Elevator technicians are in high demand, which is why lots of people are looking into the career. But the question is if working as an elevator technician is really a good job?

A career as an elevator technician is great for someone with a large interest in mechanical work and technical knowledge. Elevator technicians work with a variety of electrical walkways and site transport. They complete maintenance, repairs, installations and inspections, and receive a high salary.

Read on to find out more about developing a career as an elevator technician.

Is working as an elevator technician a good job for you?

Working as an elevator technician could be the right mix of technical and physical challenging for you. With the constant increase in construction of newer buildings, elevators are becoming more of an expectation. This has increased the demand for elevator technicians greatly. You would get to travel through major cities and a variety of different buildings to work on elevators of all heights and sizes. The demand is not looking to decrease any time soon because, without working elevators, many businesses will be put at a standstill.

So, is working as an elevator technician a good job for you? Well, this completely depends on your interest and determination to work in the field. You will need to have a decent level of strength and stamina to carry elevator parts and actually get to elevators. Sometimes they will be stuck on a high floor, and you will need to take stairs to get to the elevator. If you’re fixing up a construction elevator, you could be climbing up construction scaffolding.

Other than this physical work, the main characteristics you’ll need for work as an elevator technician are troubleshooting skills and an interest in mechanical work. A career in a field that you’re not actually interested in will not be a good fit for you. Working as an elevator technician is a great career choice for those with a keen interest in mechanics. Learn the complete ins and outs of elevator functioning and resolving any potential issues and hazards.

You can work as your own boss and offer your skills to contractors. Build relationships with labour hire companies to continue to grow your network. You could easily become the go-to elevator technician if you have a good work ethic, a positive approach to business and great technical skills.

What do elevator technicians do?

Elevator technicians are skilled mechanics who install, repair and maintain elevators. They can also work with other types of moving walkways, escalators, cable cars, and ski lifts. Typical duties of an elevator technician involve:

• Installing elevators, escalators, and other mechanical walkways.
• Testing newly installed equipment.
• Responding to mechanical failures and system malfunctions.
• Determining the need to perform major repairs or replacement of equipment.
• Servicing and maintaining machine parts.
• Reading and interpreting relevant blueprints and schematics.
• Following relevant maintenance and service procedures.
• Carrying out safety checks.
• Assisting with third-party inspections.
• Maintaining stock and ordering supplies (related to mechanical walkways).

As an elevator technician, you visit a range of worksites and workplaces. You are often responsible for coordinating the repairs entirely, while contractors foot the bill.

How much do elevator technicians earn?

In Australia, the average wage for an elevator technician is about $45 per hour. This means an elevator technician can make around $85,000 per year. This is double the national minimum wage in Australia, which is $20.33 per hour.

Elevator technicians earn a good salary in exchange for the difficulty of and need for their work. Many trades in high demand are slowly offering higher salaries to fill positions. The demand for elevator technicians is expected to increase again over the next decade, which could inflate the salary even more. It’s a great time to start learning the technical skills for this career. It is also very different from lots of other jobs, which makes it more appealing.

If you decide to work independently and offer your technician services through your own business, you get to set your own wage. Given the demand and the type of jobs you could be completing, you could make a great income from working as an elevator technician.

What do you need to become an elevator technician?

To become an elevator technician, you will need to complete an apprenticeship that typically lasts for 4 years. You don’t need to have completed high school, but up to year 10 at least. There are often fees to enrol in apprenticeships, but they can offer paid on-the-job training as well. The apprenticeships will often combine site training with classroom work. The in-class work will address the technical studies behind geometry, physics, and construction only to the extent necessary for this work. Your practical skills are developed with on-site training. Throughout the whole apprenticeship, you learn to read blueprints, study circuits, understand and follow safety regulations, alongside your electrical training.

Alongside an apprenticeship, you typically complete a certificate III in electrotechnology. This furthers your electrical skills and knowledge and can also qualify you to work as an electrician. This certificate is completed during an apprenticeship to develop a career as an elevator technician.

Are there any downsides to working as an elevator technician?

Every career has positives and negatives but working as an elevator technician doesn’t come with many of the latter. The pay is good, the work is challenging, and you get to visit all kinds of workplaces. Not to mention that an elevator technician can be their own boss, running their own business.

That being said, there are factors to consider before deciding this is the career for you. One thing is that elevator technicians could be ‘on call’ a lot. This is because there are emergency situations where your skills will be required as soon as possible. Some people don’t leave an office until late at night. If the elevator stops working, you could get a call at 11:30 pm and have to go help. But at least you’re saving someone from having to spend twelve hours stuck in an elevator!

The other aspect to consider is the working environment. Elevator technicians work in confined spaces and at all kinds of heights. If you’re not comfortable in these places, then working as an elevator technician won’t be a good fit for you.

Elevator technician work can be dangerous, but if you have the proper training and follow safety protocols, it can be an interesting and rewarding career.

Want to learn about more labour work and trades? Check out our other Rednax resources! We can tell you what you need to know about becoming a carpenter. Also, what makes a good employee. With the demand for construction workers at such a high rate, now is a great time to break into the field. Looking for work as a labourer? Check out our job board at Rednax Recruitment.