Employment of electro-mechanical technicians is expected to grow 1 percent from 2010 to 2020, resulting in little or no change for this occupation. Many of these technicians are employed in manufacturing industries that are projected to decline.
Electro-mechanical technicians are generalists in technology, and their broad skill set will help sustain demand for their services.
As demand increases for engineers to design and build new equipment in various fields, employment of electro-mechanical technicians should also increase.
In the oil and gas industry, for example, engineers are studying drilling in the Arctic Ocean. Electro-mechanical technicians will be needed to help engineers manipulate underwater robotics in these operations.
Job prospects are likely to be best for electro-mechanical technicians who train in a field known as mechatronics, which provides an understanding of four key systems:
Mechatronics training has two advantages for electro-mechanical technicians. First, it is multidisciplinary, which gives technicians more versatile training that is applicable across a broad range of fields. Second, it allows a technician to contribute to a product in its entirety, from concept and design to delivery.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition