What Does a Hydraulic Technician Do?
A hydraulic technician is a highly specialised role which requires a great deal of skill and precision to carry out the work to a high standard. Many industries utilise hydraulic technicians, for example Acteon subsea services is one area where a hydraulic technician would be employed. Due to the demand for hydraulic technicians, those who are employed in this role can expect to be employed overseas.
What Do They Do?
A hydraulic technician will perform maintenance on both heavy and light equipment in industry; industries can include anything from machine shops, commercial businesses, and oil drilling rigs. They will use measuring devices, calculators, and a number of other tools to carry out their duties.
If they are employed in a subsea services role then they may have to install and create systems for remote vehicles to use whilst traversing the sea bed. These technicians are also commonly used in a technical support role.
What Level of Education is Needed?
Surprisingly, a university degree isn’t needed to become a technician; but it will certainly help if the individual does have a university degree. The minimum level of education needed is a high school diploma. This significant lack of required formal qualifications may seem strange to some, but the fact is that most employers prefer to train their technicians.
Even if an employer who provides training on the job isn’t found, finding formal training in mechanics and technology in industry is easily found. Training to become a hydraulic technician can vary depending on the industry but on average it can take around two years. A Fluid Power Society certificate will also aid trainees in their path to becoming fully qualified.
Are There Any Necessary Skills?
Hydraulic technicians don’t need to possess any major formal skills before they apply, but it’s highly recommended that they have an interest or they can do the following things:
Mechanical ability is essential to the role.
An interest in working with machinery.
The ability to read, write, and use computers to a high level.
A desire to continue learning because the nature of the industry demands that its professionals keep up with the latest technological advancements.
Where Do Hydraulic Technicians Work?
The large majority of technicians will work in industrial businesses and factories because that’s where 75% of all pneumatic and hydraulic equipment is used and kept. Usually the technician will find themselves in the engine room or in constant movement between businesses to carry out repair work.
However, as previously mentioned by the Acteon subsea services example above, some hydraulic technicians will find themselves working in places like oil drilling rigs. This is a diverse industry which demands diversity and flexibility from the people who are working within the industry.
It’s great fun to go for a day out – it doesn’t really matter where, just a change from the phones ringing, the everlasting emails and the computer that we are tied to, and invariably leave on for the best part of twenty four hours every day.
It is difficult, sometimes to know where to go, as we are always conscious that we need to take the mobility scooter and insurance with us. The scooter is a wonderful invention, and in fact, we wouldn’t get out without it. However, try driving one round the revolving doors in the occasional hotel or old-fashioned store. It makes for an interesting time and we know that we have other people laughing at our exploits sometimes. Even the little pub in the village causes difficulty as the outer door leads to a vestibule with a door immediately to the right. Now taking the fact that the levels aren’t exactly the same throughout, there can be a few words spoken which probably shouldn’t be, well, definitely not in polite company.
No matter, the landlord knows us and someone always helps. This is a problem which happens when you mix older property and new machines – one wasn’t designed for the other!
We like to go to Windermere, and always take the mobility scooter and insurance with us. The pavements are quite narrow in the town and also quite steep, particularly when you are going down to Bo’ness and the edge of the lake. It’s a lovely area to be in, and during the summer months full of tourists. We usually go out of season otherwise I can be lethal at driving over feet when there are a lot of folk around.
We go to the lake and the geese are there sometimes hissing away, yet at other times they completely ignore you. There’s no logic to it. Not sure that they appreciate the mobility scooter though as it travels quietly towards them. Yet again, the cafes are all quite small in Windermere and it can be difficult to squeeze through the doorways on the scooter. However, it’s too precious to us to leave outside, even though we have mobility scooter insurance in case it is ever required.
We like to take the ferry across the lake so that we can go to Hawkshead which is another pretty village, one which is particularly loved by Japanese tourists throughout the year and not just during the summer months. We are fortunate to live in such a lovely part of the country and we wouldn’t want to move to any other place in the world.