Appliance Service Technician – National Occupational Analysis (NOA)

General Information

• NOA History
• Structure of Analysis
• Development and Validation of Analysis
• Safety

Scope

“Appliance Service Technician” is this trade’s official Red Seal occupational title approved by the CCDA. This analysis covers tasks performed by appliance service technicians whose occupational title has been identified by some provinces and territories of Canada under the following names:

Appliance service technicians repair and service consumer related appliance products including, but not limited to:

Appliance service technicians identify appliance concerns by performing diagnostic procedures with testing equipment. Based on their assessment, they provide work and cost estimates to the customer. They may provide installation and maintenance services. They disassemble appliances, repair, remove and replace components, and reassemble appliances. They recover refrigerant gases and transfer the gases into approved storage containers for disposal according to jurisdictional regulations. Appliance service technicians may be called to demonstrate the use and care of the appliance to the customer.

Appliance service technicians may specialize in certain types or brands of appliances. They may be self-employed or employed by retail and manufacturer repair departments, utility companies or appliance service shops. Technicians may be supplied with service vehicles. The work environment may vary considerably because most of the work is in customers’ homes.

Key attributes for people entering this trade are communication, organizational and problem-solving skills. The physical considerations of the work include bending, kneeling and moving large appliances. If safety procedures are not followed there is an increased risk of physical injury due to electrical shocks, cuts, burns and muscle strain.

Appliance service technicians may consult and coordinate with other tradespeople such as refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, electricians, gas fitters and plumbers.

With experience, appliance service technicians may move into technical training, sales or supervisory positions. They may also work in their own appliance service business.

Occupational Observations

Manufacturers are using new technology and upgrades such as induction cooking technology, variable speed compressors and fans, and multiple evaporators for independent cooling zones.

The incorporation of steam into appliances such as washers, dryers, dishwashers and ranges is becoming more common and may offer improved cleaning and baking performance. Some manufacturers’ workshops specialize in specific technological requirements for the repair of these new products.

Self-diagnosing appliances assist the technician in informing them where to focus their diagnosis. Appliances are becoming more integrated with electronic technology.

Appliance components are more disposable, making component replacement more common than component repair.

Advances in technology are resulting in an increased need for post-certification training of technicians on a continuous basis.

It is important that technicians have good customer communication and critical thinking skills in order to perform the diagnosis of appliances.

Essential Skills Summary

Essential skills are needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.

Through extensive research, the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine essential skills. These skills are used in nearly every occupation and throughout daily life in different ways.

A series of CCDA-endorsed tools have been developed to support apprentices in their training and to be better prepared for a career in the trades. The tools can be used independently or with the assistance of a tradesperson, trainer, employer, teacher or mentor to:

• understand how essential skills are used in the trades;
• learn about individual essential skills strengths and areas for improvement; and
• improve essential skills and increase success in an apprenticeship program.

Tools are available online or for order.

The essential skills profile for the appliance service technician trade indicates that the most important essential skills are document use, oral communication and decision making.

The application of these skills may be described throughout this document within the competency statements which support each subtask of the trade. The following are summaries of the requirements in each of the essential skills, taken from the essential skills profile.

• Reading

  Appliance service technicians require strong reading skills to read and comprehend operating instructions, safety warnings and online information to learn about appliances, new technologies and changes in the industry. They must read and interpret notes on work orders, which summarize customers' problems with the operation of appliances and previous repairs.

• Document Use

  Appliance service technicians refer to work orders and job specifications to determine the tasks to be performed and material required. They refer to the model numbers on various products to interpret parts breakdown drawings. Appliance service technicians must locate data such as tech sheets, and functions and specifications of components by studying the schematics for electrical and refrigerant systems in appliances.

• Writing

  Appliance service technicians use writing skills to prepare work orders and invoices to document work. They may keep personal logbooks on the details and status of tasks performed. On occasion, appliance service technicians may need to complete hazard or near-miss reports. They write e-mails to parts suppliers and appliance manufacturers to confirm orders or request information.

• Oral Communication

  Appliance service technicians talk to customers about service concerns and repairs to be performed. They need strong communication skills when experiencing customer related stressful situations to promote good customer relations. They speak with supervisors regarding work schedules, normal work practices and any unusual occurrences such as unresolved customer complaints. Appliance service technicians also exchange information with co-workers and manufacturers' representatives.

• Numeracy

  Appliance service technicians calculate labour charges, add costs of parts and supplies, and then apply discounts and sales taxes. They calculate and present cost analyses to customers. Appliance service technicians measure and compare readings such as temperatures, pressures and clearances to ensure the readings are within manufacturers' established standards.

• Thinking Skills

  Appliance service technicians often have to use thinking skills to solve problems like organizing a job and diagnosing appliance issues. They must maintain adequate inventory and/or shop supplies. They must also find correct addresses, reconfirm appointments or make new arrangements.

• Working with Others

  As much as appliance service technicians often work independently to carry out repairs and service appliances, they must often collaborate and work with other trades to solve customer issues.

• Computer Use

  Appliance service technicians may use processing, bookkeeping, billing, accounting or communication software to accomplish tasks such as processing invoices and ordering parts. They must enter or retrieve information about customers, parts orders, service calls and repair jobs. They must also search on-line databases for information about appliance repairs.

• Continuous Learning

  Technical upgrading is offered by manufacturers when new products or equipment are introduced. Appliance service technicians may attend training seminars sponsored by appliance manufacturers to be certified to work on specific brands of appliances. They take general skill upgrading offered through apprenticeship programs, and regularly upgrade their skills as new appliance technologies and features enter the market.

Acknowledgements

The CCDA and ESDC wish to express sincere appreciation for the contribution of the many tradespersons, industrial establishments, professional associations, labour organizations, provincial and territorial government departments and agencies, and all others who contributed to this publication.

Special acknowledgement is extended by ESDC and the CCDA to the following representatives from the trade and apprenticeship bodies or national organizations that nominated them:

• Norman Atwell Sr. - New Brunswick
• D. Garth Cameron - Alberta
• Kevin Gourlay - Alberta
• Ron Hildebrandt - Manitoba
• Ramir Magbanua - Installation, Maintenance and Repair Sector Council (IMR)
• Kenneth (Kenny) Leo Rose - Nova Scotia
• John Rynkun - IMR
• Tom Stairs - New Brunswick
• John Tracey - Newfoundland and Labrador

This analysis was prepared by the Workplace Partnerships Directorate of HRSDC. The coordinating, facilitating and processing of this analysis were undertaken by employees of the National Occupational Analysis (NOA) development team of the Trades and Apprenticeship Division. Mike Krill for the host jurisdiction of Alberta also participated in the development of this NOA.