Mechanical engineering technician

Mechanical maintenance technician

Mechanical engineering technicians design, install and repair industrial plant machinery and parts.

Salary Range: £18,000 to £40,000

How to become a mechanical engineering technician

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• an apprenticeship

University

You can do a foundation degree or higher national diploma in mechanical engineering.

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

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

College

You can take a college course, which would teach you some of the skills needed for the job. Relevant courses include:

• Level 2 Certificate in Mechanical Engineering
• Level 2 Diploma in Engineering Technology
• Level 3 Extended Diploma in Mechanical Engineering

Entry requirements

You’ll usually 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

More information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• search for courses

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through an advanced apprenticeship in mechanical manufacturing engineering or engineering maintenance.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

More information

Further information

You’ll find more details about careers and training through the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Tomorrow’s Engineers.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You’ll need:

• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• knowledge of engineering science and technology
• maths knowledge
• design skills and knowledge
• the ability to work well with your hands
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• the ability to work well with others
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

What you’ll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• drawing up plans for new ideas, using computer-aided design (CAD) software
• investigating and testing ideas to improve existing systems and solve problems
• making new parts
• installing and testing instruments and machinery
• carrying out preventative maintenance
• identifying and repairing faults
• meeting performance and safety targets

Working environment

You could work in a factory or in an office.

Your working environment may be noisy and outdoors some of the time.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a supervisor or project manager, or specialise in areas like CAD design or quality control.

You could also qualify as an engineer by completing a degree in mechanical engineering.