Mechanic/Technician

Also known as:

Mechanic

Introduction

Mechanics/technicians service, overhaul and repair a very wide variety of machinery and equipment, including heavy and light vehicles, agricultural and garden machinery, and all the machinery and equipment used on construction sites.

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Work Activities

Mechanics/technicians use their skills to service, overhaul and repair a wide variety of mechanical devices. There are many different types of mechanic/technician, for example:
• car mechanics/technicians work on light vehicles like cars, vans and motorcycles
• heavy vehicle mechanics/technicians work on trucks, buses, coaches and other heavy vehicles
• agricultural and garden mechanics/technicians (or service engineers) work on machines like harvesters, mowers, balers and chain saws
• construction plant mechanics/technicians service and maintain all the equipment used on construction sites, including diggers, cranes and bulldozers
• vehicle patrol mechanics/technicians go out to people whose vehicles have broken down or have been damaged in an accident.

Wherever they work, all mechanics'/technicians' duties are broadly similar. They carry out routine servicing to prevent general wear and tear, and to make sure that the machinery or equipment is safe and is performing as well as it should.

Regular servicing may be done after a certain period of time, after the machinery or equipment has been used a certain number of times, or according to instructions set out by the manufacturers. Heavy and light vehicles may need regular servicing after they have done a certain mileage.

This involves making careful checks, tuning, replacing worn or faulty parts, measuring the machinery's performance (sometimes using special testing equipment) and making any necessary adjustments. Whether a mechanic/technician repairs or replaces a part often depends on the cost of the part or the amount of time it would take to repair. For example, car mechanics/technicians tend to replace parts rather than repair them because it is often cheaper and quicker to do this than to carry out a repair.

However, heavy vehicle mechanics/technicians are more likely to repair faulty parts, because new parts tend to be expensive.

Sometimes mechanics/technicians carry out large-scale overhauls of the equipment they are responsible for. This means stripping the machinery of its working parts, checking and cleaning them, making any necessary repairs or replacements, and then re-assembling them as quickly as possible.

Increasingly, mechanics/technicians work with electrical and electronic systems. They may use equipment like voltmeters and ammeters to test electric currents. Many mechanics/technicians need to be able to follow wiring diagrams and understand colour-coded components.

Again, depending on the type of work they do, mechanics/technicians may deal with the hydraulic and pneumatic aspects of machines. Mechanics/technicians are likely to use a wide variety of hand and power tools, and to refer to technical drawings and manuals.

Breakdown and emergency repair work normally takes priority over regular servicing. Mechanics/technicians identify the fault and diagnose what may have caused it. The mechanic/technician repairs the faulty part or replaces it with a new one. The machine is re-assembled and checked to make sure it is running safely again.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You must have good practical skills and a high level of technical knowledge. You need to be physically fit to cope with bending, lifting and stretching. You have to be able to handle small components and hand tools.

You should be logical and patient in tracing faults, and well organised to prioritise your workload. It is important for mechanics/technicians to have good communication skills because they may need to explain faults and repairs clearly to customers.

For many types of mechanic/technician, a full, clean driving licence is essential; this will depend on the area you work in and the duties you have.

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Pay and Opportunities

Pay rates for mechanics/technicians vary widely depending on the branch of mechanics and the employer.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Mechanics/technicians earn in the range of £15,500 - £19,500 a year, rising to around £24,000 - £29,500. Higher earners can make around £35,500 a year.

They usually work a basic 39-hour week, which may include early starts, late finishes, shifts, weekend work and public holidays.

Employment opportunities exist in all areas of the UK and there may be opportunities in other countries.

Employers are firms in the motor repair industry, agriculture, a wide range of manufacturing industries, in energy, communications, construction, transport, water, robotics, marine and offshore industries.

There are also opportunities in government departments and with the armed forces. Self-employment opportunities exist for some mechanics/technicians.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Modern Apprenticeships may be available in some areas.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

• 7% of people in occupations such as mechanic/technician are self-employed.
• 2% work part-time.
• 2% have flexible hours.
• 1% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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New Developments

Some people working in this occupation may be involved in the green jobs sector in areas such as renewable energy or waste management.