How to become an automation technician
Official title: Automation technician
Also called: Automated systems technician, Automation designer, Computer numerical control (CNC) programmer, Computer-aided design/Computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) programmer, Robotics technician, Automation Coordinator/Robot Coordinator, Automation Specialist, Automation designer, Computer numerical control (CNC) programmer, Computer-aided design/Computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) programmer, Robotics technician
Automation technician performs technical tasks, normally under the direction of an automation engineer in the development of applications and systems for the automation of the production process. He/she builds, tests, monitors and maintains the computer-controlled systems used in automated production systems. He/she writes detailed design specifications of automation machines, produces design drawings for fabrication and conducts design reviews. He/she also liaises with the production team to evaluate, troubleshoot and analyse assembly problems and provide solutions for improvements.
Main tasks
- Carrying out operational activities according to required work specification, quality and safety standards
- Reading/studying technical product documents, manufacturing specifications etc
- Performing routine maintenance on processes/equipment/plant facilities
- Identifying faults and troubleshooting production processes/machinery and equipment
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Work-study diploma. Related ITE work-study diplomas: Work-Study Diploma in Automation Engineering. You are employed by a company and study at ITE at the same time. Peernovo matched these from course names.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $41,388 a year. The middle half earn $33,588 to $58,032 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Manufacturing engineering technician
- Production engineering technician
- Process engineering technician
- Quality assurance technician
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Questions people ask
How do I become an automation technician?
Ways in include: Work-study diploma.
How much does an automation technician earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $41,388 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $33,588 to $58,032.
Will AI change the work of an automation technician?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026