Every day, people use the brakes in their cars, appliances around the house, and other electromechanical devices. Have you ever thought of the people who put those devices together? Electromechanical equipment assemblers put machines like microwave ovens, refrigerators, and clothes washers together to help people in their daily lives.

Assembling a machine like a refrigerator can be complicated. The outside looks simple, but all of the different parts inside have to be put together correctly for the machine to work properly. Some of the parts are large, and electromechanical equipment assemblers should have enough physical strength to be able to lift them. Other parts are very small, and assemblers also need a high level of dexterity with their hands to be able to put these pieces together without dropping or breaking them. Being able to operate forklifts and other machines can be useful since raising a machine makes it easier for electromechanical assemblers to work on it.

Part of being an electromechanical assembler is being able to take machines apart to repair anything that has gone wrong. Assemblers also oil moving parts, put insulation in places where that is necessary, and generally make sure that the machines are working properly. They might need to read blueprints and manuals to find out how to put a machine together and to check for problems. Sometimes, they might work with shipping companies to pack the different parts safely so that they will not break on the way to their destination.

Like for many of the trades, experience is often very important. Usually, a high school diploma is enough to get a job in a factory that produces electromechanical equipment, but courses at a trade school can help people have a better chance of getting jobs and possibly moving on to another branch of the work. Salaries range from just over $27,000 per year to about $65,000 per year with experience. Becoming a supervisor can be a good career move, although it might involve extra education and a lot of experience.

Currently, job prospects for electromechanical equipment assemblers are not very good. Jobs are likely to disappear slowly in the next few years as some move to factories overseas and others get taken over by machines. If you want to get into this work, it is probably a good idea to have a plan for what to do if you lose our job and are unable to find another. However, there is some hope for cross-over careers ( explore JPD Trades profiles on the site for more details).

Still, if you are willing to move to a different city or province, you will probably be able to find work for many years. The experience that you gain will also be helpful if you want to get into another kind of factory work or even if you want to become an engineer.  Learning how to work with machines could also be very helpful in your own home if you have repairs to do and prefer not to call someone else to help.

Working as an electromechanical equipment assembler can be a good job. If it interests you, why not consider it, even just for a few years?

Bibliography:

Career Planner.com. “Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers.” https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Electromechanical-Equipment-Assemblers.cfm.

Careers.org. “Occupation Profile for Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers.”

http://www.careers.org/occupations/51-2023.00/electromechanical-equipment-assemblers .

My Plan.com. “Electromechanical Equipment Assembler.” https://www.myplan.com/careers/electromechanical-equipment-assemblers/description-51-2023.00.html.

Payscale.com. “Electromechanical Equipment Assembler: Hourly Rate.” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Electromechanical_Equipment_Assembler/Hourly_Rate.