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What They Do
About This Career
Repairs, maintains, or installs computers, word processing systems, automated teller machines, and electronic office machines, such as duplicating and fax machines.
This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Maintenance, Installation and Repair pathway.
A person in this career:
- Reassembles machines after making repairs or replacing parts.
- Converses with customers to determine details of equipment problems.
- Disassembles machines to examine parts, such as wires, gears, or bearings for wear or defects, using hand or power tools and measuring devices.
- Advises customers concerning equipment operation, maintenance, or programming.
- Aligns, adjusts, or calibrates equipment according to specifications.
- Repairs, adjusts, or replaces electrical or mechanical components or parts, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering or welding equipment.
- Travels to customers' stores or offices to service machines or to provide emergency repair service.
- Maintains parts inventories and orders any additional parts needed for repairs.
- Operates machines to test functioning of parts or mechanisms.
- Reinstall software programs or adjusts settings on existing software to fix machine malfunctions.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
- Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
- Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
- Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
- Irregular hours
- Weekend work
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- ATM Technician (Automated Teller Machine Technician) — Diagnoses, repairs and installs ATM machines.
- Computer Repair Technician
- Computer Technician
- Copier Technician
- Customer Service Engineer
- Field Engineer — Responsibilities may include researching, developing, and designing machines and devices; installing hardware and servicing machines; and may supervise the construction of buildings, roads, airports, dams, tunnels, water supply and sewage systems.
- Field Service Engineer
- Field Service Technician
- Field Technician
- Service Technician
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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