Quality Control Technicians

The employment outlook for quality control technicians depends, to some degree, on general economic conditions. The U.S. Department of Labor projects average employment growth of about 3 percent through 2033 for the field of industrial engineering technicians, which includes quality control technicians. The pandemic disrupted job growth in all industries in the U.S. and throughout the world in 2020 and early 2021, but the economy has since rebounded. The role of the quality control technician is vital to production and cannot be eliminated. Technicians will also continue to be needed to replace people retiring from or otherwise leaving this field.

Many companies are making vigorous efforts to make their manufacturing processes more efficient, lower costs, and improve productivity and quality. Opportunities for quality control technicians should be good in pharmaceutical firms, electronics companies, and chemical companies. Quality control technicians may also find employment in industries using robotics equipment or in the aerospace, biomedical, bioengineering, environmental controls, and transportation industries. Declines in employment in some industries may occur because of the increased use of automated equipment that tests and inspects parts during production operations.