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Engineering maintenance technician

Maintenance engineer
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Engineering
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Career outlook for engineering maintenance technician

Average UK salary

£36,400

Currently employed in Scotland

17,300

"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.

What's it like?

You would look after and fix electrical and mechanical equipment used in industry, from factories and power stations to aircraft and escalators.

You would follow manufacturer's technical manuals and use testing instruments and tools to help locate faults.

You’d need to understand engineering drawings and be aware of health and safety legislation.

You could work on:

  • Machinery used on production lines in factories
  • Laboratory equipment in hospitals or used to manufacture drugs and medicines
  • Machines and equipment used on railways and roads
  • Civil or military aircraft
  • Equipment and facilities for generating power including hydro-electric, wind turbines, solar and marine energy technology, fossil fuel and nuclear power stations
  • Lifts, escalators, walkways and airport skytrains

If you work in preventative (planned) maintenance you would:

  • Organise schedules for routine servicing
  • Allocate work to a team of fitters
  • Check and calibrate instruments to make sure they are accurate
  • Fit new parts as required or as part of a regular replacement rota
  • Inspect the quality of maintenance work

In emergency maintenance you would respond immediately when equipment breaks down.

You’d fix the problem there and then or, if necessary, arrange for the equipment to be replaced. You’d also explain the problem to production managers and tell them how the repairs are progressing.

You’d organise your team to make sure that they can respond to breakdowns at any time of day or night.

Working conditions

Hours

You would normally work 37 to 40 hours week, which could involve shifts and emergency call-out duties.

UK employment status

Full-time

88%

Part-time

4%

Self employed

8%

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  • Adaptability
  • Verbal communication
  • Working with technology
  • Resourceful
  • Problem solving
  • Attention to detail
  • Recalling
  • Understanding

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Getting in

Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Foundation Apprenticeships

Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.

You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.

Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.

Qualifications

You would need a Modern Apprenticeship leading to a relevant Scottish Vocational Qualifications such as Electrical Installation (SVQ level 3) or Process Engineering Maintenance (SVQ level 3).

Or a Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8) in areas like:

  • Mechanical engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic engineering technologies
  • Maintenance engineering technologies
  • Engineering

Some employers may ask for qualifications at SCQF level 4/5, in particular for entry to a Modern Apprenticeship.

You can enter Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.

Useful subjects

  • Maths (required by many courses and employers)
  • Science subjects, in particular physics, (required by many courses and employers)
  • English
  • Technologies subjects, such as engineering science

Helpful to have

Qualifications that show understanding and experience of the industry such as Skills for Work Engineering Skills (SCFQ level 4).

Once in a job you may be able to work part-time towards higher level qualifications such as a degree (SCFQ level 9/10).

It is also helpful to register with the Engineering Council to gain EngTech status.