Electronics engineering technician
Design, build, test and fix electronic systems and circuit boards, from factory controls to medical and aerospace tech.
- Salary£26,000 – £42,000
- Hours41 to 43 hours a week, which may include evening, weekend and bank holiday shifts
- Working for yourselfUsually employed
What the job is like
Electronics engineering technicians work on the electronic systems inside almost everything - production lines, robots, medical equipment, aircraft and power systems. Depending on the job you might design circuit boards in CAD software, build and test prototypes, calibrate instruments or track down faults in machinery.
If you enjoy Arduino projects, soldering or taking gadgets apart to see how they work, this turns a hobby into a career. You can start through college, a T Level or an engineering apprenticeship, and work towards professional EngTech registration.
What you'll do
- Design printed circuit boards and wiring diagrams using CAD software
- Help engineers research and develop new products
- Test prototypes and analyse the results
- Assemble and install electronic control systems for manufacturing
- Calibrate electronic instruments
- Find and fix faults in machinery and equipment
- Set up maintenance schedules for equipment
- Check all work meets quality and safety standards
Where you'll work
- Indoors
- Workshop or studio
- Office
- In a team
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
Used a lot
Handy to have
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become an electronics engineering technician
Apprenticeship
The Engineering and Manufacturing Level 2 foundation apprenticeship, Engineering technician (Level 3, typically around 42 months), or Mechatronics maintenance technician (Level 3, typically around 42 months) if you want to work on production line machinery or robotics.
College
Courses in electrical and electronic engineering or electronic systems engineering, or the T Levels in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing, or Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing.
University
A foundation degree or HND in electrical and electronic engineering.
Other ways in
Train as an electronics technician in the Army.
Qualifications, licences and cards
- Engineering Technician (EngTech) professional registration through the IET is optional but demonstrates your skills
Where it can lead
- Project team leader
- Maintenance manager
- Electronics engineer
- Further education teaching
Good to know
- Jobs exist across power generation, advanced manufacturing, robotics, medical technology, aerospace and defence.
- Workplaces include manufacturing plants, laboratories and offices, and can be noisy.
Courses and training
-
Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
-
Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Electronics engineering technician job profile nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/electronics-engineering-technician
- Skills England apprenticeship standard: Engineering technician skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0457-v1-6
- Skills England apprenticeship standard: Mechatronics maintenance technician skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st1326-v1-0
- IET: Engineering Technician (EngTech) registration theiet.org/career/professional-registration/engineering-technician