How to Become a Maintenance Technician

A maintenance technician manages the servicing of instruments, gear, and machinery, doing routine repair work, and helping with equipment installation. They are dynamic and multi-talented workers who are supposed to have a wide range of technical and other abilities.

If you are interested in this profession, then you have come to the right place.

In this article, we will be reviewing how to become a maintenance technician, the average salary, and the job responsibilities of these workers. In addition, we will also help you discover the skills, competencies, educational requirements, and the best way to find maintenance technician jobs.

So without any further ado, let’s start our discussion right away.

Steps to Become a Maintenance Technician

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to become a maintenance technician:

1. Get an education
2. Acquire work experience
3. Obtain relevant certifications
4. Make a resume
5. Look for job openings

1. Get an education

First and foremost, you should acquire a high school diploma or GED as the baseline entry-level maintenance technician qualification. Besides that, you can also earn an associate’s degree in your desired field of construction management. For this, you can enroll in a two-year program at a local college or another program of the same nature.

2. Acquire Work Experience

After pursuing relevant education, you should aim to earn experience, which you can significantly gain through regular practice. For instance, an entry-level maintenance technician can acquire the necessary experience to apply for a maintenance technician job by completing an apprenticeship under a plumber, painter, electrician, or other skilled tradespersons.

3. Obtain Relevant Certifications

The next step that you must take to become a maintenance technician is to prepare for and pass the exams to attain certificates from multiple organizations. Certifications will help you prove that you possess the necessary knowledge and dedication required for the maintenance technician job.

4. Make a resume

After accumulating maintenance technician qualifications, essential experience, and relevant certificates, you should begin creating your resume. Remember that your resume is a powerful asset in demonstrating your competencies and education to employers. So, make sure to add personal details like qualifications, skills, and employment history, including the names of the firms you’ve employed for and the duration you served there. Apart from that, the CV you submit should also be customized for the position you’re competing for.

5. Look for Job Openings

Lastly, start searching for open maintenance technician job positions. After spotting vacant posts that fit your educational background and experience, thoroughly read the application procedures before applying. Then in your cover letter, briefly state why and how you would prove to be a strong candidate for that position.

Duties and Responsibilities of a Maintenance Technician

Maintenance technician jobs demand you to perform the following duties and responsibilities:

• Addressing maintenance and repair concerns from building residents.
• Assessing and fixing any damaged or faulty plumbing.
• Interacting with the building’s administration team regularly to discuss problems within the facility.
• Ensuring that electrical systems are secure and functional.
• Maintaining and cleaning HVAC systems daily.
• Remaining updated with changes in carbon monoxide, fire, and other alarm safety precautions.
• Utilizing and servicing the instruments and gear required to carry out job responsibilities.
• Assisting in emergency exits from the building.
• Painting and mending any possibly damaged areas of the building.
• Managing more sophisticated tasks by calling in other professionals as necessary.

It’s crucial not to mix up the responsibilities of a maintenance technician with that of a maintenance worker. You can check out our thorough article on maintenance worker job descriptions to clarify the difference between the two and decide which one of them is a perfect fit for you.

Essential skills for a Maintenance Technician

We’ll now take a look at some of the essential skills and competencies required to excel when performing duties in the maintenance technician job:

1. Technical skills
2. Mechanical skills
3. Diagnostic skills
4. Communication skills
5. Time management skills
6. Physical strength

1. Technical Skills

Maintenance technicians must be knowledgeable about fundamental operational principles, safety regulations, and technical necessities. For this reason, maintenance technicians with technical skills are more equipped to examine, troubleshoot, and resolve problems that may emerge during the workday.

2. Mechanical Skills

Maintenance technicians must possess phenomenal mechanical skills as they must have proficiency with various instruments, systems, and gear. These skills may also help them feel at ease working on a multitude of challenging tasks, such as repairing a facility’s water system.

3. Diagnostic Skills

Precautionary checks and frequent monitoring are among the duties that maintenance technicians must perform on a daily basis. That’s why they must acquire diagnostic skills to identify possible problems, respond appropriately, develop solutions, and foresee the ongoing necessities of their building.

4. Communication Skills

A maintenance technician must have effective speaking skills to clearly and concisely report multiple concerns and challenges and guide on how to fix faults rapidly. Besides that, they must also possess strong written communication skills as they often have to read and comprehend maintenance records, blueprints, and manuals.

5. Time Management Skills

Setting priorities for tasks is crucial for every maintenance technician. Having excellent time management skills enables the maintenance technicians to function with a clear motive and assure that all efforts are well oriented and in line with the organization’s objectives.

6. Physical Strength

Maintenance technician jobs require extreme physical effort as maintenance technicians are required to handle heavy objects, crawl through confined areas, climb ladders to high altitudes, or carry bulky items. Thus, the ideal maintenance technicians are those who value physical prowess with a concentration on stamina and poise, are well-trained to operate in challenging situations, and are in great physical shape.

Educational Requirements for Maintenance Technicians

Following are the educational requirements that are vital and will be beneficial in becoming a maintenance technician in Canada:

• Earning a High School Diploma or GED.
• Obtaining a two-year associate’s degree in the field of building management.
• Clearing the exams to acquire relevant certificates from numerous organizations, such as:
• International Maintenance Institute Certification
• Building Systems Maintenance Certificate
• Apartment Maintenance Technicians Certificate
• Maintenance & Reliability Technician Certificate

Maintenance Technician Certifications

A maintenance technician can demonstrate to a prospective hiring manager that they have proven proficiency in their profession by obtaining certificates. Here are a couple of such maintenance technician certificates you can acquire:

1. Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians
2. Building Systems Maintenance Certificate
3. Certified Maintenance & Reliability Technician
4. International Maintenance Institute Certification

1. Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians

The National Apartment Association is the organization that provides this certification. The exam preparation course will cover a range of apartment maintenance skills. These skills include customer care, effective communication, managing orders, and knowledge of HVAC, construction, painting, mechanical, appliance, and lock and key maintenance and fixes.

2. Building Systems Maintenance Certificate

A potential certificate holder’s comprehension of HVAC, plumbing, and other building systems, as well as effective power management and water treatment, is assessed by the Systems Maintenance Certificate (SMC).

3. Certified Maintenance & Reliability Technician

The Certified Maintenance & Reliability Technician (CMRT) verifies that the possessor has predictive, corrective, and preventive upkeep knowledge. To become certified by the CMRT, candidates must clear an examination demonstrating their proficiency in four key categories:

• Maintenance procedures.
• Preventative and predictive maintenance.
• Diagnosing and assessment.
• Corrective maintenance.

4. International Maintenance Institute Certification

This international association offers two certification levels for maintenance management individuals and three certification levels for maintenance technicians engaged in skilled trades.

How Much Does a Maintenance Technician Make in Canada?

On average, the maintenance technician’s salary in Canada is CAD 48,750 per year, which translates to CAD 25 per hour.

Entry-level maintenance technician jobs have a starting salary of CAD 39,980 per year or CAD 20.50 per hour.

In contrast:

The most experienced maintenance technicians earn up to CAD 68,250 per year or CAD 35 per hour.

Best Way to Find a Job as a Maintenance Technician in Canada

The best way to find a maintenance technician job in Canada is to obtain a high school diploma or GED. You can also pursue an associate’s degree in Building Maintenance Technology or Industrial Maintenance Technology. 

Accumulating experience by apprenticing under a skilled tradesperson like an electrician or plumber can also give you an edge while searching for maintenance technician jobs.

Lastly, earning relevant certificates such as the Building Systems Maintenance Certificate is also a terrific way to exhibit your competencies to the hiring managers, thereby increasing your prospects of landing a maintenance technician job. 

We also frequently post maintenance technician jobs on Primus Workforce. So if you are actively looking for open maintenance technician positions, check out our find work page to land your dream job.

Conclusion

The article covers an overview of a maintenance technician job description. We discussed the job responsibilities, educational requirements, skills, remuneration, and even the best way to find maintenance technician jobs in Canada.

All in all, this article provides solid insight into how to become a maintenance technician.

If you want to read more informative articles like this, we recommend you go through our blog section. We have many resources available to assist you in making an informed career decision.

The Primus Workforce team is proudly built on hands-on industry knowledge and experience.