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What is a junior technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Ranganathan Chandrasekaran,
Alexey Kolmogorov Ph.D.
introduction image

Depending on the industry you're working in, a junior technician may be required to perform various tasks, such as software and hardware installations and troubleshooting. Many junior technicians must also assist other higher-level technicians in performing different job duties. A junior technician largely works with mechanical equipment, as well as complex computing systems.

A junior technician's main duties include maintaining in-house computing systems. This may include installing new hardware and software, as well as personalizing these to enhance a company's productivity. Customer service is also one of the duties that they perform. Specialized knowledge of computing and mechanical systems is required to qualify for the position.

Many acquire this knowledge by attending trade schools or by taking college-level courses. Some employers provide junior technicians training via an apprenticeship as well. However, the higher your knowledge and work experience credentials, the higher the chances of landing this job.

The average salary for a traditional workweek is $18.54 an hour. This equates to an annual average salary of $38,567, and it's likely to increase as you gain more experience. The career is expected to experience growth in the coming years.

What general advice would you give to a Junior Technician?

Ranganathan ChandrasekaranRanganathan Chandrasekaran LinkedIn profile

Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois

As we roll into another month of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduating students are facing one of the worst moments of their lives. They face several uncertainties; due to financial challenges, uncertainty about completing their degrees on time, adjusting to online and hybrid modes of learning, and worst of all, facing the worst job market. As a result, I see the stress and anxiety levels among the graduating students to be significantly higher, at levels I have not experienced in my academic career.

Several businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they have rolled back their offers made to students for internships and jobs. Businesses have also resorted to downsizing and layoffs, and we are likely to see that continue, at least in the near term. However, two sectors that are showing promises of a quick turnaround are technology and healthcare.

It might take many months for the economy to get back on track, but the demand for information systems graduates is likely to grow, as a large number of businesses have turned to increased use of technology in this pandemic period. As more companies go digital, we need more professionals to manage the remote-work, technological infrastructure and meet the other demands of the business. Students pursuing education in information systems, computer science, and healthcare are going to be in greater demand.

On the positive side, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic have also helped students to prepare themselves better for a tougher job market. I found many students rise up and use the lockdown period to have a serious introspection and invest their time and effort in upgrading their knowledge and skills. The internship drought and rescinding of job/internship offers brought their dreams crashing down, but I found several students to quickly get over their disappointments, and engage in improving their skillsets utilizing the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity. I am aware of many students, especially in the information systems disciple, who spent time doing online courses, completing certification programs, and take up DIY projects on data analysis, developing analytical and forecasting models, and visualization of various aspects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in massive amounts of data, released by several organizations worldwide, that have provided a stimulant for students to indulge in DIY-projects. I had several students approach me over summer to do some projects, and we have done some interesting projects using public datasets related to COVID-19.
ScoreJunior TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,417

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.7

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 10.56%

Black or African American 11.57%

Hispanic or Latino 15.97%

Unknown 5.36%

White 56.13%

Gender

female 17.13%

male 82.87%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Junior Technician career paths

Key steps to become a junior technician

  1. Explore junior technician education requirements

    Most common junior technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    33.8 %

    Associate

    32.6 %

    High School Diploma

    18.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific junior technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service18.68%
    HVAC7.23%
    Fall Protection6.85%
    Technical Support6.59%
    JR4.34%
  3. Complete relevant junior technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New junior technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a junior technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real junior technician resumes.
  4. Gain additional junior technician certifications

    Junior technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific junior technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for junior technicians include Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma) and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research junior technician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage backups, replications and disaster recovery plans of company mission critical servers and database files to ensure redundancy.
    • frame relay, TCP/IP configuration with NOC or on site engineer.
    • Set up new user workstations, updating software when need i.e.
    • Perform remote or in person program installation and OS setting changes to programs specifications.
  6. Prepare your junior technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a junior technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable junior technician resume templates

    Build a professional junior technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your junior technician resume.
    Junior Technician Resume
    Junior Technician Resume
    Junior Technician Resume
    Junior Technician Resume
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    Junior Technician Resume
    Junior Technician Resume
    Junior Technician Resume
  7. Apply for junior technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a junior technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first junior technician job

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Average junior technician salary

The average junior technician salary in the United States is $39,417 per year or $19 per hour. Junior technician salaries range between $26,000 and $57,000 per year.

Average Junior Technician Salary
$39,417 Yearly
$18.95 hourly

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How do junior technicians rate their job?

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Junior Technician reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Pros

You get to help a lot of people in many different ways as well as learning new things about technology

Cons

I have aids now due to the painfulness of sitting down all day


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

I decided to go to technical support because I've been fascinated by technology all my life and I love working with the people as well. I want to use my technical know-how to solve directly the problems that customers have. I want to be the person who makes life easier and more enjoyable for people who have had a problem. This is what I like most as a technical Support.

Cons

I don't like sitting around being inactive. So I'll keep my self always busy


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

I enjoy the challenges and learning new things . Technology is always evolving.

Cons

Customer is unwilling to provide you with necessary information in order to assist them.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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