Instrumentation Technicians

As a way to test your abilities and learn more about calibration work try building small electronic equipment. Kits for building radios and other small appliances are available in some electronics shops. This will give you a basic understanding of electronic components and applications.

Some communities and schools also have clubs for people interested in electronics. They may offer classes that teach basic skills in construction, repair, and adjustment of electrical and electronic products. Model building, particularly in hard plastic and steel, will give you a good understanding of how to adapt and fit parts together. It may also help develop your hand skills if you want to work with precision instruments.

Visits to industrial laboratories, instrument shops, research laboratories, power installations, and manufacturing companies that rely on automated processes can expose you to the activities of instrumentation technicians. During such visits, you might be able to speak with technicians about their work or with managers about possible openings in their company. Also, you might look into getting a summer or part-time job as a helper on an industrial maintenance crew.

Joining a science club, such as the Technology Student Association (TSA), which provides students a chance to explore career opportunities in technology, engineering, science, and mathematics, enter academic competitions, and participate in summer exploration programs. TSA administers a competition that allows high school students to use their technology skills. The Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (https://tsaweb.org/teams) is an engineering problem competition.