Preparation & Advancement

Preparation

Industrial maintenance technicians need a high school diploma or GED and formal education or on-the-job training. Typically, preparation involves a 2-year training program in electronic and mechanical (electro-mechanical) systems that control machinery, automation, and/or processes. Employers prefer some formal education; employers with very complex equipment prefer certification and related work experience.

Advancement

With a background in mechatronics or industrial automation and electronic controls, a worker may become an industrial maintenance technician or industrial machinery mechanic, an electrical and electronics repairer of commercial and industrial equipment, a robotics technician, an electro-mechanical technician, a millwright, and, with further education, an electronics or mechatronics engineer.