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What does a general maintenance technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

General maintenance technicians are skilled technical professionals who are responsible for fixing and maintaining machines and equipment as well as general home appliances. These technicians are required to use hand or power tools to perform preventive maintenance of equipment while repairing or replacing defective parts. They must inspect company vehicles so that they can provide complete preventive maintenance services. General maintenance technicians must also perform maintenance on establishments such as carpentry, general repair, and pest control.

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General maintenance technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real general maintenance technician resumes:

  • Asphalt repair, concrete repair.
  • Travele during require new PC deployments.
  • Design solutions to eliminate note reoccurring issues for customer PC concerns.
  • Construct, erect, maintain and dismantle scaffold per OSHA and ADOSH specifications.
  • Repair or replace PLC's, various sensors and switches on production lines.
  • Make minor electrical repairs from switches, power outlets, ballast and light sockets.
  • Use of spectrum analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes and other associate RF test equipment.
  • Hoist tar and roofing materials onto roofs.assist in caulking pipe joints to properly seal them.
  • Lead, assign and oversee work relate duties and responsibilities necessary to maintain overall cleanliness of buildings.
  • General maintenance for school system; mowing, weed-trimming, painting, welding, carpentry, etc.
  • Work on equipment such as butter packers, churn, evaporators, dryers, and bagging equipment.
  • Install, maintain and repair heating, ventilation, and cooling units for both commercial and residential homes.
  • Repair and perform routine maintenance on all HVAC systems in the school district, including fan and filter cleaning and replacement.
  • Require to washes walls, windows, and blinds and ceiling fixtures using ladders, scaffolds and safety belt.
  • Perform preventative maintenance, hotel repairs and service consisting of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical

General maintenance technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 36% of General Maintenance Technicians are proficient in Electrical Systems, Plumbing, and HVAC. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Dexterity, and Troubleshooting skills.

We break down the percentage of General Maintenance Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Electrical Systems, 36%

    Certified in Automotive brake and electrical systems and wheel alignment.

  • Plumbing, 11%

    Performed general maintenance which included plumbing, construction, electrical and new construction for plant operations expansion for equipment placement projects.

  • HVAC, 8%

    General property maintenance Residential HVAC installation and service Computer, I-Phone, I-Pad repair Automotive Mechanics

  • Ladders, 4%

    Required to washes walls, windows, and blinds and ceiling fixtures using ladders, scaffolds and safety belt.

  • Customer Service, 4%

    Provided customer service and assistance to concerning personnel.

  • Absorbers, 4%

    Install anti vibration absorbers, build scaffolding as needed and perform general carpentry.

Common skills that a general maintenance technician uses to do their job include "electrical systems," "plumbing," and "hvac." You can find details on the most important general maintenance technician responsibilities below.

Customer-service skills. The most essential soft skill for a general maintenance technician to carry out their responsibilities is customer-service skills. This skill is important for the role because "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." Additionally, a general maintenance technician resume shows how their duties depend on customer-service skills: "general maintenance to customer vehicles shop equipment maintenance and operation mount, balance, and repair tires"

Dexterity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling general maintenance technician duties is dexterity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "many repair and maintenance tasks, such as repairing small devices, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools, require a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination." According to a general maintenance technician resume, here's how general maintenance technicians can utilize dexterity in their job responsibilities: "use of hand tools, construction heavy machinery, fork lifting, and pallet jack use.demonstrate ability to lift 50 lbs. "

Troubleshooting skills. This is an important skill for general maintenance technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how general maintenance technician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "workers find, diagnose, and repair problems." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a general maintenance technician: "perform general maintenance of the building such as general repair, installation,troubleshooting and customer service. ".

Most common general maintenance technician skills

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Compare different general maintenance technicians

General maintenance technician vs. Maintenance engineer

A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.

The annual salary of maintenance engineers is $9,670 higher than the average salary of general maintenance technicians.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both general maintenance technician and maintenance engineer positions are skilled in electrical systems, plumbing, and hvac.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, general maintenance technician responsibilities require skills like "strong work ethic," "absorbers," "safety procedures," and "facility equipment." Meanwhile a typical maintenance engineer has skills in areas such as "guest rooms," "maintenance tasks," "boilers," and "cleanliness." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

The education levels that maintenance engineers earn slightly differ from general maintenance technicians. In particular, maintenance engineers are 4.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a general maintenance technician. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

General maintenance technician vs. Maintenance helper

A maintenance helper performs basic support tasks to assist maintenance technicians in installing and repairing machines and equipment. Their responsibilities typically include gathering and handing tools, changing fixtures such as light bulbs and faucets, preparing workspaces, and cleaning work areas and equipment. They may also liaise with vendors or suppliers, build positive relationships with clients, and handle calls and correspondence. Moreover, maintenance helper must utilize their experiences to learn more complex tasks and gain industry insight.

A career as a maintenance helper brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a general maintenance technician. In fact, maintenance helpers salary is $6,639 lower than the salary of general maintenance technicians per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both general maintenance technicians and maintenance helpers have skills such as "electrical systems," "plumbing," and "hvac. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real general maintenance technician resumes. While general maintenance technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "strong work ethic," "customer service," "absorbers," and "dependability," maintenance helpers use skills like "preventive maintenance," "maintenance tasks," "routine maintenance," and "grass."

On average, maintenance helpers earn a lower salary than general maintenance technicians. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, maintenance helpers earn the most pay in the energy industry with an average salary of $37,360. Whereas general maintenance technicians have higher pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $48,998.In general, maintenance helpers achieve similar levels of education than general maintenance technicians. They're 0.6% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

General maintenance technician vs. Maintenance worker

Maintenance workers are employees assigned to oversee the equipment, furniture, and fixtures in the office. They ensure that these items work correctly by doing routine check-ups, identifying any problems, anticipating challenges, sourcing for spare parts, and repairing problems. They also ensure that all the equipment, furniture, and fixtures are clean and always ready for use. They should be familiar with all the official instructions and procedures to ensure that they can adequately care for these items. They may also handle the installation of any new equipment.

On average scale, maintenance workers bring in lower salaries than general maintenance technicians. In fact, they earn a $1,331 lower salary per year.general maintenance technicians and maintenance workers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "electrical systems," "plumbing," and "hvac," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a general maintenance technician is likely to be skilled in "strong work ethic," "ladders," "absorbers," and "dependability," while a typical maintenance worker is skilled in "grass," "maintenance tasks," "cleanliness," and "flower beds."

Maintenance workers earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $37,554. General maintenance technicians earn the highest pay from the energy industry, with an average salary of $48,998.When it comes to education, maintenance workers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to general maintenance technicians. In fact, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

General maintenance technician vs. Maintenance internship

A maintenance intern has a variety of duties and responsibilities with the organization he/she or she is working for. Typical duties that you will likely perform for this job include assisting in plant improvement project management, interact with senior leadership of the company, and assisting with moving furniture for remodeling projects. In addition, as a maintenance intern, you will have the opportunity to experience and learn the company's mission and values, gain technical knowledge, and participate in training.

Maintenance interns tend to earn a lower pay than general maintenance technicians by an average of $3,632 per year.While both general maintenance technicians and maintenance interns complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like electrical systems, plumbing, and hvac, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between general maintenance technicians and maintenance interns, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a general maintenance technician might have more use for skills like "strong work ethic," "ladders," "absorbers," and "dependability." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of maintenance interns require skills like "preventative maintenance," "maintenance intern," "c++," and "fire protection. "

Maintenance interns enjoy the best pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $44,441. For comparison, general maintenance technicians earn the highest salary in the energy industry.maintenance interns reach similar levels of education compared to general maintenance technicians, in general. The difference is that they're 4.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of general maintenance technician

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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