The field of electronics has influenced nearly every aspect of life, in very large ways as well as in very small ones. It’s hard to think of any human endeavor that doesn’t involve electronics in one way or another.
While most everyone relies on electronics, not everyone has the knowledge required to fix the equipment and keep it going. Therefore, there will always be a need for professionals who know, for example, what a quadrature hybrid coupler is and how to use it. Not only that, but because the level of skill and technical training is very high, jobs in electronics often pay very well.
Here are a few examples of the career options that may be available to you as an electronics technician.
1. Electromechanical Technician
An electromechanical technician performs general maintenance, functional tests, and calibrations of unmanned equipment. This may include robotics or submarines, as a couple of examples.
2. Avionics Technician
An avionics technician provides ground support to those who pilot spacecraft or other aircraft, whether military or commercial. If you work for the military, you may work with the missile control systems on the fighter jets. Otherwise, you will work with the navigation systems, radio equipment, or radar to ensure that they are all in working order.
3. Broadcast Technician
Have you ever listened to a radio broadcast or seen a television broadcast that was marred by static or lost the signal completely? This is a very frustrating situation, not only for the audience but for the broadcasters themselves, who fear that the audience will decide to do something else. As a result, the broadcasters may lose revenue from advertising or subscriptions. Therefore, a broadcast technician is an extremely important job that involves not only keeping the broadcast signal strong but the picture and sound crystal clear. With the advent of online streaming, the job has arguably become even more important.
Becoming an electronics technician often requires only a two-year associate’s degree. Yearly salary can be over $65,000.