The term certified technician is used for a broad range of industries and professions. Regardless of the field, a certified technician is responsible for correctly completing a range of physical tasks. There are five main similarities between all certified technicians: post-secondary education, certification examination, membership in a professional association or group, task oriented job, and continuing education requirement.
A certified technician is someone who has completed a minimum one-year post secondary education in a specific discipline. The items learned in this program would be a combination of theoretical and practical skills. Most programs are longer than one year, and the average program is two years in length. This type of education is focused on providing employable skills to meet a clear employment need. People who enjoy technician jobs are good with their hands, enjoy physically completing a project and working to solve practical problems.
Certification is a requirement for an increasing number of jobs. In order to obtain a certification, there are always a combination of educational and experience requirement. In addition to these basic requirements, additional exams are usually required to become a certified technician. The exam may be multiple choice, simulation based or essay format.
All certified technicians are part of a larger association or trade organization for other technicians. These associations often have nominal fees and arrange networking opportunities, newsletters, and conventions. This sharing of information and experience with other technicians in the same skill set is a great way to create standards and an active community.
A technician’s job is one of tasks. The role of a technician is to physically complete the tasks required with a high degree of skill, precision, and professionalism. Many technicians advance to management roles after obtaining several years of experience. These types of jobs require a commitment to continuing education in order to maintain current skills. It is very important to be in touch with colleagues to learn the latest way to resolve recurring problems or new technologies.
There are three industries that have the majority of certified technicians: manufacturing, health care, and computer technologies. Manufacturing technicians tend to be primarily focused on process specific skills, such as certified packaging technicians or electrical technicians. Health care technicians are more diverse, with health care information technicians focused on data and health care technicians working on primary patient care. Computer sector technicians tend to be hardware and equipment specialists. Their focus is on the implementation, support, and maintenance of servers, networks, and computers.