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Instrument Technician |
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Select Alternate Year - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009
Instrument technicians install, maintain and repair the measuring and control instruments used in industrial and commercial processing.
Instrument technicians work with a wide variety of pneumatic, electronic and microcomputer instruments used to measure and control variables such as pressure, flow, temperature, level, motion, force, and chemical composition. In general, they:
Instrument technicians may work regular week-day hours or work in shifts, and are sometimes “on call” at night and on weekends. Working conditions can change dramatically from one job to another. Instrument technicians working with manufacturing processes may be exposed to confined spaces, high places, noisy, dusty, cold or unusually warm conditions. There may also be exposure to radiation devices and laser equipment.
There is some risk of injury, particularly when processing dangerous chemicals or working with substances under pressure or at high temperatures.
The work is most rewarding for those who enjoy security, problem-solving, developing an area of expertise, and working with little direction or supervision.
To be successful in their trade, instrument technicians need:
With industry becoming increasingly automated, instrument technicians are needed virtually anywhere there are control and metering systems. They are employed in the following industries:
Journeyperson wage rates vary, but generally range from $25 to $40 an hour plus benefits.
Experienced instrument technicians may advance to supervisory positions, be employed as engineering technicians, or move into company sales offices.
To work as a Instrument Technician in Alberta, a person must:
Instrument technicians learn their skills by registering with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training to participate in apprenticeship training and, upon successful completion, are awarded the Alberta Journeyman Certificate.
An instrument technician who holds a valid trade certificate from Alberta or from another Canadian province or territory may apply to write the Interprovincial Exam and, if successful, be granted a Red Seal under the Interprovincial Standards Program. The Red Seal is recognized throughout most of Canada.
An instrument technician who holds a certificate that was issued by another recognized apprenticeship authority in Canada (province, territory or federal jurisdiction) may apply for an Alberta Equivalency document under the Equivalency Program.
Instrument technicians who:
may be eligible to apply for trade certification under the Qualification Certificate Program.
Individuals possessing a valid Alberta Journeyman Certificate, an Alberta Occupational Certificate, or a credential that is recognized as equivalent to an Alberta trade or occupational certificate are eligible to receive a Blue Seal business credential after completing the necessary requirements.
The term of apprenticeship for an instrument technician is 4 years (four 12-month periods) including a minimum of 1500 hours of on-the-job training and 8 weeks of technical training in the first and second year, and a minimum of 1425 hours of on-the-job training and 10 weeks of technical training in the third and fourth year.
To learn the skills required of an instrument technician in Alberta and be issued an Alberta Journeyman Certificate, a person must:
Courses in mathematics, physics and chemistry are particularly important.
Most employers prefer to hire high school or post-secondary program graduates who have strong backgrounds in the chemical and physical processes involved in instrumentation.
- during on-the-job training, apprentice instrument technicians earn at least 55 percent of the journeyperson wage rate in their place of employment in the first year, 65 percent in the second, 75 percent in the third, and 85 percent in the fourth year.
- select an educational institution that offers training for Instrument Technician apprentices, and a time to attend training (see Technical Training Locations and Schedule)
- determine requirements for enrolling at the selected institution, and forward completed enrollment form to the selected institution (see Enrollment Instructions)
Apprentices may attempt the Interprovincial Exam in the final period of their apprenticeship training and, if successful, be granted a Red Seal. (see Exam Counselling Sheets)
When apprentices attend technical training, they are required to pay the applicable tuition fee and purchase course supplies.
Grants, scholarships and other financial assistance may be available. For more information see Financial Assistance or contact an Apprenticeship and Industry Training Office.
To qualify for a Red Seal, a person must:
- an Alberta trade certificate or completion of apprenticeship certificate, OR
- a journeyperson or completion of apprenticeship certificate issued by another Canadian province or territory
To qualify for an Equivalency document based on a recognized credential, a person must:
A person who has a recognized certificate, as described above, does not require an Alberta Equivalency document to work in the trade in Alberta. However, some employers may require an Alberta Equivalency document as proof that the certificate is equivalent to the requirements of the trade in Alberta.
To qualify for a Qualification Certificate based on Canadian credentials, a person must:
To qualify for an Alberta Qualification Certificate based on work experience, a person must:
Time spent on supervisory or foreman duties, counter work, heading the tool crib, or on a training course is NOT counted as ‘hands-on’ work experience.
This application fee covers the verification and assessment of the applicant's work experience hours/months as well as one attempt at the Qualification Certificate theory examination. The Qualification Certificate practical examination requires a separate fee as identified on the application noted above.
