An engineering technician is a professional trained in skills and

techniques Technique or techniques may refer to: Music * The Techniques, a Jamaican rocksteady vocal group of the 1960s *Technique (band), a British female synth pop band in the 1990s * ''Technique'' (album), by New Order, 1989 * ''Techniques'' (album), by M ...

related to a specific branch of technology, with a practical understanding of the relevant engineering concepts. Engineering technicians often assist engineers and engineering technologists in projects relating to

research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...

, or focus on post-development activities like implementation or operation. An engineering technician is between a skilled craft worker and an engineering technologist. The Dublin Accord was signed in 2002 as an international agreement for the recognition of engineering technician qualifications. The Dublin Accord is analogous to the

Washington Accord Washington Agreement or Washington Accords may refer to: * Washington Agreement (1994), peace agreement of Bosnia and Herzegovina (March 1 1994) * Washington Accords (1942), the Brazil-United States Political-Military Agreement leading to Brazil e ...

for engineers and the

Sydney Accord The Sydney Accord is an international mutual recognition agreement for qualifications in the fields of engineering technology. Definition and background The Sydney Accord is an agreement between the bodies responsible for accrediting engineering t ...

for engineering technologists.

Nature of work

Engineering technicians help solve technical problems in many ways. They build or set up equipment, conduct experiments, collect data and calculate results. They might also help to make a model of new equipment. Some technicians work in quality control, where they check products, do tests, and collect data. In manufacturing, they help to design and develop products. They also find ways to produce things efficiently. There are multiple fields in this job such as; software design, repair, etc.Engineering Technician
/ref> They may also be people who produce technical drawings or engineering drawings. Engineering technicians are responsible for using the theories and principles of science, engineering, and

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

in order to solve problems and come up with solutions in the research, design, development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection, and maintenance of systems and products. Engineering technicians help engineers and scientists in researching and developing, while some other engineering technicians may be responsible for inspections,

quality control Quality control (QC) is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. ISO 9000 defines quality control as "a part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements". This approach places ...

, and processes which may include conducting tests and data collection.

Education

Engineering technician diplomas and two-year degrees are generally offered by technical schools and non-university higher education institutions like colleges of further education, industrial or vocational schools, and community colleges. Many four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in engineering technology but engineering technologists are somewhat different from engineering technicians. In some countries, there are polytechnic institutes that award the title without explicitly conferring the degree. In Portugal and Spain, the titles pt, engenharia técnica and es, ingeniería técnica (literally 'technical engineering'), are used. Professionals attain the title with the award of a short-cycle three- to four-year undergraduate degree (

associate degree An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. The fi ...

or bachelor's degree) in a technical engineering field from colleges or technical engineering institutes (in Portugal), and (in Spain), from universities. Spanish "technical engineers" have full competency in their respective professional fields of engineering, being the difference that the three or four-year Engineers have competence only in their specialty (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, etc.) and the "Engineering Superior School" Engineers have wider competences. In the United States, the engineering technology accreditation commission (ETAC) of the

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology The ABET (incorporated as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.) is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering ...

(ABET) grants two-year associate degree programs to students that meet a set of specified standards. These programs include at least a college algebra and trigonometry course and if needed, one or two basic science courses at any accredited school. The number of math and science prerequisite courses depends on the branch of engineering that the student chooses. Engineering technicians apply scientific and engineering skills usually gained in

postsecondary Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including univers ...

programs below the bachelor's degree level or through short-cycle bachelor's degrees. However, some university institutions award undergraduate degrees in the field of engineering which may confer the title of Engineering technician to the student, who is, however, eligible to become a fully chartered engineer after further studies at the master's degree level. Engineering technicians are called professional engineers in the UK only.

Certification

Even though the term engineering technician is used throughout, it is mindful that these roles are often termed differently within the specific jurisdictions. It also includes roles such as; certified or professional technician, which may also be called engineering associates.

Canada

The individual professional title ''Certified Technician'' and post-nominal ''C.Tech.'' are protected by provincial legislation and can only be used by registrants certified by engineering and applied science member organizations. The nine provincial professional associations are unified federally through Technology Professionals Canada, which advocates for the profession within the provincial associations and respective regulatory bodies.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the term ''Engineering Technician'' and post-nominal ''EngTech'' are protected in civil law, and can only be used by technicians registered with the Engineering Council UK.

References

External links

List of tasks and requirements for mechanical engineering technicians

Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) UK

The Engineering Technician Forum on LinkedIn
{{DEFAULTSORT:Engineering Technician Engineering occupations Science occupations Technical drawing Technicians Draughtsmen