Assembly Technician jobs
(Also known as
Line assembler,
Line production worker) Salary
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Skills
Working Conditions
Experience
Career Progression
Employers
Testimonial
An assembly technician is responsible for the construction of smaller components which form units required to complete a whole mechanical or electrical system.
Assembly technicians usually work within a warehouse or factory, and always within a team of other technicians. It is their job to inspect, correct, maintain, fix and build simple or complex items which will be joined with other assemblies to form more complete systems; these could be objects, tools, machines, or simply larger components. The technician (or “tech”) is often rotated around the manufacturing lines within an organisation and are subsequently assigned to a station; some companies choose techs who are selected for their precise ability on one specific station, whereas some companies prefer to rotate all of their assembly staff to encourage multi-skilling.
The most important element of working as an assembly technician is to complete work on his or her component before the work schedule comes to an end; this will mean the component can be added to the “assembly mix” in order to go to form a complete whole, whether that be a tractor, aircraft wing or industrial printer. The job requires the candidate to work speedily and with a steady hand, both on their own initiative and simultaneously as part of a larger team.
Keith Martin is an assembly technician for Caterpillar, a high-profile builder of internationally renowned earth-moving equipment. He is based in Leicestershire, UK.
Salary
The salary for assembly workers varies with the industry sector. For low-tech items produced on a simple factory assembly line, the job is often based on hourly pay, which gives employers the flexibility to increase or reduce manpower at will by way of shift work and overtime. Entry-level assembly jobs tend to pay only minimum wage. In the UK, this is currently £5.93 per hour for workers aged 21 and over, £4.92 for those in the 18-20 age category, and £3.64 for young workers aged between 16-17. For full-time assembly techs who work in making and repairing components for mechanised vehicles or heavy industry, the salary can be much more rewarding. Workers who assemble earthmoving equipment, for example, can expect to earn £22,000 per annum as a starting salary for nightshift work, and £17,000 per annum for days. Team leader roles add another £3000 – £4000 on top of that too, so the remuneration can be significantly better in industries that require a greater technical aptitude. It is worth noting also that the employer will often pay for assembly techs to complete additional training or go to college, which carries with it an immediate and ongoing reward also.Responsibilities
- Understand the assembly-specific technical demands of the station being worked
- Understand how the tech’s own contribution fits into the process of component amalgamation
- Conduct fitment, building or rebuilding work quickly and accurately
- Communicate with other stations and departments within the build process
- Liaise with component suppliers (if applicable)
- Use a variety of electronic scanning and reporting tools (if applicable)
Qualifications
No formal qualifications are required to start as an assembly technician as the employer will usually offer a comprehensive training programme at the beginning of employment. This is because the technical knowledge required to work in component manufacture is usually less than that required to work in system design or integration. However, employers do like candidates to have GCSE level maths and English, as this demonstrates a good general aptitude for communication and problem-solving. Companies who wish to develop the technical skill set of their assembly staff will often cover the cost for them to go on college courses. In the heavy mechanised vehicle sector, for example, many assembly workers are studying towards Mechanical Engineering and Business Improvement to NVQ level 3, which is paid for by the employer.Skills
- Ability to work quickly and accurately
- Ability to work on own initiative but also form part of complex chains of interlinked teams
- An eye for detail and a steady hand for precision assembly work
- Ability to work under pressure and in close proximity to noisy equipment
- Ability to complete repetitive tasks without making mistakes
- A good general technical and mechanical mindset
Working Conditions
Working as an assembly technician can place the candidate in a variety of possibly dangerous situations. This is due to the fast-paced nature of the modern warehouse/factory environment, the high levels of noise and the need to use potentially dangerous tools or heavy machinery. It is a requirement of law that persons do not use heavy equipment without appropriate training, and it is also necessary that new candidates complete health and safety training in order to alert them to potentially harmful workplace risks.Experience
Work on an assembly line is completely open to unskilled candidates with no qualifications, because at its most basic level, the job is not technically challenging. For this reason, it is a popular choice for those who lack a sparkling CV or a large amount of general work experience. Entry level assembly jobs can allow the candidate to develop skills in a number of disciplines and different technical areas, meaning they then become better equipped to apply for promotions to more demanding (or more technical) assembly roles.Career Progression
For candidates who have CVs which are more developed and broad, the improvement of job prospects is accelerated greatly. For a candidate who has several years' experience in warehouse work, team leadership, or for somebody switching from an office environment, the chance of swift progression is good. Past the role of assembly technician, there may be positions available for technical team leader, quality assessors or production managers, depending on the type and size of the organisation.Employers
In the UK, the range of employment opportunities in various sectors is vast; candidates may find themselves working in any business sector which has a demand for assembled components. This could be heavy industry, light or medium-scale manufacturing, energy, oil and gas, automotive, IT hardware, audio components; the list is virtually limitless.
