Technical occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts

How to become a broadcast technician

Official title: Broadcast technicians

Also called: Broadcast engineer, Broadcast technician, Broadcasting technician, Broadcast field technician, Broadcast transmitter operator, Regional transmitter technician, Broadcast maintenance technician, Control room technician - broadcasting, Short-wave receiving station technician, Master control room (mcr) technician - broadcasting, Production switcher, Television switcher

Broadcast technicians install, set up, test, operate and repair electronic equipment used to record and transmit live and taped radio and television programs and to produce audio and video streaming broadcasts for the Internet. They are employed by radio and television broadcasting networks and stations, by broadcast equipment companies and by Internet-based communication providers.

Main tasks

Monitor broadcast quality of live and taped radio and television programs
Operate and monitor radio and television broadcasting systems to broadcast, receive signals and to regulate clarity and range of sounds and colours of recordings or broadcasts
Operate broadcast equipment to produce audio and video streaming broadcasts for the Internet
Make emergency repairs to equipment and substitute programs in case of signal failure
Maintain, install and troubleshoot a wide variety of broadcast hardware and software
Set up and operate consoles to pick up and select feed sources from different locations and to air radio or television programs and commercials
May supervise other broadcast technicians

How to become one

Completion of a college program in broadcast technology or electronics is usually required. Senior and supervisory positions in this unit group require experience.

See the full NOC 2021 profile

Ways in

College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 61% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Audiovisual communications technologies/technicians; Electrical/electronic engineering technologies/technicians; Communication and media studies.

Pay · Outlook

Median pay: $72,326 a year
About 1,500 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 1,500 are projected by 2033. (+0%)
Projected labour market to 2033: balance.

Questions people ask

How do I become a broadcast technician?

Completion of a college program in broadcast technology or electronics is usually required. Senior and supervisory positions in this unit group require experience.

How much does a broadcast technician earn in Canada?

Median full-time pay is $72,326 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)).

Is a broadcast technician a growing career in Canada?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2033: about 1,500 people now and 1,500 later (Employment and Social Development Canada).

Do you need a degree to become a broadcast technician?

Usually not. Only 19% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: College or CEGEP program.

Sources

Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03