How to Become a Copier Technician in 5 Steps
Explore the career requirements for copier technicians. Get the facts about salary, training requirements and career outlook to determine if this is the right career for you. Schools offering Computer Support Technician degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
Most copier technicians enter the field with some formal training in electronics. Read more about this technical field in the table, and get information about the employment outlook for this career.
Training Required | Postsecondary education is preferred |
Education Field of Study | Machine repair, electronics |
Key Skills | Troubleshooting, physical stamina, interpersonal, analytical |
Certification | Certification is voluntary |
Job Growth (2012-2022) | 4% (for all computer, ATM and office machine repairers)* |
Median Salary (2013) | $36,390 (for all computer, ATM and office machine repairers)* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What Is a Copier Technician?
Copier technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance and repair of office equipment, including copy machines, fax machines and printers. They routinely travel to stores and offices for service calls, where they conduct tests to determine if equipment is functional and in good working order. If equipment isn't functional, they may consult with employees to obtain detailed information about a malfunction, disassemble equipment, identify the source of problems, repair or replace damaged components, reassemble equipment, reinstall software and test their repairs. Finally, they maintain records of each visit and the maintenance work performed.
Step 1: Develop Your Electrical and Mechanical Aptitude
Shop classes in middle school and high school provide a formalized setting in which to disassemble and reassemble motors and engines, and create basic electronic circuits from discrete components. High school physics courses teach you fundamental mechanical principles. Self-directed exploration can help you become familiar with hand tools and devices.
Step 2: Earn an Associate's Degree in Electronics
Most employers prefer to hire technicians who have an associate's degree in electronics, although you may be able to find entry-level positions with a certificate. Electronics programs are widely available from private schools and community colleges. Programs provide a background in electronics theory and lab courses that allow you to put theory into practice and experiment. Topics covered might include basic circuits, circuit design, digital logic and programmable controllers.
Step 3: Obtain Certification
While it isn't mandatory, certification can improve your chances of gaining employment. The International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET) offers several credentials that establish your knowledge of electronics and electronic devices. CompTIA offers the CompTIA PDI+, which establishes your competence to service document imaging and printing devices.
ISCET certifications relevant to copier technicians include the associate level electronics CET, the Electronics Systems Associate (ESA) and the Customer Service Representative (CSR). The electronics CET exam covers basic electronics, transistors, DC and AC circuits, troubleshooting and mathematics. The ESA exam is a 4-part test covering AC circuits, DC circuits, semiconductors and digital logic. The CSR exam tests your knowledge of interpersonal communication, feedback and response, conflict resolution, ethical behavior and the legal obligations of service reps.
The CompTIA PDI+ certification exam tests your knowledge of print engines, scanning processes, color theory, networking, tools and basic electromechanical components. Professional behavior, customer service and safety are also covered as soft skills. CompTIA recommends that you have a background working with printers and copiers, but otherwise has no prerequisites for the exam.
Step 4: Obtain Employment
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 110,850 people worked as computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers in 2013. Employment in this category was projected to rise 4% from 2012 to 2022. Specific figures for copier technicians weren't available.
Your potential employers include commercial equipment wholesalers, office supply retailers, electronic equipment repair services, and electronics and appliance stores. The increased reliability of remote diagnostic software will diminish the need for technicians, thus limiting your opportunities when existing workers retire or change jobs.
Step 5: Advance Your Career
Your advancement options include broadening the range of devices you service, transitioning into customer service and sales, or establishing your own repair business. Further education at the bachelor's degree level may help with the first option. Transfer programs are available that allow you to apply your associate's degree credits towards a 4-year degree in electronics engineering or related subjects. If you establish your own business, additional courses in management, administration and marketing may improve your chances of succeeding.
Printer and Photocopier Troubleshooting and Repair Collection
Version 2.79 (13-Feb-13
Copyright © 1996-2013
Samuel M. Goldwasser
--- All Rights Reserved ---
For contact info, please see the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page.
Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied:
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Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Printer and Photocopier Technology
- Dot Matrix and Daisy-Wheel Printers
- So you took your printer apart....
- Print head repair
- Ribbon does not advance after replacing flex-cable
- Print head stepper
- Motor driver blows fuses
- Ribbon on electronic typewriter does not advance
- Apple Imagewriter II squeal
- Compaq Pagemarq 15 printer service mode
- Epson FX-286e printer problems
- Paper debris clogging Epson LQ-570
- IBM X-24 Proprinter print head jumps around
- NEC P5200 Printer problem
- OKI Microline 391 Elite Problem/Error
- Star SD15 printer self-test problem
- Ink-Jet Printers
- HP DeskJet problems
- Types of HP ink-jet technology printers
- Dissertation on HP DeskJet repair
- HP ThinkJet printer repair 1
- HP ThinkJet printer repair 2
- HP DeskJet paper feed problems
- Cartridges drying out on early HP DeskJets
- HP DJ340 shuts off during printing
- HP DeskJet 520 - Crunch!
- HP DeskJet 560C Detailed problem description and possible solutions
- Cartridge detection on HP DeskJets
- HP Deskwriter 660 printer problems
- Little plastic parts in HP DeskJet printers and HP service policies
- HP DeskJet 500 repair notes
- HP DeskJet 560C - stripping gear sounds and more
- HP600C DeskJet produces too much black ink
- HP DJ power supplies/wall adapters
- HP 600 series DeskJet printer smears even with new cartridge
- HP DeskJet 692C - Random lockups
- HP 820Cxi DeskJet Problems
- HP DeskJet 1200C power supply repair story
- HP PaintJet problems
- Unclogging non-HP inkjet printers
- Intermittent light/no print from Canon BJ330
- Canon BubbleJet information
- Cleaning Canon BubbleJet printheads
- Canon BubbleJet printers not printing after cleaning
- Canon BJC 600 problems
- BJC 600 print head error - lights flashing
- Epson Stylus Color IIS error light problems
- Cleaning Epson inkjet print heads
- Cleaning totally clogged colour head in Epson Stylus Color 500
- Epson Stylus 800 print quality
- Epson Stylus Color 800 printer seems to operate but no printing
- Epson Stylus Color 800 clogged print head
- Non-use and refill of BJC-620 ink cartridges
- Inkjet Printer Cartridge Type and Reliability
- Ink cartridge expiration dates
- Dead Cannon, Compaq, HP, and similar power supplies
- Laser Printers
- On-line laser printer resources
- Warnings about vacuuming laser printer toner
- Refilling toner cartridges
- Cleaning laser printer optical path
- Cleaning caked-on toner from printer and copier fuser rollersLaser printer drum damaged by extended exposure to light?
- Repeating images on laser printer
- Black evenly spaced lines on laser printer or copier
- Optics disassembly?
- HP LaserJet FAQ
- Guide to disassembly and reassembly of HP LaserJet II and III
- Guide to disassembly and reassembly of HP LaserJet 4
- Testing the erase lamps on an HP LaserJets
- HP LaserJet error code 51
- HP LaserJet I fuser swapping and other tidbits
- HP LJ Series II bad bearing noise and other comments
- HP LaserJet II just dies and no sign of power after a short while
- HP LaserJet II with dark bands on first page
- HP LaserJet II output jam
- HP LaserJet IIp won't go past 'warm up'
- Totally blank printout on laser printer or copier
- Bearing replacement on HP LaserJet II to fix error code 41
- HP LaserJet series II - error code 50 Service and clicking
- Notes on HP LaserJet II error code 50
- HP LaserJet II - Top of the line printing shifting in multipage printing
- HP LaserJet II bad bearing sounds
- HP LaserJet II fuser overheating
- HP LaserJet II triac replacement
- HP LaserJet Series II intermittent
- HP LaserJet IIP printer error code 12
- HP LaserJet IIP with 12 Open or no EP error
- HP LaserJet IID Error 13
- HP LaserJet IIP and LaserJet series 2 error code 52
- HP LaserJet II scanner information
- HP LaserJet IIP error code 51
- HP IID error code 50
- HP LaserJet IIP+ error code 50
- HP LaserJet IIP - 52 error
- HP Laserjet IIP error 52 - chip replacement
- Laserjet IIP PS board
- HP LaserJet III problems
- Smudged vertical line on HP Laserjet III
- Shifted print on HP LaserJet III
- HP LaserJet III powers on but appears dead
- HP LaserJet III cold fuser
- HP LaserJet III paper jam
- HP LaserJet III paper feed problem
- HP LaserJet III error 50
- Notes on HP LaserJet III error code 50
- Paper jams on HP LaserJet IIIP
- HP LaserJet IIIP power up problems
- HP LaserJet IIIP - error code 52
- Replacement for top output roller on HP LaserJet IIIP
- HPLaser Jet IIIsi - 'User Maintenance' message?
- HP LaserJet 4 - intermittent error code 50
- HP LaserJet 5L grabbing more than one sheet of paper
- More on HP LaserJet 5L paper feed problems 1
- More on HP LaserJet 5L paper feed problems 2
- HP LaserJet 5 SIMM codes
- HP LaserJet random behavior - no ground
- Determining if HP LaserJet partial print problems are scanning or logic
- LaserJet IIID and others: paper not picked up correctly
- Laserwriter LS
- Apple technical information
- Apple Lserwriter I/O
- Apple LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus paper jams
- Apple LaserWriter prints double/repeated images
- Apple LaserWriter IIg runaway scanner never stops
- Apple Laserwriter IINT error codes
- Apple Laserwriter IINT 'clicks' with intermittent fuser error
- Diagnosing a blank vertical strip problem on Apple Laserwriter IINT
- Upgrading Apple LaserWriter to LaserWriter Plus
- Toner All Over Paper on Various Brother Laser Printers
- Resetting "REPL.DRUM" error on Sharp JX-9460
- TI MicroLaser Plus laser printer reports 'Main Motor Err'
- Fuser problem/printer parts
- Swapping fuser parts
- Panasonic KX-P4410 CHNG DRUM error code 027
- Panasonic 4420 laser printer error code E31 and other comments
- Copy counter fuses
- Laser Printer info
- Strange running time meter/copy counter
- Laser Printer prints heavy on one line about 2 inches from bottom
- Image tilted/skewed/crooked on old IBM laser printer
- Fuser Roller collects toner on laser printer
- HP original laser printer 2686A: bargain or boat anchor?
- Okidata printer that's streaking
- First page smudges on OKI OL400
- Resetting 'Replace Drum' message on OKI OL400
- Laser printer test equipment
- Frank's repair notes: HP-IIP, HP-IIIP, Apple Personal Laser Writer
- Tony's entry into laser printer repair
- Repairing plastic paper feed strip in Canon PC10, etc. or CX laserprinters
- Photocopiers
- Warnings about vacuuming copier toner
- Comments on copy problems
- General image quality problems - Clean the optics first!!
- Diagnosing 'blank copy' problems
- Copies too dark 1
- Copies too dark 2
- Copies too light
- Previous copy doesn't erase from drum
- Copy quality degrades with use
- Copier error codes
- Canon PC25 copier problems
- The mysteries of developer
- Problems with Ricoh copier
- Toner sensors?
- Comments on copier cleanliness
- Gray tinge on Xerox 5260 Copier
- Streaky copies
- Toshiba parts
- Canon PC20 cold fuser
- Broken Sharp Copier
- Resetting Sharp Z-25 copy count
- Sharp SF-71 copier will not reset
- Sharp SF-7100 copier drum replacement
- General Problems
- Fax Machines and Scanners
- Miscellaneous Problems and Procedures
- Unresolved Problems
- Service Information
- Printer, copier, and fax Web sites
- USENET newsgroups
- Copier forums
- HP LaserJet parts
- Laser printer cartridge rebuild info
- Printer parts
- HP DeskJet Parts
- LaserJet II: Where is the fuse?
- LaserJet III: Where is the fuse?
- Copier and laser printer manuals
- Canon information
- Epson printer switch settings
- Hewlett Packard information
- Printer schematics?
- References