Electrical Maintenance and Automation
Certificate/A.A.S. Degree
Program Description
Electrical maintenance technicians are responsible for the maintenance, testing, repair, and/or
replacement of the electrical systems and controls found in modern industrial plants and large commercial buildings.
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As the electrical systems become more sophisticated, so must the skills of the electrical maintenance
technician. By mixing the theoretical with practical hands-on lab experiences using modern up-to-date
industrial equipment and techniques, the student will be prepared for a challenging career in electrical
maintenance.
Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in each course of the major descipline before advancing to the subsequent
quarter. Students not meeting this minimum are required to repeat the deficient course before progressing.
Electrical maintenance and automation courses may be taken whenever they are offered and in any sequence as
long as the student has fulfilled any prerequisites or has instructor permission. This plan allows a great
deal of flexibility for people in the industry.
Potential students should possess a mechanical aptitude, good reading comprehension skills and the ability
to pass a color blindness test.
Words from Graduates:
"My job is always challenging because there is always something new to learn - new technologies, new
techniques. You need a lot of training to enter this field, and you need to continually upgrade and update
your skills and knowledge. At SCC I received hands-on training in a wide variety of applications-motors,
generators, robotics and power distribution. This gave me a broader background and understanding than I
would have been exposed to otherwise. That's important because this is one field where you have to know
why you do something, not just what to do."
Ardee Ableman
SCC graduate
Electrical inspector, City of Spokane
Tim Loepker
SCC graduate
Substation operator, Bonneville Power Administration
"This is the best trade to be in because it's so challenging. Every day my job brings something
different-including new problems to solve. You have to use your head all the time, think on your feet
and apply what you learn. It takes effort to learn electrical theory, but when you get into the field,
you'll apply everything you've learned. So study hard; it pays off."