Technician Electrical provides material maintenance and modification to a large range of in-service Army equipment that includes refrigeration systems, power generation systems, portable electrical appliances, automotive electrical systems and air conditioning systems.

Electrical Technicians inspect, service, diagnose, repair and maintain:

• automotive electrical systems;
• commercial and domestic refrigeration equipment;
• air conditioning equipment (including Automotive air conditioning);
• low, medium and high capacity field generation systems (including specialist generation systems);
• various portable and non-portable electrical appliances; and
• Providing technical advice and Inspection and classification of equipment.

The pay levels for ARA and ARES personnel in this employment are:

• Electrical Technician Grade 1 ECN 418-1 CFN Pay Group 3.
• Electrical Technician Grade 2 CFN Pay Group 4.
• Electrical Technician Grade 3 CFN Pay Group 4.
• Electrical Technician Grade 4 CFN Pay Group 5.
• Electrical Technician Advanced Grade 1 CPL Pay Group 5.
• Electrical Technician Advanced Grade 2 CPL Pay Group 6.
• Electrical Technician Supervisor Grade 1 SGT Pay Group 5.
• Electrical Technician Supervisor Grade 2 SGT Pay Group 6.

Qualified Trade Entry:
Completion, in the relevant electrical trade, of an approved apprenticeship or an approved traineeship at a recognised training institution and any period of full-time employment stipulated for that trade. A certificate III in Electrical will provide suitable evidence for entry into this stream.

Unqualified Trade Entry:

• Technical Electrical Course: Duration: 28 months
• On the Job Training (OJT): Duration: 12 months.
• Initial trade training is conducted at the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, which is located within the Army Logistic Training Centre (ALTC) at Bandiana in Victoria. The courses and competencies attained by a Technician Electrical are gained through successful completion of the Technician Electrical Course. This course is over 28 months, which gives the trainees a thorough knowledge of electrical theory and maintenance techniques applicable to automotive electrical systems, refrigeration and air conditioning and all field generation systems used by the Australian Defence Force.
• This training is followed by a one year posting to an ALTC detachment location in Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville or Darwin in order to complete OJT. On completion of OJT the soldier is posted to a unit as a qualified Technician Electrician.

Recognition for Qualified Trade Entry:
Applicants that already possess an Electrical trade will be informed of their employment training requirements once ALTC has mapped their trade qualifications and identified the Army specific competencies or any identified shortfalls that are required. After the required training is complete the applicant will commence any required OJT that is identified.

Specialist Trade Training:
There are no further trade courses for this trade stream after completion of OJT.

Completion of Australian Year 10 education (or equivalent) with passes in English, Mathematics and Science (with physics content) and one other subject.

These entry qualifications are the minimum required to facilitate understanding of the engineering principles encountered during later phases of training.

Note: Australian Year 10 or less for Consumer Mathematics, Mathematics in Society and similarly 'modified' Mathematics are not suitable for entry to the Army Technical and Trade Scheme.

On successful completion of employment training and the OJT program, students are awarded:

• Certificate II in Automotive Mechanical Air Conditioning.
• Certificate III in Electrical.
• Certificate III in Mechanical (Refrigeration and Air-conditioning).
• Certificate IV in Engineering.

Postings range from large Combat Service Support Battalions (CSSB) located in Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville to small technical support platoons and squadrons located throughout Australia.

Detailed employment category information about Technician Electrical can be found within the Manual of Army Employment (DefWeb only)