职业描述：Electronics Assemblers, Fabricators, Inspectors and Testers (9483)

At Work
People in this occupation work in electronics manufacturing plants and in a wide variety of other manufacturing industries.
Electronics assemblers solder and manually assemble electronic components such as resistors, diodes, transistors, capacitors and integrated circuits to designated locations on printed circuit boards. They perform fine hand assembly using microscopes, hand and small power tools and automatic and semi-automatic machines.
Electronics fabricators operate and monitor process equipment including automatic and semi-automatic machines to fabricate electronic components and solder, clean, seal and stamp components.
Electronics inspectors check assembled and fabricated electronic components and assemblies to make sure they conform to specified requirements. They inspect final assemblies for finish, labelling and packaging and perform "go-no-go" electrical tests to check mechanical dimensions.
Electronics testers operate test equipment and tools to perform simple electrical and continuity testing of electronic components, parts and systems. They compare test results to specifications, and identify parts and products for repair and replacement.

Education, Training and Experience
People in this occupation usually must complete some high school. Most recent entrants are high school graduates; many have a trade/vocational or community college diploma.

Electronics testers may require specialized training after high school in basic electronic theory, testing techniques and testing equipment.
Electronics inspectors may need experience as electronics assemblers or component fabricators.
With additional training and experience, electronics assemblers and component fabricators may progress to electronics inspectors and testers.

About this Occupation
30,000 persons were employed in this occupation in 1996, down 2.1% from 1986. Over the same period, employment increased by 13.1% in all occupations.

4% of workers in this occupation work part-time, well below the average of 19% for all occupations.
35% of persons working in this occupation are women, compared to an average of 45% for all occupations.
The unemployment rate in this occupation averaged 5.5% from 1994 to 1996, compared to an average of 6.7% for all occupations. These rates are among the lowest for occupations at this skill level and for occupations in processing, manufacturing and utilities.
Average earnings of year-round, full-time workers in this occupation were $28,700, well below the average of $35,700 for all occupations. These earnings are among the lowest for occupations in processing, manufacturing and utilities.
Employment in this occupation is highly sensitive to overall economic conditions but is not seasonal.

Full-Time Earnings

1995 Full-Time Earnings*
$44,400 Highest
$28,700 Average
$14,800 Lowest

* Full-time earnings of the highest 10%, the average and the lowest 10% of workers. $35,700 is the average for all occupations.

Looking to the Year 2001
Current labour market conditions for new entrants in this occupation are poor. Labour market conditions for new entrants will remain poor through 2001.

Demand from employers will continue to grow, given increasing consumer demand for computers and other electronic equipment. However, the domestic economy has failed to capture many assembly-line jobs created by the explosion of computer use, and most electronic products are assembled overseas.
Almost all the increase in labour requirements for this occupation will occur in the electrical and electronic products industry.