Electronics Engineering Technologists
Overview | Specific Work Activities | Common Work Activities | Related Occupations | Skills and Abilities | Working Conditions | Physical Demands | Knowledge | Interests | Wages | Current Employment | Outlook |Helpful High School Courses | Preparation | Related Educational Programs | Licensing/Certification/Designation/Registration
At a Glance
- Work with engineers to solve technical problems
- May specialize in one type of electronic device, such as a cell phone
- Use computers heavily
- Often work as part of a team
- Have an associate degree
Electronics engineering technologists help engineers design, test, and use new electronics systems or products.
Electronics engineering technologists help engineers design:
- Communications equipment
- Medical monitoring devices
- Navigational equipment
Electronics engineering technologists design basic circuitry and draft sketches. They build and test prototypes of their designs.
They put together electronic components designed by engineers. They follow instructions from engineers and technical manuals. After building a component, technologists test the circuitry to make sure it works properly.
If a component or equipment is not working, technologists identify problems and replace parts if necessary. They perform regular maintenance to prevent breakdowns. They calibrate equipment on a regular basis.
Electronics engineering technologists use specialized hand tools to repair, adjust, or maintain equipment. They also use computer-aided design (CAD) software to make digital designs and images. Technologists must be computer savvy. They also need to understand all parts of the devices and systems they work with.
The field of electronics is very broad. Technologists work in many settings, including:
- Research laboratories
- Government agencies
- Electronics factories
Specific Work Activities
The following list of occupational tasks is specific to electronics engineering technologists.
- Test and use engineering designs to make electronic devices, systems, and microchips.
- Test and implement digital signal processing, network analysis, and computer engineering.
- Manage putting together and use of electronic equipment and systems.
- Test machine and process control requirements. Create device and controller specifications to work in different environments.
- Supervise the building and testing of new technology. This includes solar power equipment such as inverters or power management systems.
- Check new equipment to adjust or fix problems.
- Match software and hardware so they work together.
- Use design software to make drawings of controls, instruments, sensors, and networks.
- Fix equipment using hand tools and precision instruments.
- Choose the correct equipment, components, and systems for projects.
- Test systems to increase energy efficiency. Use new power sources and systems.
- Set up and operate test equipment to diagnose, test, and check how well it works. This includes smaller components and whole systems.
Common Work Activities
Electronics engineering technologists perform the following list of tasks, but the tasks are common to many occupations.
- Use computers.
- Repair and maintain electronic equipment.
- Make decisions and solve problems.
- Update and use job-related knowledge.
- Get information needed to do the job.
- Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates.
- Identify objects, actions, and events.
- Inspect equipment, structures, or materials.
- Document and record information.
- Analyze data or information.
- Evaluate information against standards.
- Think creatively.
- Process information.
- Monitor events, materials, and surroundings.
- Establish and maintain relationships.
- Organize, plan, and prioritize work.
- Provide information or drawings about devices, equipment, or structures
- Explain the meaning of information to others.
- Control machines and processes.
- Communicate with people from outside the organization.
- Judge the value of objects, services, or people.
- Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
- Provide advice and consultation to others
- Teach others
- Repair and maintain mechanical equipment
- Develop goals and strategies
- Develop and build teams
- Coordinate the work and activities of others
- Schedule work and activities
- Handle and move objects
- Perform administrative tasks
- Guide, direct, and motivate others
- Coach others
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
- Computer Support Specialists
- Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Engineering Technicians
- Industrial Electronics Repairers
- Manufacturing Engineering Technologists
- Mechanical Engineers
- Numerical Control Machine Operators
Hawaii Career Pathways:
- Industrial & Engineering Technology
Related O*NET Specialties:
Electronics Engineering Technologists
Electronics Engineering Technologists
Skills and Abilities
Electronics engineering technologists need to:
- Listen to others, understand, and ask questions.
- Understand written information.
- Read and understand work-related materials.
- Understand spoken information.
- Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
- Write clearly so other people can understand.
Reason and Problem Solve
- Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
- Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
- Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
- Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
- Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
- Recognize the nature of a problem.
- Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
- Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
- Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
- Develop rules that group items in various ways.
- Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
- Think of new ideas about a topic.
- Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems
Use Math and Science
- Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems
- Use math and science skills to solve problems.
- Add, subtract, multiply, and divide quickly and correctly.
Manage Oneself, People, Time, and Things
- Check how well one is learning or doing something.
- Manage the time of self and others.
Work with People
- Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
- Teach others how to do something.
Work with Things
- Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.
- Maintain equipment on a routine basis. Determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Watch gauges, dials, and output to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Repair machines or systems.
- Determine the causes of technical problems and find solutions for them.
- Operate and control equipment.
- Determine the tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Perceive and Visualize
- Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.
- Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
- Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.
In a typical work setting, electronics engineering technologists :
- Communicate daily by telephone, e-mail, and in person. They also use letters and memos, but less often.
- Are somewhat responsible for the work done by others.
- Are responsible for the health and safety of others.
- Have a medium level of social interaction.
- May work as part of a team.
Physical Work Conditions
- Work indoors.
- Sometimes wear protective or safety attire.
- Are occasionally exposed to hazardous conditions.
- May on occasion be exposed to loud or distracting sounds and noise levels.
- Work near others. They often share the same office space with other engineers.
- Must be very exact and accurate when performing the job. Errors to a product design can affect users' safety.
- Make decisions that affect other workers or the company's reputation on a monthly basis. For larger decisions, they consult a supervisor before deciding a course of action.
- Set nearly all their daily tasks and goals without talking to a supervisor first.
- Must meet strict weekly deadlines. This may make the work atmosphere somewhat competitive.
- Repeat the same physical and mental tasks.
Hours / Travel
- Generally have a set schedule each week.
- Usually work 40 hours a week. However, overtime is common, especially when meeting project deadlines.
Electronics engineering technologists frequently:
- Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Sit for long periods of time.
It is important for electronics engineering technologists to be able to:
- See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
- See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
- Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
- Use fingers or hands to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
- Understand the speech of another person.
- See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
- Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
- Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
It is not as important, but still necessary, for electronics engineering technologists to be able to:
- Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
- Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
- Determine the distance between objects.
- Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
- Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
- React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
- Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
- Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
- Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
- Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
- Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
- Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
Electronics engineering technologists need knowledge in the following areas:
- Computers and Electronics:Computer hardware and software.
- Mathematics: The rules and uses of numbers.
- Engineering and Technology: How to use computers and rules of engineering to design and produce goods and services.
- Telecommunications:The tools used to send messages and data.
- Physics: The features and laws of matter and energy.
- English Language: The meaning and use of the English language.
- Design: Making and using plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Mechanical: The design, use, and repair of machines and tools.
- Education and Training: The methods of teaching and learning.
- Customer and Personal Service: Providing special services to customers based on their needs.
- Production and Processing: How products are made and distributed.
Electronics engineering technologists are people who tend to:
- Consider achievement important. They like to see the results of their work and to use their strongest abilities. They like to get a feeling of accomplishment from their work.
- Consider recognition important. They like to work in jobs which have opportunities for them to advance, be recognized for their work, and direct and instruct others. They usually prefer jobs in which they are looked up to by others.
- Consider support from their employer important. They like to be treated fairly and have supervisors who will back them up. They prefer jobs where they are trained well.
- Consider independence important. They like to make decisions and try out ideas on their own. They prefer jobs where they can plan their work with little supervision.
- Consider good working conditions important. They like jobs offering steady employment and good pay. They want employment that fits their individual work style. They may prefer doing a variety of tasks, working alone, or being busy all the time.
- Have realistic interests. They like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like to work with plants, animals, and physical materials such as wood, tools, and machinery. They often prefer to work outside.
- Have investigative interests. They like work activities that have to do with ideas and thinking. They like to search for facts and figure out solutions to problems mentally.
Occupational Interest Codes:
Wage information is not available specifically for electronics engineering technologists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other engineering technicians."
Pay varies with the worker's level of education, responsibility, and experience. Those who work in manufacturing may belong to a union. When they work overtime or on holidays, they are usually paid more than their usual wage.
Full-time technologists generally receive benefits. Typical benefits are health insurance, a retirement plan, sick leave, and paid vacation. Some companies provide money for continuing education classes.
Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other
The number of electronics engineering technologists employed in Hawaii and nationally is not available. However, they are included in a larger group of "engineering technicians, except drafters, all other." The number of workers employed in this group is 370.
Nationally the number of jobs for electronics engineering technologists employed is not available. However, they are included in a larger group of "engineering technicians, except drafters, all other." The number of workers employed in this group is 67,640.
- Engineering firms
- Semiconductor manufacturers
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
Employment information is not available for electronics engineering technologists both in Hawaii and nationally.
Growth in this occupation will decline due to the decline in the manufacturing industry. Some industries such as the computer system design industry will continue to hire technicians. The increase of automotive technology such as computers and GPS technology will provide some job growth for this occupation.
The table below provides information about the number of "all other engineering technicians" in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings. Information is not available specifically about electronics engineering technologists.
Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other
Helpful High School Courses
In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from our state's graduation requirements. Click here for the graduation requirements for the Class of 2016 and beyond. If you attend a private school, check with your school counselor for graduation requirements. Electronics engineering technologists need a strong background in math and science. Try to take math classes through Trigonometry and science classes through Physics.
You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.
Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this occupation include:
- Blueprint Reading
- Computer Applications
- Computer-Assisted Design (CAD)
- Computer Science
The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.
You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.
Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career.
To work as an electronics engineering technologist, you typically need to:
- have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
- have an associate degree in engineering technology.
Education after high school
Most people prepare for this occupation by getting an associate degree (usually an associate of applied science, or AAS). Many schools offer two-year programs in engineering technology. You can also get a four-year degree in engineering technology from a university.
Some vocational schools offer electronics engineering technology programs. However, the kind and quality of these programs varies greatly. Carefully select your program. Make sure the school has the type of training you want, up-to-date equipment, and qualified instructors. Check with employers to see which schools they prefer. In addition, ask the schools for the names of employers where they have placed graduates.
Training programs approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) meet standards set by the industry. Graduating from an ABET accredited program can give you an advantage with employers.
Pre-engineering programs are not the same as technology programs. Pre-engineering programs stress classroom theory. In contrast, engineering technology programs stress hands-on training.
Working in jobs that give you practical experience is good background for this occupation. For instance, repairing, installing, or assembling electronic devices is good experience for this occupation.
As a new technologist, you perform routine tasks while closely supervised by an experienced technologist or engineer. As you gain experience, you work on tasks that are more difficult. Training may last up to a year.
Related Educational Programs:
- Electrical/Electronics Technologies
- Engineering Technologies
Licensing / Certification / Designation / Registration
Electronics engineering technologists , currently does not have any information pertaining to licensing, certification, designation or registration.
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