Description of the Parts Technician trade
“Parts Technician” is this trade’s official Red Seal occupational title. The CCDA approved this occupational title in 2019; the previous name was "Partsperson".
Parts technicians perform ordering, warehousing, inventory control and sales of parts. Their duties also include identifying parts and equipment, searching for parts, shipping and receiving parts, providing customer service and advice, expediting emergency materials, operating material handling equipment, scheduling pick-up and deliveries and maintaining records.
The parts technician trade services a range of industries including motive power, appliance, heavy duty equipment and natural resources. For example, parts technicians work in areas such as automotive service, commercial transport, recreational vehicle (RV) service, small engine repair, aeronautics, agricultural equipment, marine equipment, mining, manufacturing, electrical warehousing, plumbing and heating warehousing, refrigeration, storeage facilities, tool cribs and parts recycling. They may work at either wholesale or retail levels or with end users. They may work with a broad range of aftermarket parts or on a narrower scale, supplying parts for a particular make of vehicle or product. The work environment for parts technicians is generally indoors in a warehouse and at a service counter. Some partspeople may perform or arrange deliveries of parts to their customers. Parts technicians generally work in teams that include service staff, sales staff and service technicians.
Although the activities performed by a parts technician are similar for all industries in which they work, the product knowledge required is dramatically different. Therefore, they require an up-to-date knowledge of the industry as well as technical knowledge and the ability to describe parts and their applications to customers. It should be noted, however, that the scope of this trade does not include the ability to apply this knowledge to diagnosing or repairing mechanical, electronic or other types of problems.
The computer and parts catalogs, both written and electronic, are the most important tools for the parts technician. Databases, online catalogs, inventory control systems, and digital media are necessary for ordering and organizing parts and for retrieving information. Extensive use of electronic catalogs requires parts technicians to be precise in the use of terminology within specific industry sectors in order to locate correct parts in the catalogs.
As with all trades, safety is important to parts technicians. Hazards include operating large equipment such as lift trucks and, handling, transporting and storing hazardous materials.
Key attributes for people entering this trade are: excellent interpersonal and customer service skills, computer application skills, problem solving skills, mathematical skills, manual dexterity, mechanical aptitude, organizational skills, multi-tasking skills and the ability to work independently. Physical considerations for this occupation include a considerable amount of time standing, walking, lifting and driving. This trade appeals to service-oriented people. This career offers stable employment not highly affected by seasonal employment trends.
Experienced parts technicians may move into other positions such as sales representative, purchasing representative, parts department management team member, store manager or store owner.