|
Field Technicians
Overview » Industry Pathways » Audio and Video Technologies 
Field technicians set up and operate portable transmission equipment when television news is broadcasting from outside of the studio. These workers need to be ready for almost any situation including dealing with weather and traffic problems. Regardless of any issues that may arise, the show must go on!
Field technicians are part of a team of workers who perform a variety of duties in small stations. In large stations and at the networks, technicians are more specialized although job assignments may change from day to day. Workers in these positions may monitor and log outgoing signals and operate transmitters; set up, adjust, service, and repair electronic broadcasting equipment; and regulate brightness, contrast, volume, and sound quality of television broadcasts. Technicians also work in program production.
The transition to digital recording, editing, and broadcasting has greatly changed the work of field technicians. Software on desktop computers has replaced specialized electronic equipment in many recording and editing functions.
Most radio and television stations have replaced video and audio tapes with computer hard drives and other computer data storage systems. This transition has forced technicians to learn computer networking and software skills.
About 32 percent of field technicians work in broadcasting (except Internet) and 16 percent are employed in the motion picture and sound recording industries. About one in 10 are self-employed. Television stations typically employ more technicians than radio stations.
Some technicians are employed in other industries, producing employee communications, sales, and training programs. Technician jobs in television are located in virtually all cities, whereas jobs in radio are also found in many small towns.
The highest paying and most specialized jobs are concentrated in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.; the originating centers for most network or news programs.
Lots of people get excited about the possibility of working in these fields, especially in television or the film industry. People seeking entry-level jobs as technicians in broadcasting are expected to face strong competition in major metropolitan areas, where pay generally is higher and the number of qualified jobseekers is typically greater than the number of openings. It is probably easier to find entry-level positions in small cities and towns.
Overall employment of field technicians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2012.
Employment of field technicians in the cable broadcasting industry should grow as the range of services is expanded to provide such products as cable Internet access and video-on-demand. However, job prospects are expected to remain competitive because of the large number of people who are attracted by the glamour of working in television.
The best way to prepare to be a field technician is to obtain technical school, community college, or college training in electronics, computer networking, or broadcast technology. Field technicians need the electronics training necessary to operate technical equipment and they generally complete specialized postsecondary programs. Be prepared to do some hard work and put in some very long hours, but this can provide a big pay-off with the important networking that is necessary to break into this industry.
Field technicians generally need a high school diploma. Many recent entrants have a community college degree or various other forms of postsecondary degrees, although that is not always a requirement. They may substitute on-the-job training for formal education requirements. Working in a studio, as an assistant, is a great way of gaining experience and knowledge.
Television stations usually pay higher salaries than do radio stations; commercial broadcasting usually pays more than public broadcasting; and stations in large markets pay more than those in small markets.
If you are interested in this occupation or are wondering about related occupations, use the links below to continue your exploration. Always remember, the more effort you put into exploring possible careers, the easier it will be for you to discover the best career choices for you!
For career information and links to employment resources contact:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Occupational Information Network, O*NET Online: http://online.onetcenter.org/
National Association of Broadcasters: http://www.nab.org
Society of Broadcast Engineers: http://www.sbe.org
For information about planning and paying for college, visit Junior Achievement’s Financial Aid Center.
|