Hi, I'm glad to share with you my personal experience and point of view, based on reliable sources, about the job of an electrical engineering technician. As a student in this field, I'm sure that this article will be useful for anyone who wants to learn more about this career, this article can help you. I decided to write it because I'm studying in this field, and I was also looking for a clear and helpful summary about this profession. I want to describe the job and explain why it's an interesting career.
Electrical engineering technician cooperate with engineers to design, test, repair, and maintain electrical systems or equipment. You can work in many places such as factories, construction sites, offices or labs. The tasks can include reading plans, helping with installation, troubleshooting problems, ensuring electrical safety or using tools and software to test systems in order to keep production available. As an electrical engineering technician, you take actions to repair or ensure maintenance in technical issues like robots, circuits, motors, and control systems depending on the project or industry.
Electrical engineering technicians support engineers in developing, testing, installing, and maintaining electrical and electronic systems. Their tasks include assisting in the design and layout of electrical systems, reading and interpreting electrical drawings and technical documents, installing, testing and maintaining equipment like motors, control panels, circuits, and sensors, operating robots, troubleshooting problems and helping fix electrical issues, using tools and software for simulation and diagnostics, preparing reports and documentation, and working in teams to run efficiently and safely electrical systems and to realize projects.
Regular tasks are prepared by an engineer who guides electrical engineering technicians during a project or a scheduled maintenance, and technicians take action whenever it's necessary to repair and solve various issues.
Electrical engineering technicians can work in a variety of places including construction sites, laboratories, manufacturing plants and factories, government departments or public institutions such as STM and Hydro-Quebec.
You need to complete a college diploma (DEC) in electrical engineering technology or electronics technology which means completing three years of a technical program at a CEGEP.
According to the sources I provided in this article, electrical engineering technicians in Canada earn between $22 and $45 per hour depending on experience, place, and industry. The median wage is around $33 per hour. In Quebec, the average wage is between $23 and $38, so salaries vary based on your skills, certifications and the type of your work.
Electrical engineering technicians can receive on-the-job training to learn how to work with specific machines, tools, and software because industries adopt different technologies. For those who want to work with high-voltage systems in Quebec, they should obtain the "license C". This license allows technicians to legally work on systems with high voltage. The field of electrical engineering is always developing, so technicians need to stay updated with the latest technologies and safety standards.
Electrical engineering technicians can face dangers while working on high voltage systems, heavy machinery or live electrical circuits. There is a risk of electrical shocks, burns, or death accident. That's why it's very important to respect safety procedures from the employees and the employer. There is also a wear protective equipment, and even special certifications to work safely.
Electrical engineering technicians and robots work together because robots are programmed by technicians and have a limited lifetime. Robots can show errors or stop suddenly. That's why they need human skills to be repaired or reprogrammed to keep working efficiently. Robots cannot analyse problems they haven't been programmed to detect, so electrical engineering technicians are essential for diagnosing unexpected issues. Technicians cost less than robots and can quickly recognize critical and non-critical problems in order to intervene rapidly.
On average, electrical engineering technicians retire at the age of 63.
This job can become even more interesting if you continue your studies and improve your technical skills through different experiences. You can also choose a university path to access higher positions with more responsibility. I will study my last semester in the autumn at Ahuntsic College in electrical engineering - automation and control. After experiencing a 75 - hour internship as a woman, I felt motivated to continue my studies at university to have a comfortable position in the future instead of working on difficult mechanical tasks with heavy equipment.
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