RSI is a Great Training Option for Everyone
Learn more about how we can prepare you to advance your career.
People who work in an office building, factory, or any commercial space, are dependent on consistently running electricity, plumbing, and climate control. Every business facility, large or small, needs technicians to maintain and fix the systems that are essential to functionality of the building. 1 But what are the job requirements and career opportunities for these facilities maintenance technicians?
How Do You Become a Facilities Maintenance Technician?
Trade school is one route to a career as a facilities maintenance technician. In facility maintenance training, you might take mechanical drawing, electric wiring, woodworking, blueprint reading, and computer classes, all of which are designed to give you the skills to perform your job.
Career Options
Your exact job duties will vary depending on where you work. Hotel maintenance technicians handle tasks like lubricating, cleaning, and inspecting equipment. They repair electronic systems, configure controls, and check the hotel’s kitchen and refrigeration equipment. They are also available to help guests who have plumbing or electrical wiring problems during their stay. Because they frequently interact with hotel patrons, they must have good communication skills and be welcoming and accommodating. 2
Property or building maintenance technicians also need to have the skills to perform maintenance and repairs on the property. They may also be called on to conduct training for new workers. If the building or part of the building has not been in use for some time, a property maintenance technician will not only need to ensure that everything is working properly but also clean and paint the building. They ensure a building or property is operating functionally and safely. 3
Get Started on the Path to a New Career
Fill out our form to learn how we can help you change your life.
As in most industries, as people gain more experience, a facilities maintenance technician can move up to a managerial role. Not only to maintenance managers have the mechanical skills but have the additional tasks of hiring and supervising maintenance staff and creating a schedule for handling various maintenance tasks and would also need to be proactive in preventing problems. Such managers would need to not only be familiar with how to do certain jobs but would need to have other skills knowing computer applications and maintaining budgets. On occasion, a manager may need to do the work of a facilities maintenance technician if working at a smaller facility or if workers are busy on other tasks. 4
Career Outlook
Many specialties fall under facilities maintenance. Refrigeration and HVAC technicians need to do preventative maintenance and work on repairs and replace faulty units when needed. Facilities maintenance may need to have some skills in other areas like plumbing and electrical to ensure building operation continue to run smoothly or to be fixed quickly to prevent work shut downs. Some of the industries have higher than average growth according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics like HVAC5 and Electricians6.
Additional Sources
1 – http://www.cwu.edu/facility/service-maintenance-and-capital-definitions
2 – http://jobdescriptionandresumeexamples.com/hotel-maintenance-technician-job-description-sample/
3 – http://jobdescriptionandresumeexamples.com/property-maintenance-technician-job-description-example/
4 – http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-facilities-maintenance-manager-do.htm
5 – http://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heating-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration-mechanics-and-installers.htm
6 – http://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electricians.htm
