Technology disciplines and profiles

Architecture and building technicians and technologists are employed in the planning, design, construction, operation or maintenance of the built environment. The of tasks assigned may include analyzing and designing structures or systems using CAD and 3D modeling, specifying project methods and materials, estimating costs, managing projects and technical activities in support of building construction and renovation projects. Increasingly important is promoting sustainability in the building industry through the application of green design and building practices.

Biomedical engineering technologists are employed or work independently in health-related private and public facilities and organizations. The work performed may include the design, installation, calibration, commissioning, and maintenance of equipment used in laboratories, clinics and hospitals including imaging equipment and associated computer communication networks.  All work must be done in compliance with stringent code, standards, and practices. Job opportunities include field and customer service, management and supervision of projects, and training activities.

BBioscience technicians and technologists may conduct physical, chemical, biochemical, and microbiological analyses for quality control in a broad range of industries such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and environmental protection. They may find employment in careers such as: maintain, calibrating, setting-up, and operating equipment or processes; preparing specifications, or instructions; quality control operations; field and customer service; technical sales; and many other occupations.

Biological technicians and technologists work with scientists, engineers and other professionals in fields such as agriculture, resource management, environmental protection, plant and animal biology, microbiology, cell and molecular biology and health sciences, or may work independently in these fields. They are employed in both laboratory and field settings by governments, manufacturers of food products, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology companies, health, research and educational institutions, environmental consulting companies and resource and utilities companies.

Chemical engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in a wide range of industries including pharmaceutical, petrochemical, food production and processing, materials testing, mineral resources, manufacturing and metallurgy.  The nature of the work includes selecting, maintaining, calibrating, testing, evaluating, and using instruments and equipment to conduct chemical analysis in various laboratories. The jobs may include research and development, design, quality control, marketing, operation, testing, and regulation of products and services.

Civil engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in business, industry, government, and public organizations. They may find employment in areas such as the design of infrastructure or systems; interpretation or preparation of specifications and drawings; construction management; contract inspection and administration; operation and maintenance; field and customer service; quantity surveying; engineering and construction survey layout; supervision of projects and training activities.

Computer network technicians establish, operate, maintain and co-ordinate the use of local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs), mainframe networks, hardware, software and related computer equipment. They set up and maintain Internet and intranet Web sites and Web-server hardware and software, and monitor and optimize network connectivity and performance. They are employed in information technology units throughout the private and public sectors. Supervisors of computer network technicians are included in this unit group.

Electrical engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in business, industry, government, and public organizations. They may find employment in areas such as design, commissioning, engineering sales and support, operation, and maintenance of electrical system power generation, distribution and protection, manufacturing, construction, machine and process control, and electricity utilization systems.

Electro-mechanical engineering technicians and technologists work independently or in teams to support the design, development, testing, production, and operation of electrically powered mechanical equipment and/or electronic control systems. They are employed by equipment manufacturers and production and processing facilities that use robotics and automated systems. Electro-mechanical consulting firms providing services to governments for a wide range of applications including transportation.

Electronics engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in industry, government, and public organizations. They may find employment in areas such as design of components, equipment, processes or systems; interpretation or preparation of specifications, drawings, or instructions; quality management, operations and maintenance; installations and start-up; field and customer service; management; project management; supervision of projects and training activities.

Environmental technology technicians and technologists are employed in business, industry, government and public organizations to establish best practices to protect the environment. The tasks assigned include environmental assessment of existing sites, monitoring progress on reclamation projects, establishing procedures and processes to comply with environmental regulations that apply to construction of structures, roads, bridges, dams and the impact of manufacturing or processing operations on the environment.

Forestry technicians and technologists work in technical and supervisory functions in support of forestry research, forest management, forest harvesting, forest resource conservation and environmental protection. They are employed by the forest industry sector, provincial and federal governments, consulting firms, and other industries and institutions or they may be self-employed.

Industrial Engineering Technology technicians and technologists are employed in business, industry, government, and public organizations. They may find employment in areas such as the design of processes, or systems; the interpretation or preparation of specifications, drawings, or instructions; quality management and quality assurance; inspection and administration; operations and maintenance, field and customer service, and production estimating; project management; supervision of manufacturing processes; and training.

Information technology technicians and technologists are employed or otherwise do computer programming, computer systems analysis, design and security, computer architecture and networks, database systems, internet, and intranet technologies. It includes program criteria for I.T. programs w in computer network design, administration, operations and maintenance, field and customer service, computer programming, database design, and management.

Instrumentation engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in a variety of sectors including manufacturing, transportation and processing industries.  The tasks are related to the measurement and control of environments and process requiring accurate control of temperature, pressure, quantities, volume, speed and other variables. Jobs in instrumentation include the design, manufacturing, marketing, operations, and maintenance in the fields of measurement and control engineering technology.

Graduates of Landscape Horticultural Technology - Technician programs will understand design layouts, carry out site work, identify project methods, source materials, prepare cost estimates, and administer technical activities in support of landscape and horticulture projects. They may find employment in careers such as the design, construction, operation/facilities, or maintenance of landscaping and horticulture projects.

Marine engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in ship-building and repair companies and have responsibility to plan, design, construct, install and commission mechanical systems in the ship-building environment.  analyze and design systems using CAD, specify project methods and materials, estimate costs, manage projects and related technical activities in support of the design, build, construct and repair projects within the marine environment.

Mechanical engineering technology technicians and technologists are employed in occupations that apply knowledge, problem solving and hands-on skills in the design, installation, manufacturing, testing, evaluation, technical sales or maintenance of mechanical and automated production systems. This broad discipline includes design of plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, fire protection systems, machine design, fabrication and manufacturing processes and robotics.  

Mineral resources technology technicians and technologists are employed by companies involved in the extraction and processing of minerals. The task performed include research and development, design, production engineering, operations, compliance with regulations of products or resources and best practices to protect the environment.

Naval architecture technology technicians and technologists are employed in the ship building and repair industry to design and construct merchant and naval vessels, boats, and offshore structures. Work in this discipline requires extensive application of CAD and 3D modeling and production software to assist in the design process, plan construction by developing build-strategies and specify project equipment and materials. Other tasks may include complete stability analyses for a given vessel, life cycle cost estimates and project management for design, construction, maintenance, and repair projects.

Petroleum and gas technology technicians and technologists are employed in upstream and downstream operations that include the extraction, storage, transport, refining and distribution of petroleum and gas products. Careers in this sector include research and development, design, manufacture, and regulation of products or resources.

Survey and geomatics technology technicians and technologists use a systematic approach that integrates all the means used to acquire and manage spatial data as part of scientific, administrative, legal and technical operations involved in the process of producing and managing spatial information. Employment opportunities include land surveying, cartography, control surveying, engineering and construction surveying, site improvement surveying, geodesy, hydrography, land information management, mining surveying, photogrammetry, and remote sensing. enter careers in boundary and/or land surveying, cartography, land information management systems, construction, engineering, mining or control surveying, site improvements surveying, hydrography, photogrammetry, remote sensing, geodesy, or other related areas.