Engineering maintenance technician
Keep factory, production and transport equipment running by servicing and repairing motors, pumps, gearboxes and controls.
- Salary£27,000 – £48,000
- Hours40 to 42 hours a week, including evening, weekend and bank holiday shifts
- Working for yourselfUsually employed
What the job is like
Engineering maintenance technicians keep the machines that make and move things working. In a factory, plant or transport depot you'll service electrical and mechanical systems such as motors, gearboxes and pumps, check control panels, find faults and get production back up and running as quickly and safely as possible.
It's a varied job for practical problem-solvers who like knowing how everything works. Level 3 apprenticeships are the usual route, with single-discipline and dual-discipline versions, and the skills are used across manufacturing, production and transport.
What you'll do
- Organise routine service schedules and assign tasks
- Maintain electrical and mechanical systems such as motors, gearboxes and pumps
- Check instrument control panels
- Find and fix faults and order replacement parts
- Carry out risk assessments and safety checks
- Write job reports and update production managers
- Keep stock control and work records up to date
Where you'll work
- Workshop or studio
- Indoors
- Construction sites
- 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 engineering maintenance technician
Apprenticeship
The Engineering and Manufacturing Level 2 foundation apprenticeship, Engineering maintenance technician - single discipline (Level 3, typically around 42 months), Engineering maintenance technician - dual discipline (Level 3, typically around 48 months) or Mechatronics maintenance technician (Level 3, typically around 42 months). Industry-specific apprenticeships also exist in areas such as aviation, lifting equipment, rail and heavy vehicles.
College
Courses in engineering, engineering technology, mechanical or electrical and electronic engineering, or the T Levels in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing, or Building Services Engineering for Construction.
University
A foundation degree or HND in engineering before applying as a trainee technician.
Other ways in
Start as an engineering operative and work up through on-the-job training and promotion.
Where it can lead
- Senior technician via the Lead engineering maintenance technician (Level 4, typically around 36 months) apprenticeship
- Maintenance engineer in mechanical, electrical or building services
- Technical sales, maintenance team or contract management
- Further education teaching
Good to know
- Sites can be noisy and partly outdoors; you will wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
Courses and training
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Short course
Apprenticeship units – Skills for Careers (Department for Education)
Short courses of 30 to 140 hours for employed people aged 19 and over in England, arranged by your employer. Units include EV charging point and solar PV installation, electrical and mechanical fitting, and mechanised welding.
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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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
- National Careers Service: engineering maintenance technician
- Engineering maintenance technician (single discipline) apprenticeship
- Engineering maintenance technician (dual discipline) apprenticeship
- Mechatronics maintenance technician apprenticeship
- Lead engineering maintenance technician apprenticeship (Level 4)
- Tomorrow's Engineers
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Engineering maintenance technician job profile nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/engineering-maintenance-technician
- Skills England apprenticeship standard: Engineering maintenance technician - single discipline skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st1426-v1-0
- Skills England apprenticeship standard: Engineering maintenance technician - dual discipline skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st1443-v1-0
- Skills England apprenticeship standard: Mechatronics maintenance technician skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st1326-v1-0
- Skills England apprenticeship standard: Lead engineering maintenance technician skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0999-v1-2