Program Description
Electrical maintenance and automation 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.
As the electrical systems become more sophisticated, so must the skills of the electrical maintenance and automation 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 are offered several options within the Electrical Maintenance and Automation program. They may choose to complete an AAS degree with specialized training in one of the following areas: Electrical Maintenance and Automation or Power Systems Maintenance. Electrical Trainee or Electrical Sales option certificates also are offered.
Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in each course of the major discipline 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 retraining people in industry.
Potential students should possess a mechanical aptitude, good reading comprehension skills and the ability to pass a color blindness test.
Career Opportunities
Increasing employment is being created by the expanding industrial and manufacturing growth in the Pacific Northwest. The current energy crisis and changeover to alternate energy sources (which are primarily electrical) are expected to make the long-range demand for industrial electricians even greater. Ever increasing automation and mechanization of processing and manufacturing plants have created a need for well-trained entry-level electrical maintenance technicians. Average starting salary is $12 - $19 per hour, with advancement possible to the $20 - $30 per hour range.
POTENTIAL POSITIONS INCLUDE: electrician apprentice, electric service technician, industrial plant electrician technician found in automated manufacturing industries such as wood and paper products, food processing, metals processing, hydro projects, and equipment manufacturing.