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Parts Technician Directly to the left of this help icon you will see this work indoors icon that represents where Parts Technician work most of the time. If the person in the icon is standing outside the building then the work is mostly outside. A person inside respresents mostly insde work and two people (one inside and one outside) represent the work has a bit of both. By clicking the Details buttons to the left will open the page and allow you to read more about becoming a Parts Technician. After you have spent some time reading and you would like to find out what schools are offering training for Parts Technician click the Yes, use this career in my Journey button.

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Equipment Maintenance

Parts Technician

work indoors

Parts technicians are responsible for warehousing activities such as shipping and receiving, as well as planning and managing the flow of goods into, within, and from organizations.

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  • Related School SubjectsDetails

    Math; English; Social Studies

  • Field of StudyDetails

    Parts technicians are employed by wholesale businesses, retail businesses, and warehouse distributors that deal with all types of parts.

    Materials technicians are employed by organizations that produce, process, or use products such as office supplies, tools, equipment, food goods, textile products, farm equipment, or industrial supplies. Most work is in urban centres where manufacturers, wholesalers, and large retailers have their warehouses. Some are employed where large manufacturing facilities are concentrated in non-urban settings (for example, at wood products plants or petroleum production facilities).

    Parts technicians are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 1472: Storekeepers and Parts Clerks. In Alberta, 84 per cent of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

    • Retail Trade.
    • Wholesale Trade.
    • Repair, Personal, Religious and Other Services.
    • Manufacturing.
    • Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction.
    • Public Administration.

    Materials technicians are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 1471: Shippers and Receivers. In Alberta, 80 per cent of people employed in the Shippers and Receivers occupational group work in the following industries:

    • Retail Trade.
    • Wholesale Trade.
    • Manufacturing.
    • Transportation and Warehousing.
    • Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction.
    • Construction.
    • Other Services.
  • DutiesDetails

    In Alberta, the Parts Technician trade has two branches:

    • Parts Technician.
    • Materials Technician.

    Parts Technicians:

    • Sort, order, price and sell parts.
    • Open and inspect new parts when they arrive.
    • May work with parts for vehicles, heavy duty or farm equipment.
    • May work with parts for industrial machines or recreational vehicles.
    • May work with parts for plumbing, electrical or other types of equipment.
    • Organize and ship exchange parts and returns.
    • Keep price lists and catalogs updated.
    • Prepare statements.
    • Submit bills.
    • Keep records.
    • Receive payments.

    Materials technicians:

    • Prepare, and put together shipments.
    • Pack and send shipments by rail, air, or road.
    • Receive shipments and make sure they are right.
    • Handle customer returns.
    • Return products to suppliers.
    • Control and manage stocking and storage.
    • Calculate transportation costs and prepare documents.
    • Import and export materials.
    • Use bar codes and other tools to schedule items for delivery.
    • Maintain material identification records.
    • Work with the public and other company employees.
    • Participate in business operations and planning.
    • Operate computer systems.
    • Operate dollies, hand trucks, pallet jacks, forklifts, cranes, conveyors.
  • Working ConditionsDetails

    Location:

    • Indoors
      • Offices.
      • Warehouses.
      • Storerooms.
    • Outdoors
      • Working with parts outdoors.

    Hours:

    • Regular Work Schedule (Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4:30).
    • May need to work evenings or weekends.

    Heavy Lifting:

    • Up to or over 20 kilograms .
  • PersonalDetails

    People working in this trade need the following characteristics:

    • Able to work with the public.
    • Good math skills.
    • Attention to details.
    • Able to work well with others.
    • Strength and stamina.
    • Able to work alone.
    • Works well with hands.
    • Computer skills.
    • Communication skills.
    • Enjoys a job that has multiple steps.
    • Enjoys following steps in same order every day.
    • Enjoys working with equipment and machinery.
    • Enjoys being part of a team.
    • Able to record information.
  • EducationDetails

    Most employers prefer to hire high school graduates.

    To work in this trade in Alberta, at least ONE of these must be true:

    • You are a registered apprentice.
    • You are an Alberta-certified journeyperson.
    • You have a recognized related trade certificate.
    • Your employer believes your skills and knowledge are the same as a journeyperson.
    • You are self-employed in this trade.

    To register as an Alberta apprentice you need to have:

    • English Language Arts 10-2 or equivalent.
    • Math 10-3 or equivalent.
    • or able to pass the entrance exam.
    • An employer willing to train you.

    Apprenticeship term:

    • Work on your first year in grade 10-12 through the Registered Apprenticeship Program.
    • Parts Technician:
      • 3 years.
      • 1st Year: 1500 work hours + 6 weeks classroom training.
      • 2nd Year: 1500 work hours + 8 weeks classroom training.
      • 3rd Year: 1500 work hours + 6 weeks classroom training.
      • May take exam in final year to earn Red Seal and work throughout most of Canada.
    • Materials Technician:
      • 3 years.
      • 1500 work hours each year.
      • 6 weeks classroom training each year.
      • If you have a recognized journeyperson certificate already in a related trade, it might count towards the Materials Technician certification.
  • Programs OfferedDetails

    Technical training is arranged by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training and is currently offered at:

    Lakeland College and Red Deer College also offer technical training by distance delivery.

    For more information, visit the Technical Training Centre on the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training website.

    Post-secondary institutions may offer pre-employment programs for prospective apprentices or continuing education programs for journeypersons on an as needed basis. For local information, visit the websites of post-secondary institutions near you.

  • AdvancementDetails

    Job Opportunities in this trade include:

    • Supervisory or management positions.
    • Purchasing.
    • Inventory control.
    • Materials management.
    • Sales positions.

    Job openings are affected by:

    • Current employment rates.
    • People leaving existing positions.
    • Creation of new positions that never existed before.
    • Size of the occupation.

    Future Trends:

    • More than 3,400 Albertans work in the Storekeepers and Parts Clerks category.
    • Expect below average growth of 0.6% from 2013 to 2017 in Alberta.
    • Forecast 20 new positions each year.
    • More than 15,900 Albertans work in the Shippers and Receivers category.
    • Expect below average growth of 0.4% from 2013 to 20117 in Alberta.
    • Forecast 64 new positions each year.
    • Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
  • SalaryDetails

    Journeyperson wage rates vary but generally range from $13 to $35 an hour plus benefits, depending on industry sector and geographic location in the province. Apprentice parts technicians and materials technicians earn at least 65 per cent of the journeyperson wage rate in their place of employment in the first year, 75 per cent in the second and 85 per cent in the third.

    According to the 2011 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the:

    • Storekeepers and Parts Clerk occupational group earned on average from $17.38 to $27.29 an hour. The mean wage for this group was $22.67 an hour.
    • Shippers and Receivers occupational group earned on average from $15.75 to $21.29 an hour. The mean wage was $18.51 an hour.
  • Other SourcesDetails