Are maintenance technician job opportunities growing or declining?

Are jobs in this industry on the rise? Are there any sub-sectors that are growing?

Where are the jobs? Which places have the most maintenance technician opportunities?

I feel that maintenance jobs are on the rise. It's a matter of timing. Just think of it the Baby boomer era or generation is at the age of retirement.
That generation got on the seen when technology kept growing and manufacturing soared. Now it is time for them to lay down their wrenches, mic's, and meters. Who is going to fill the void?? We are the Multicrafted maintenance techs. The ones that learned from the baby boomers leaving. The ideal of lean manufacturing will want a maintenance person that can tackle a job without having to wait on three or more different trades to show up to help.
And unfortunately the economy on a down turn and the weaker dollar will also help industry. Why. you might say? Just think of why company's leave the US it sure isn't for quality!! Its for weeker courency. The profit margin is great enough there that they can take the chance of replacing the defective part than paying the labor cost here have done right with low deficiency rate.
But now that the U S dollar is weaker and the other's are now higher and the Euro spreading like wild fire. Company's should start thinking about making the move back home as they now see the profit margin shorten. Just a thought.
I do believe that with generation that is going out leaves a great big gap in the maintenance field and companys that still believe in quality will be desperately seeking qualified maintenance people to fill the vast void.
There are actually Maintenance companies recruiting High Schoolers now.

Peace

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It's funny that all these companies think you have to have a degree in this stuff. If you dont have a degree, you wont be able to understand this equipment. Well in some cases they may be right. Like PLC's and such. But, if the older generation would only work together with the younger generation and show them what they know, they would be alot better off. The older generation seems to forget, someone at one time showed them when they were learning the trade. This is like a coveted trade. You dont tell, ask or show. You retain what you know and use it in the future. There leaving in 5, 10, 15 years, why would they not want to show someone what they know? I dont highly believe in letting a high schooler fall into this field, but I do believe if they are mechanically inclined or looking to get into this field, let them start out changing oil, grease equip., bulbs, light plumbing and all the daunting tasks that need to be done and groom them for what is coming in the future. This is a profitable and enjoyable field.

I have been looking for work for months and the only people I see working is hispanics. Seem like american are not looking out for one another and it's hurting the ecomony because so many of our dollars are going to Mexico along with the jobs. Our government should be ashame and Bush and Cheney should be brought up on charges of TREASON for the way they did AMERICA as awhole.

glong15 in Athens, Georgia said: I have been looking for work for months and the only people I see working is hispanics. Seem like american are not looking out for one another and it's hurting the ecomony because so many of our dollars are going to Mexico along with the jobs. Our government should be ashame and Bush and Cheney should be brought up on charges of TREASON for the way they did AMERICA as awhole.

I do agree especially in industry itself that mexicans are getting the production and maintenance jobs. Why, because they will work for SLAVE wages in which us skilled or educated americans refuse to do. I did eight years military went to work and college at the same time and graduated college(an accredited community college) with a 2yr. diploma in Manufacturing and Industrial Technology: Industrial Maintenance and Electrical Technology options.

So my point is is that fortunately I am on unemployment while I search for work and I REFUSE to work for much lower than the median earnings for a Industrial Maintenance Tech even if it risks denial of my benefits. These American Industries as well as staffing agencies I notice are quickly bringing down the earning wages for all Industrial jobs some which people go to college for.

Earlier this week I had which I found out to be a staffing agency with nothing but latina(mexican waoman)recruiters call and wake me up to tell me about an Industrial electrician job she told me I was qualified for(Supposebly). It required HEAVY electrical knowledge and work and PLC programming and troubleshooting which is not a common skill. She had the nerve to tell me the position pays $13 an hr.WTF. I told her I wouldnt accept that much for them job duties and she told me then well the pay is based on experience so I went and registered with them and put down my minimum salary requirements on the App. I could tell when she read it that she was not happy. Then she told me if that position doesnt work out then she has more jobs. WHATEVER!! It will probally go to a mexican for the low low.