Industrial Instrument Technicians and Mechanics
Job description
These individuals repair, maintain, and install industrial control and measuring instruments. They are employed by companies in such fields as:
- Pulp and paper processing
- Nuclear and hydroelectric power generation
- Mining, petrochemical, and natural gas
- Manufacturing and maintenance of industrial instruments
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Equipment, machinery, tools
Main tasks
- Read manufacturers’ manuals, circuit diagrams, and schemata.
- Determine test and maintenance methods for measuring and control instruments.
- Verify the operation of instruments and systems.
- Repair and adjust system components or remove and replace defective parts.
- Perform maintenance work and draft maintenance reports.
- Install measuring and control instruments.
- Consult and advise industrial process operators.
Advancement and mobility
- Experience leads to supervisory positions.
- Qualified Instrumentation and Control Technicians obtain a Red Seal endorsement upon successful completion of the Interprovincial Examination.
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 5.7% Female
- 94.3% Male
- 5.7% Female
- 94.3% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
-
NAICS 2221% of jobs
-
NAICS 324, 3259% of jobs
-
NAICS 5413, 54148% of jobs
-
NAICS 417% of jobs
-
NAICS 217% of jobs
-
Others48% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 2221% of jobs
-
NAICS 324, 3259% of jobs
-
NAICS 5413, 54148% of jobs
-
NAICS 417% of jobs
-
NAICS 217% of jobs
-
Others48% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
Secondary
DVS in automated Systems Electromechanics
Placement rate: 74.4%
14.3% of graduates pursue further studies
DVS in Électromécanique de systèmes automatisés
Placement rate: 82.4%
12.9% of graduates pursue further studies
College
DCS in industrial Maintenance Technology
Placement rate: 65.2%
30.4% of graduates pursue further studies
DCS in technologie du génie électrique : automatisation et contrôle
Placement rate: 73.3%
23.5% of graduates pursue further studies
Sometimes required
- Four or five years of training in industrial instrument repair may be required.
- Several years of experience are usually required to obtain a Certificate of Qualification.
- Membership in the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec (OTPQ [Quebec Order of Professional Technologists]) may be an asset.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Equipment maintenance
- Repair
- Monitoring operations
- Troubleshooting
- Quality control analysis
- Data collection
- Operations and control
- Critical thought
- Equipment selection
- Active listening
- Result evaluation
- Judgment and decision-making
- Solving complex problems
- Coordination
- Oral expression
- Time management
Abilities
- Manual dexterity
- Hand-arm stability
- Control accuracy
- Limb coordination
- Digital dexterity
- Reaction time
- Hearing sensitivity
- Near vision
- Awareness of issues
- Information organization
- Colour perception and distinction
- Written comprehension
- Oral comprehension
- Depth perception
- Static muscle power
- Physical flexibility in extension
- Auditory attention
- Selective attention
- Speech clarity
- Classification
- Speed control
- Core strength
- Deductive reasoning
- Distance vision
- Verbal skills
- Inductive reasoning
- Speech recognition
- Visualization
Knowledge and attributes
- Critical thinking
- Sense of responsibility
- Capacity to work in a team
- Knowledge of mathematics
- Rigour
- Sense of initiative
- Attention to detail
- Intermediate knowledge of the English language
- Capacity for synthesis
- Knowledge of mechanics
Interests
- Work in transportation and maintenance
- Make, build, install
- Work manually
- Conduct tests and trials, control processes
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Official name of the NOC 22312
Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
Job titles
- Industrial instrument mechanic
- Process control equipment service technician
- Industrial process control equipment repairer
- Industrial instrument technician
- Industrial instrument service technician
- Apprentice instrument mechanic
- Apprentice industrial instrument mechanic
- Instrument mechanic - utilities
- Precision instrument mechanic
- Process control equipment mechanic
- Instrument maintenance mechanic
- Industrial instrument panel repairer
- Process control equipment repairer
- Nucleonic controller repairer
- Heavy water plant control technician
- Nuclear generating station and heavy water plant control technician
- Industrial instrumentation and electrical technician
- Industrial instrumentation technician
- Industrial instrumentation and control technician
- Measurement technician - oil and gas installation
Skill type
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026