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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Automotive Engineering Technicians

Part of Manufacturing, in the Manufacturing Production Process Development pathway.

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 17-3027.01

What the work is

Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.

On a typical day

  • Build instrumentation or laboratory test equipment for special purposes.
  • Order new test equipment, supplies, or replacement parts.
  • Set up mechanical, hydraulic, or electric test equipment in accordance with engineering specifications, standards, or test procedures.
  • Recommend tests or testing conditions in accordance with designs, customer requirements, or industry standards to ensure test validity.
  • Monitor computer-controlled test equipment, according to written or verbal instructions.
  • Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, work specifications, drawings, or charts.

What it pays

$68,540
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $47,400
Experienced workers reach $110,530
  1. $47k10th
  2. $53k25th
  3. $69kMedian
  4. $85k75th
  5. $111k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $47,400, 25th $53,100, Median $68,540, 75th $85,000, 90th $110,530

About 70 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+13.1%

employment change in the Alamo region, 99 to 112 jobs · U.S. 0%

9

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 3,200

99

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 38,300

Typical entry education: Associate's degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Reading Comprehension4.0
  2. Speaking3.4
  3. Critical Thinking3.4
  4. Active Listening3.4
  5. Writing3.3
  6. Complex Problem Solving3.3
  7. Quality Control Analysis3.3
  8. Operations Monitoring3.0

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. High school or less4%
  2. Certificate15%
  3. Some college4%
  4. Associate degree37%
  5. Bachelor's degree30%
  6. Master's degree11%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • St. Philip's
  1. Engineering

    Transfer pre-major · Science & Technology

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