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Agricultural Engineering Technician
Agricultural engineering technicians, design, install, maintain, service and sell agricultural and horticultural machinery. Technicians work for equipment manufacturers, dealerships, hire services, service engineering companies, crop, livestock and fish farms, and forestry companies.
They deal with a range of equipment including tractors, tillers, harvesters, sprayers, transporters, and milking, feeding, crop processing and storage systems; they also work with heavy construction plant machinery, various types of logging equipment and power tools, such as chainsaws.
Job roles fall into three broad categories:
Servicing and repair - technicians carry out regular maintenance checks on machinery. They use inspection and testing equipment to diagnose faults and fix them as quickly as possible. Work is often carried out on-site, for instance on a farm, but where necessary, technicians will carry out repairs back in the workshop.
They deal with mechanical, electrical, electronic, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Some repairs may require a small amount of soldering or welding, others may involve the complete stripping down of an engine before repair and reassembly. They also install new equipment and instruct owners on how to use it correctly and safely.
Sales and marketing – people who have previously trained and worked as a technician often carry out this role. They need an in-depth knowledge of parts and machinery and an appreciation of the market pressures faced by their clients. Sales staff travel to businesses within their region, demonstrating and selling equipment and parts. They also keep clients up to date with the latest developments in machinery, deal with enquiries and keep clients informed on the progress of their orders.
Manufacturing - technicians assist agricultural engineers in the design, development, testing and building of new products for the farming and forestry industries. They are normally based in an engineering workshop and are competent in a range of skills, including:
- fabrication
- welding
- electrics
- computer-aided design.
They have a thorough knowledge of agricultural equipment and understand the needs of land-based industries.
Hours and Environment
Agricultural servicing technicians work long and irregular hours and are often on-call. Overtime is common, particularly during the summer months. They work outside in all weathers.
Technicians in workshops usually work about 40 hours a week. Workshops can be noisy and dirty. Much of the work is very physical, involving heavy machinery and tools.
Sales staff spend some time in offices as well as out on the road visiting clients. There may be some periods of time spent away from home. A driving licence is essential.
Skills and Interests
As an agricultural engineering technician you should have:
- a sound understanding of engineering technology
- the ability to analyse and rectify problems quickly
- the ability to manage and organise your own workload
- the ability to work alone and as part of a team
- good communication and negotiation skills
- be physical fit
- an awareness of health and safety issues
- keep up to date with developments in technology.
Entry
One route for young people is to train as an agricultural technician apprentice. Most apprentices start at 16 to 19, but entry may be possible up to 24. For more details about apprenticeships, see Lantra, the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) and Careertrack in Further Information or the contacts in the Training section below.
You will normally need four GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3), such as maths, English, science, engineering, design and technology or appropriate equivalents.
An alternative award open to all age groups, offered mainly by agricultural colleges, is the Edexcel (BTEC) National Certificate/Diploma in Land-Based Technology. This contains several optional units including:
- agri-machinery
- horticultural machinery
- hydraulics and pneumatics
- electrical and electronic systems
- computer-aided design
- diagnosis and rectification of faults.
The National Certificate/Diploma in Agriculture also contains units in machinery operations and vehicle technology.
The Lantra website has a comprehensive list of agricultural colleges offering the courses mentioned above.
Qualifications and/or experience in mechanical engineering or vehicle maintenance may also be acceptable to employers, although further training in specific machinery would be done once employed.
For information about careers in this field contact Lantra, the IAgrE and Careertrack in Further Information.
Training
Once employed, you can train for the NVQ/SVQ in Land-based Service Engineering Level 2 (4024) and Level 3 (4025). This is coupled with the technical certificate in Land-based Service Engineering (3942) at levels 2 and 3.
The award contains seven unit titles, including:
- Diagnose Faults in Tractors and Machinery
- Dismantle, Assemble and Repair Components in Tractors and Machinery
- Conduct Testing of Tractors and Machinery Following Repair
- Repair and Modify Components by Welding.
If you are a suitably qualified/experienced agricultural technician, you can register with the Engineering Council to attain EngTech status for professional development. For more details, see the EngTech website and Institution of Agricultural Engineers website in Further Information.
The IAgrE also operates a system of continuing professional development for technicians which helps engineers record and plan their professional development. See IAgrE for details.
You may be able to enter through an apprenticeship scheme. Funding for apprenticeships may be available to people in certain priority groups. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland.
Opportunities
Employers vary from large multinational manufacturing companies to small machinery dealerships and service agents. Opportunities also exist with distributors and horticultural companies, which operate within the leisure industry. If working for a multinational company, there may be opportunities to work abroad, particularly in developing countries.
Small companies are common in the industry, and prospects for promotion within these companies are good. Typical progression routes are to:
- senior technician
- workshop manager
- inspection roles
- training
- area and regional sales
- general management.
Annual Income
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
New entrants start between £10,500 and £13,000 a year.
With qualifications this can rise to between £13,500 and £18,000.
Senior agricultural technicians can earn up to £25,000 a year.
Agricultural engineering technicians may receive additional income for working shifts and overtime.
Further information
London
WC2R 3ER
Entrance B
Level 1
Salamander Quay West
Park Road
Harefield
UB9 6NZ
Tel: 0870 205 2834
Silsoe
Bedfordshire
MK45 4FH
Tel: 01525 861096
Stoneleigh Park
Nr Coventry
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 0845 707 8007
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The information contained in our Career Profiles Database was correct at time of publishing, but since publication certain details may have changed so please use this section as a research tool and in some cases further research may be required.
Careers Database Information By Learn Direct Advice