New Electronics tech. salary question?

[etstudent]

I am roughly 8 weeks away from graduation. It was a long slog, but I'm finally nearing the end. I know it won't be easy to find a first ET gig, but what is the expected salary range for a new ET grad in NJ? I was told awhile back to expect $45,000 to $50,000 or $18 to $22 an hour. Now I got into this to make a difference in the world so salary means nothing to me but I did work extremely hard and would like to know salary ranges. I see assembler jobs for 10 bucks an hour, but i would guess those jobs are more for people that didn't get a formal education, right? Thanks for any info you may have.

[EEVblog]

Yes, forget assembler jobs, they are always unskilled low paying jobs.
Don't forget to shoot for junior engineering positions. Aim low and you stay low...

Dave.

[etstudent]

Thank you for the help, good info. Its hard to search for Electronics tech. jobs because its such a wide open field. There's no universal name for these jobs. I might not be done with courses altogether though, I might get specific training in Fiber optics, or fiber optic splicing, I may get PLC training to but am leaning against that at the moment.
Do you recommend applying for jobs that say 2 years experience even though I don't? Junior engineer I did even think of, thanks for the suggestion. There is a Electronics assembler job close to my house that is paying $18 to $19 and another from $14 to $19 but those are the only ones I ever saw that paid decent at all, the others are $10 or $11. Thanks for the help, appreciate it.

[8086]

Do you recommend applying for jobs that say 2 years experience even though I don't?

I applied for an electronics job that asked for 5+ years experience, and I actually have no commercial electronics experience except my assembly business. I didn't lie about it, I just sent some examples of my work so they could see my level. I got the job.

Lesson: apply for everything even if you think you won't get it! 

[etstudent]

Excellent advice, sometimes you can feel intimidated by jobs that say 5 plus years. The $18/$19 job says 5 years, but I'm thinking if I had 5 years experience I don't think that is the salary I would be looking at. Anyway again thanks for the help, good suggestions!

[EEVblog]

Do you recommend applying for jobs that say 2 years experience even though I don't?

Yes indeed. Especially if you have hobby project experience stuff on your resume (like you should!)

Dave.

[etstudent]

Hobby experience projects? what exactly is that? You mean like when I take apart old home theater receivers? I like doing that, DVD players too, I didn't know you could put that on your resume?

[8086]

Hobby experience projects? what exactly is that? You mean like when I take apart old home theater receivers? I like doing that, DVD players too, I didn't know you could put that on your resume?

Well, taking apart is one thing, but do you mod them or something in addition to taking them apart? Or design your own projects from scratch? That's really what people want to see.

[etstudent]

No, I'm not quite there yet, but now I might get on that quickly. Sounds like fun anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

[FenderBender]

Yeah an ET doesn't have to know everything in the world, from my understanding...but sure, even if you have some hobby projects, it shows interest: that you're not just doing this because you want a job, but because you enjoy it. People who enjoy their work do a better job.

Just my opinion.

[etstudent]

I agree, I would guess, so you can let me know, but I would guess that an employer wants to see passion from a new ET graduate. I mean no matter what you still need training in what that particular company does.

[vk6zgo]

Thank you for the help, good info. Its hard to search for Electronics tech. jobs because its such a wide open field. There's no universal name for these jobs. I might not be done with courses altogether though, I might get specific training in Fiber optics, or fiber optic splicing, I may get PLC training to but am leaning against that at the moment.
Do you recommend applying for jobs that say 2 years experience even though I don't? Junior engineer I did even think of, thanks for the suggestion. There is a Electronics assembler job close to my house that is paying $18 to $19 and another from $14 to $19 but those are the only ones I ever saw that paid decent at all, the others are $10 or $11. Thanks for the help, appreciate it.

I wouldn't go within a bull's roar of the Assembler job.
In my experience,those places are "at the bottom of the food chain" as far as Electronics jobs are concerned.

The prevailing culture in the place I worked at (as a Tech),was "Shut up & do as you're told!"
Any indication of reasonable Technical knowledge was looked at as a challenge to the pecking order.
If you remember that you are the designated "peckee",keep a low profile,& above all,work fast,you will be an Assembler until you can't stand it any more!

As an opinionated old fart with over 30 years as a Tech where I was expected to have a brain,I was like a square peg in a round hole!

Of course,as they say "YMMV"!

[etstudent]

Thanks for the advice, and oh yes I will keep a low profile, and stay out of the politics. I will stay away from controversy, and keep my mind on learning from other Techs. Thanks for the advice, if I'm following you correctly?

[vk6zgo]

No,I'm really advising you to be very careful about the jobs you do take on.
If you really have to work at such a place,keep your eyes out for a better job where you can use your brain,& get out of there as soon as you can!

[etstudent]

I hear what you saying, thanks for the advice.

[gregariz]

Please say what qualification you are going for, its very hard to give advice otherwise.

You say 'Electronics tech', but are you doing a trades course, some kind of certificate, an ASEET or a BSEET?

[etstudent]

Yeah its a certificate course, I should have mentioned that, sorry.

[gregariz]

OK ... usually certificates are about half an Associates.. depending on the certificate ~ 1 year course.

Theres heaps of stuff you could do. I agree with the other posters about assemblers. Having said that though, if they are the only jobs available you should take it until you find something better. On the plus side though, there will be little expected of you, you'd get to see how a manufacturer operates and how technicians and engineers are treated/work. Your soldering skills would also improve I'd guess.

Otherwise you could look for something like a technician job doing repair work, and engineering assistant spot (doing something like PCB layout or Autocad wiring drawings, or doing quality control or testing), a traveling salesman for a component rep or just use it to continue on to your AS.

[etstudent]

Yeah I was thinking of taking the "Industrial electronics and electrical maintenance" course at my school, after this. With my credit I'd have one full semester finished already, smart move in your opinion? That is A.S. degree by the way.
Most jobs that pay decent that I see say certificate/2 year degree. I'm a bit confused, I thought a certificate course from a credited institution was all that was really needed for the decent ET jobs?
I wonder how long it would take to finish 3 semesters in the "Industrial electronics/electrical maintenance" course working non stop, 5 days a week? How hard does the math get when getting into the A.S. program? I also have to find a local community college that will allow me to take a "Lab", what is a electronic/electrical lab anyway? I have lots of good community colleges nearby, I just don't know if they'd let me take a lab?
Wouldn't finishing the ET certificate course, and then passing the ETA's CETa exam and becoming certified be enough to get a pretty job, if not a really good job? Thanks for the help.

[etstudent]

Actually now that i remember my school calls its a "career diploma" not a certificate. Make any diff. or no? They have degree programs, career diploma programs, and certificate programs. this is in the "Career diploma" part.

[gregariz]

you need to do what is best for you.

My take is you should forget doing any other certificates etc unless they lead to a specific job. You already have enough paper to get a technicians job. If you are interested in being an engineer.. just find a college and do the BSEE and get it over with. If your math is crap, an alternative maybe to go straight to an AS and then continue on through to a BSEET. (BSEE is probably preferred in industry to a BSEET so just be mindful of that)

[etstudent]

Thanks, I sent you a PM, for specific questions I have.

[EEVblog]

I wonder how long it would take to finish 3 semesters in the "Industrial electronics/electrical maintenance" course working non stop, 5 days a week? How hard does the math get when getting into the A.S. program?

Usually you won't do any calculus unless you do a degree.
So the math should be pretty easy, as there is usually little focus on it unless you do a degree. But that will likely vary a lot between countries and courses.

I also have to find a local community college that will allow me to take a "Lab", what is a electronic/electrical lab anyway? I have lots of good community colleges nearby, I just don't know if they'd let me take a lab?

Usually a class called "lab" in electronics would involve practical stuff like using scopes, meters, soldering, troubleshooting etc

Dave.

[etstudent]

Thanks for the help. I am confused at what to do. I have to concentrate on the course I'm in now, rather than what is next, if there is a next. Thanks again for the help.

[vk6zgo]

I wonder how long it would take to finish 3 semesters in the "Industrial electronics/electrical maintenance" course working non stop, 5 days a week? How hard does the math get when getting into the A.S. program?

Usually you won't do any calculus unless you do a degree.
So the math should be pretty easy, as there is usually little focus on it unless you do a degree. But that will likely vary a lot between countries and courses.

I also have to find a local community college that will allow me to take a "Lab", what is a electronic/electrical lab anyway? I have lots of good community colleges nearby, I just don't know if they'd let me take a lab?

Usually a class called "lab" in electronics would involve practical stuff like using scopes, meters, soldering, troubleshooting etc

Dave.

Back in the day,when I did the Tech Officer (Bridging ) course in the,then,Telecom Australia,it was supposed to be Diploma level.
We certainly did Calculus in that course,so I always assumed they did in the normal Diploma.

There weren't enough bright young  lads & lasses going through the normal Diploma course,so they had to "Retread" some of us OFs!

It was a real pressure cooker type thing,we were supposed to have a work day off each fortnight to study---Hah!
The poor old Boss had a hard enough time covering a whole State worth of Transmitters with his normal staff,so the
study days got lost along the way!