Engineering construction technician
Engineering construction technicians support engineers to design, test, install, repair, maintain and decommission industrial facilities.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
You could work in sectors like energy, food and drink manufacture, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
You could:
- use CAD software to draw up plans and designs for projects
- cut, weld and assemble metal plate, pipework and beams for buildings
- install and service equipment, like conveyor lines in factories and industrial sites
- inspect and test systems and equipment to find faults
- keep work records up to date
- supervise a team of craftspeople
Working environment
You could work on a construction site, in a factory or in an office.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and you may spend nights away from home.
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into site safety, management jobs or specialise in particular areas, like engineering design, testing or procurement.
You might also take further training to qualify as a civil or building services engineer.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- knowledge of building and construction
- the ability to work well with your hands
- maths knowledge
- the ability to use your initiative
- analytical thinking skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
You could do a foundation degree or higher national diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering before looking for a job as a technician.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
More Information
The following courses may give you some of the skills and knowledge to apply for technician apprenticeships:
- Level 2 Certificate in Engineering
- Level 2 Certificate in Mechanical Engineering
- Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Maintenance
- T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction
- T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing
If you want to specialise in design work, you could take a course in computer aided design.
You can find out more about specialist courses that may be useful in the engineering construction industry from the ECITB.
Entry requirements
You may need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
More Information
The following apprenticeships may be relevant to this role:
- Level 3 Engineering Technician
- Level 3 Fall Protection Technician
- Level 4 Construction Site Engineering Technician
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More Information
You could start as an engineering craftworker and become a technician through on-the-job training.
Registration
- you'll need an industry safety certificate like the Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) Safety Passport Scheme for many jobs
Further information
You can find more details about technician careers from the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board.
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This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.