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The differences between technician's helpers and instrument technician apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a technician's helper and an instrument technician apprentice. Additionally, an instrument technician apprentice has an average salary of $39,849, which is higher than the $36,448 average annual salary of a technician's helper.
The top three skills for a technician's helper include customer service, HVAC and safety regulations. The most important skills for an instrument technician apprentice are hand tools, customer satisfaction, and diagnosis.
| Technician's Helper | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Yearly salary | $36,448 | $39,849 |
| Hourly rate | $17.52 | $19.16 |
| Growth rate | -4% | - |
| Number of jobs | 81,564 | 130,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A technician's helper primarily performs support tasks to assist technicians in carrying out various installations and repairs, learning technical skills along the way. They usually prepare and arrange tools and equipment, set-up and clean work areas, understand blueprints and schematics, troubleshoot issues, assemble materials, and fix and replace components under the technician's supervision. There are also times when they must coordinate with clients to identify their needs and preferences. Moreover, depending on their organization of employment, a technician's helper may also perform minimal clerical tasks such as handling calls, answering inquiries, or purchasing the necessary materials.
An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles. Furthermore, there are also instances where one may liaise with clients to discuss the extent of damage or repairs, building positive relationships in the process to secure a client base.
Technician's helpers and instrument technician apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technician's Helper | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $36,448 | $39,849 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $58,000 | Between $27,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Merced, CA | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | PNM Resources | Accenture |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a technician's helper and an instrument technician apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Technician's Helper | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between technician's helpers' and instrument technician apprentices' demographics:
| Technician's Helper | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |