How to become an electronics assembler, fabricator, inspector or tester
Official title: Electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers
Also called: Tube tester, Speaker assembler, Avionics assembler, Electronics tester, Capacitor assembler, Capacitor inspector, Telephone assembler, Crystal final tester, Television assembler, Transistor assembler, Electronics assembler, Crystal unit assembler
Electronics assemblers and fabricators assemble and fabricate electronic equipment, parts and components. Electronics inspectors and testers inspect and test electronic and electromechanical assemblies, subassemblies, parts and components to ensure conformance to prescribed standards. They are employed in electronics manufacturing plants.
Main tasks
- Electronics assemblers and fabricators
- Solder and manually assemble various electronic components such as resistors, diodes, transistors, capacitors, integrated circuits, switches, wires and other electronic parts to designated locations on printed circuit boards
- Assemble microcircuits requiring fine hand assembly, the use of microscopes and adherence to cleanroom procedures
- Install, mount, fasten, align and adjust parts, components, wiring and harnesses to subassemblies and assemblies using hand and small power tools
- Operate automatic and semi-automatic machines to position, solder and clean prescribed components on printed circuit boards
- Operate and monitor process equipment including automatic and semi-automatic machines to fabricate electronic components, solder, clean, seal and stamp components and perform other process operations as specified
- Set up process equipment and adhere to cleanroom procedures as required
- May replace defective components and repair and overhaul older devices
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required for electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers. On-the-job training is usually provided for occupations in this unit group. A two-year apprenticeship program and trade certification for electronics assemblers are available but voluntary in Saskatchewan. Electronics testers may require post-secondary courses in basic electronic theory, testing techniques and testing equipment. Electronics inspectors and testers may require experience as an electronics assembler or component fabricator.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship. A two-year apprenticeship program and trade certification for electronics assemblers are available but voluntary in Saskatchewan. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $40,853 a year The middle half earn $37,050 to $48,243.
- About 18,400 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 20,400 are projected by 2033. (+10.9%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Assemblers, fabricators and inspectors, industrial electrical motors and transformers
- Motor vehicle assemblers, inspectors and testers
- Assemblers and inspectors, electrical appliance, apparatus and equipment manufacturing
- Mechanical assemblers and inspectors
- Machine operators and inspectors, electrical apparatus manufacturing
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Questions people ask
How do I become an electronics assembler, fabricator, inspector or tester?
Completion of secondary school is usually required for electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers. On-the-job training is usually provided for occupations in this unit group. A two-year apprenticeship program and trade certification for electronics assemblers are available but voluntary in Saskatchewan. Electronics testers may require post-secondary courses in basic electronic theory, testing techniques and testing equipment. Electronics inspectors and testers may require experience as an electronics assembler or component fabricator.
How much does an electronics assembler, fabricator, inspector or tester earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $40,853 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $37,050 to $48,243.
Is an electronics assembler, fabricator, inspector or tester a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2033, from about 18,400 to about 20,400 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an electronics assembler, fabricator, inspector or tester?
Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Apprenticeship.
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