An engineering technician functions as an assistant to the engineers assigned to a particular project, providing them with low-level services. Engineering technicians are used in all parts of an engineering process, from initial designs to final pre-release testing, and are commonly tasked with preparing and organizing the mechanical drawings and schemes, analyzing the project’s costs and submitting estimates to the manager (where applicable), as well as providing direct assistance to the engineers while they’re working on the project.
Becoming an engineering technician is significantly less demanding than it is to become an fully certified engineer, and some companies are willing to hire candidates straight out of high school, providing them with on-the-job training as well as basic educational courses. In some cases, a two-year program that covers the specifics of being an engineering technician is a requirement for candidates, and some high-ranking companies may have even stricter requirements. Working experience is a valuable asset for an engineering technician and a great bonus for candidates.
Engineering technicians, being less qualified than actual engineers, also receive lower overall salaries. The annual salary for an engineering technician is about $36,000 – $56,000, and one of the positive factors of the job is that it has some very attractive bonuses attached to it in most cases. An engineering technician can take up additional courses and receive qualifications as a real engineer, though this isn’t as common as one would expect due to the complications arising from having to cope with work and demanding studies simultaneously.