust, or install electronic equipment, such as industrial controls, transmitters, and antennas.

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers of transportation equipment install, adjust, or maintain mobile communication equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance systems on trains, watercraft, or other vehicles.

Powerhouse, substation, and relay electrical and electronics repairers inspect, test, maintain, or repair electrical equipment used in generating stations, substations, and inservice 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 installing, maintaining, and repairing electric motors, wiring, or switches.

Electronic equipment installers and repairers of motor vehicles install, diagnose, and repair sound, security, and navigation equipment in motor vehicles. Motor vehicle installers and repairers work with an increasingly complex range of electronic equipment, including DVD players, navigation systems, and passive and active security systems.

Electrical and electronic installers and repairers may specialize, according to how and where they work:

Field technicians often travel to factories or other locations to repair equipment. When equipment breaks down, field technicians go to a customer's site to repair the equipment. Because repairing components is a complex activity, workers 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 work in repair shops in factories and service centers, fixing components that cannot be repaired on the factory floor. These workers also locate and repair circuit defects, such as poorly soldered joints, blown fuses, or malfunctioning transistors.

Work Environment About this section

Bench technicians usually work in a clean shop.

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers held about 141,100 jobs in 2010. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up this group was distributed as follows: 

Many electrical and electronics installers and repairers work on factory floors, where they are subject to noise, dirt, and heat. Bench technicians work primarily in repair shops, which are quiet and well lit. Motor vehicle electronic equipment installers and repairers normally work in repair shops.

Injuries

Electric motor, power tools, and related repairers and electrical and electronics installers and repairers of transportation equipment have a higher rate of work-related injuries and illnesses than the average for all other occupations.

Installers and repairers may have to lift heavy equipment and work in awkward positions. Workers must follow safety guidelines and wear protective goggles and hardhats. When working on ladders or on elevated equipment, repairers must wear harnesses to avoid 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.

Work Schedules

Nearly all electrical and electronics installers and repairers work full time.

How to Become an Electrical or Electronics Installer and Repairer About this section

Many technical colleges have basic electronics programs that include practical experience labs.

Most electrical and electronics installers and repairers obtain specialized training at a technical college. Gaining voluntary certification is common and can be useful for getting a job.

Education

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers have to understand electrical equipment and electronics to get a job.

Employers often prefer to hire applicants who have taken courses in electronics at a community college or technical school, but having a high school diploma may be enough for some jobs. Entry-level repairers may begin by working with experienced technicians, who provide technical guidance, and work independently after developing their skills.

Certification

Various organizations offer certification. For example, the Electronics Technicians Association International (ETA) offers more than 50 certification programs in numerous electronics specialties for various levels of competence. The International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians also offers certification for several levels of competence. The organization focuses on a broad range of topics, including basic electronics, electronic systems, and appliance service. To become certified, applicants must meet prerequisites and pass a comprehensive exam.

Important Qualities

Color vision. Workers need to identify the color-coded components that are often used in electronic equipment.

Communication skills. Field technicians work closely with customers, so they must listen to understand customers’ problems and explain solutions in a simple, clear manner.  

Technical skills. Workers use a variety of tools to install or repair equipment.

Troubleshooting skills. Electrical equipment and systems often involve intricate parts. Workers must be able to identify malfunctions and make the necessary repairs.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage of electrical and electronics installers and repairers was $49,170 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,480, and the top 10 percent earned more than $73,420.

Median annual wages for electrical and electronics installers and repairers in May 2010 were the following:  

• $65,230 for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
• $51,820 for electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
• $48,410 for electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
• $36,170 for electric motor, power tool, and related repairers
• $28,450 for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

Nearly all electrical and electronics installers and repairers work full time.

Job Outlook About this section

Overall employment of electrical and electronics installers and repairers is expected to grow 3 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations.

Projected employment change for specific groups of workers within this occupation is as follows:

• Electrical and electronics installers and repairers of commercial and industrial equipment: little or no change. As competition increases, businesses strive to lower costs by increasing and improving automation. This equipment needs service and repair, and generally increases the demand for electrical workers, but improved reliability of equipment is expected to temper employment growth.
• Motor vehicle electronic equipment installers and repairers: 3 percent growth. As motor vehicle manufacturers install more and better sound, security, entertainment, and navigation systems in new vehicles, and as newer electronic systems require progressively less maintenance, employment growth for aftermarket electronic equipment installers will be limited.
• Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers: 5 percent growth. Retrofitting electrical generators in public buildings to reduce emissions and energy consumption will spur some employment growth. However, improvements in electrical and electronic equipment design, as well as the increased use of disposable tool parts, should limit employment growth.
• Electrical and electronic installers and repairers of transportation equipment: little or no change. Declining employment in the rail transportation industry will dampen growth in this occupational specialty even as other transportation systems need additional workers.
• Powerhouse, substation, and relay electrical and electronics installers and repairers: 5 percent growth. Although privatization in utilities industries should improve productivity and hinder employment growth, the installation of newer, energy-efficient green technologies will spur some demand for employment.

Job Prospects

Overall job opportunities should be best for applicants who have an associate’s degree in electronics, certification, or related experience. In addition to employment growth, the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force will result in some job openings.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For information about electric motor, power tool, and related repairers, including careers and certification, visit

Electronics Technicians Association International

International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians