To become a preventive maintenance technician, you usually need a associate degree and 1-2 years of experience. The most common jobs before becoming a preventive maintenance technician are maintenance technician, service technician, and technician. Hiring managers expect a preventive maintenance technician to have soft skills such as customer-service skills, dexterity, and troubleshooting skills. Once you have all the required skills and experience, it takes an average of 6-12 months of job training to become a preventive maintenance technician.

The national average salary for preventive maintenance technicians is $40,935, but with the right certifications and experience, they can make up to $52,000. Getting a certification as a EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) will help you to earn more as a preventive maintenance technician.

Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 85,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

How to become a Preventive Maintenance Technician in 6 steps:

  • Step 1: Explore preventive maintenance technician education
  • Step 2: Develop preventive maintenance technician skills
  • Step 3: Complete relevent training/internship
  • Step 4: Get preventive maintenance technician certifications
  • Step 5: Research preventive maintenance technician duties
  • Step 6: Prepare your resume

Key Steps To Become a Preventive Maintenance Technician

  1. Explore Preventive Maintenance Technician Education

    If you're interested in becoming a preventive maintenance technician, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 21.7% of preventive maintenance technicians have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 1.9% of preventive maintenance technicians have master's degrees. Even though some preventive maintenance technicians have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

    Preventive Maintenance Technician Degrees

    Associate

    31.3 %

    High School Diploma

    28.9 %

    Bachelors

    21.7 %

  2. Develop Preventive Maintenance Technician Skills

    It'll be a good idea to develop preventive maintenance technician skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in preventive maintenance technician job descriptions:

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service17.65%
    Hand Tools8.24%
    HVAC7.98%
    Dishwashers5.66%
    Plumbing5.06%

  3. Complete Relevent Training/Internship

    Preventive maintenance technicians spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. During this time, new preventive maintenance technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their specific job and employer. The chart below shows how much time it takes to gain competency as a preventive maintenance technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real preventive maintenance technician resumes.

    Average Amount Of Time At Training

    Less than 1 month

    1-3 months

    3-6 months

    6-12 months

    1-2 years

    2-4 years

    4-10 years

    More than 10 years

  4. Get Preventive Maintenance Technician Certifications

    Certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for this position. They can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a certification, having one may help you stand out in an application. Plus, the process of getting a certification can teach you new skills that you can bring to your work. We determined the most common certifications for preventive maintenance technicians. The most common certification is EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA), but Preventive Medicine is also frequently seen in preventive maintenance technicians resumes.

    1. EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA)
    2. Preventive Medicine
    3. OSHA Safety Certificate
    4. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
    5. Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Professional

    More About Certifications

  5. Research Preventive Maintenance Technician Duties

    When you decide to become a preventive maintenance technician, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most preventive maintenance technician jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:

    • Initiate and implement first preventative maintenance program for CNC, mills and lathes for the maintenance dept.
    • Control circuit and PLC installation and programming.
    • Climb poles, ladders and other structures as needed.
    • Train and knowledgeable of OSHA's rules and regulations.
    • Insure vehicle are meeting all safety guidelines as set for by ANSI and OSHA.
    • Assist higher-level heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) mechanics.

  6. Prepare Your Resume

    Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Preventive Maintenance Technician Resume templates

    Build a professional Preventive Maintenance Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Preventive Maintenance Technician resume.

    Preventive Maintenance Technician Resume
    Preventive Maintenance Technician Resume
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    Preventive Maintenance Technician Resume
    Preventive Maintenance Technician Resume

  7. Apply For a Preventive Maintenance Technician Job

    With your ready resume, it's time to start searching for a new job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

    Preventive Maintenance Technician Jobs

  8. How To Become a Preventive Maintenance Technician
    How To Become a Preventive Maintenance Technician Career Overview

Average Salary for a Preventive Maintenance Technician

Preventive Maintenance Technicians in America make an average salary of $40,935 per year or $20 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $52,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $31,000 per year.
Average Preventive Maintenance Technician Salary
$40,935 Yearly
$19.68 hourly

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