Electronic Technology

Through laboratory and classroom instruction, you will learn how to troubleshoot, repair, design, and manufacture today's electronic equipment.

  Electronic Technology Certificate Course Guide 

  Electronic Technology Certificate Program Guide

Electronics for Women




Find out why Electronics is a great career for women at the IVC Women Tech World website.

COURSE GUIDE
Electronic Technology (ET) Certificates
Electronic Technology
Electronics Aide*

Electronic Technology Certificate of Achievement

This certicate program provides a solid foundation for immediate employment or further study in the field of electronics through classroom and practical laboratory instruction. Students learn to analyze, test, design, and troubleshoot a full range of electronic devices and circuits ranging from basic electrical wiring to advanced analog and digital integrated circuits.  This program also lays the foundation for a bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology from California State Universities.

Electronics Aide Certificate of Proficiency*

 *Locally-approved Certificates of Proficiency are low-unit certificates awarded by Irvine Valley College; they do not appear on a transcript.  Programs are subject to change.  Please check with a counselor.

Career Options
Certification as an Electronics Aide equips the student for entry into the electronics industry in areas such as testing, quality assurance, customer support, production support, equipment maintenance, and technical sales.

Requirements:
Certificates of Achievement are granted for the completion of a specified program, or specified courses, whose total requirement is 18 units or more.  These state-approved certificates acknowledge workplace competencies and job readiness. 

Certificates of Proficiency are granted for the completion of a specified program, or specified courses, whose total is less than 18 units. These locally-approved certificates are designed to acknowledge basic workplace competencies and job readiness for students who are entering the workforce or upgrading their job skills. 

Students must complete all courses in the certificate program with a grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” or “P.”  A minimum of 12 units in the certificate program must be completed at Irvine Valley College.

Waiver of Certificate Requirements:  Students with previous educational or vocational experience who wish to waive a required course in a certificate program will be expected to verify equivalency by examination.  Petitions for course waivers or substitutions are available in the Counseling Center.

Application for Evaluation:  Certificates are not awarded automatically.  Students who expect to earn a certificate from the college must file an application for evaluation with the Office of Admission and Records.  Responsibility for filing this application rests with the student, and transcripts for all college work attempted must be on file for the application to be considered.  Filing deadlines for each semester are posted in the IVC catalog and class schedule.

PROGRAM GUIDE
Electronic Technology (ET) Certificates
Electronic Technology – 28 units
Electronics Aide – 16 units* 

Description:  The curriculum in electronic technology equips students with the skills necessary for coping with a rapidly expanding and changing technological field.  A core curriculum seeks to identify and emphasize those principles which are basic to the understanding of current and emerging technologies.  In advanced courses, students learn to apply available technology to the solution of specific problems, with an emphasis on creative design and troubleshooting.  The curriculum emphasizes an intuitive rather than an abstract mathematical understanding of electronics, focusing heavily on laboratory study, while still maintaining a level of mathematical rigor appropriate to four-year programs in engineering technology.  A wide range of students are successful in these programs, including men, women, recent high school graduates; re-entry students and students changing careers.

Prerequisites/Preparation:  None

Course Substitutions:  Students may substitute certain programming courses by filing a special petition with a counselor to be approved by the department.

Preparation for Career Related Exams/Certification:  Irvine Valley College is an approved provider of Electrician Training under Assembly Bill 1087.  IVC provides instruction in part of the Curriculum Standards adopted by the Electrician Certification Curriculum Committee (ECCC) but does not provide instruction in all of the Curriculum Standards.  The Electrician Training curriculum offered by IVC covers only the following Curriculum Standards adopted by the ECCC:  Math and Electrical Theory.

Associate of Science Degree:  A student may earn an A.S. degree in Electronic Technology from IVC if, in addition to Certificate of Achievement requirements, he/she also meets general education requirements posted in the IVC catalog, class schedule, or www.ivc.edu.  The Electronics Aide Certificate of Proficiency units are applicable towards an A.S. degree, however more units must be completed because it does not meet the 18 unit minimum major requirement.

*Locally-approved Certificates of Proficiency are low-unit certificates awarded by Irvine Valley College; they do not appear on a transcript.  Programs are subject to change.  Please check with a counselor.

See www.ivc.edu/careered or call 949/451-5224 for additional program information and updates

*Four Year Institutions Offering Degrees/Programs in This Field:

• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona – Bachelor of Science in    
  Electronics & Computer Engineering Technology
• California State University, Fullerton – Bachelor of Science in Electrical
  Engineering
• California State University, Long Beach – Electronics and Computer Engineering
• University of California, Irvine – Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
• University of California, Davis – Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering/Materials
  Science and Engineering
• University of Southern California – Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a
  Minor in Music Recording

*See counselor or transfer center for specific transfer requirements

Scholarships/Financial Aid:  Students may contact the IVC Financial Aid office for more information and additional opportunities.

Work Experience/Internships:  Cooperative Work Experience (CWE) may be taken along with the certificate programs.  CWE allows students to gain on-the-job experience while earning units toward the certificate.  A student may earn one unit of credit for every 75 hours of paid or 60 hours of volunteer employment.  Students are responsible for securing employment for CWE.  Students may also contact their instructors or visit the Job Placement office for employment opportunities that may exist in the field.

Career Options: 

• Biomedical Instrument Technician
• Test Technician                     
• Bench (Repair) Technician    
• Field Service Technician
• Customer Support Technician
• Research and Development Technician

Job Descriptions:  Medical equipment technicians, also known as biomedical equipment technicians, maintain, adjust, calibrate, and repair electronic, electromechanical, and hydraulic equipment used in hospitals and other medical environments. They use various tools, including multimeters, specialized software, and computers designed to communicate with specific pieces of hardware. These repairers use hand tools, soldering irons, and other electronic tools to repair and adjust equipment. Among the tools they use is equipment designed to simulate water or air pressure. Faulty circuit boards and other parts are normally removed and replaced. Medical equipment repairers must maintain careful, detailed logs of all maintenance and repair that they perform on each piece of equipment.

Computer technicians service mainframe, server, and personal computers; printers; and disc drives.  These repairers primarily perform hands-on repair, maintenance, and installation of computers and related equipment.  Workers who provide technical assistance, in person or by telephone, to computer system users are known as computer support specialists.

Electrical and electronics technicians—transportation equipment,  install, adjust, or maintain mobile electronic communication equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance systems on trains, watercraft, or other vehicles.

Electrical and electronics technicians—powerhouse, substation, and relay, inspect, test, maintain, or repair electrical equipment used in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays. These workers may be known as powerhouse electricians, relay technicians, or power transformer repairers.

Electric motor, power tool, and related technicians—such as armature winders, generator mechanics, and electric golf cart repairers—specialize in installing, maintaining, and repairing electric motors, wiring, or switches.

Electronic equipment technicians—motor vehicles, have a significantly different job. They install, diagnose, and repair communication, sound, security, and navigation equipment in motor vehicles. Most installation work involves either new alarm or sound systems.  Motor vehicle installers and repairers work with an increasingly complex range of electronic equipment, including DVD players, satellite navigation equipment, passive security systems, and active security systems.

Installers and repairers, known as field technicians, often travel to factories or other locations to repair equipment. These workers usually have assigned areas in which they perform preventive maintenance on a regular basis. When equipment breaks down, field technicians go to a customer’s site to repair the equipment.

Bench technicians work in repair shops located in factories and service centers, fixing components that cannot be repaired on the factory floor.

Employment Opportunities: The electronics aide certificate of proficiency program equips the student for entry into the electronics industry in such areas as testing, quality assurance, customer support, production support, equipment maintenance and technical sales.  The electronic technology certificate program provides a solid foundation for immediate employment or further study in the field.  After obtaining a certificate in electronic technology, a student may seek employment as an electronic technician, designing, testing and servicing telecommunication, medical, video, automotive, aerospace, and entertainment equipment.  Many repairers work for utilities; building equipment contractors; machinery and equipment repair shops; electrical and electronics wholesalers; electronics and appliance retailers; motor vehicle and parts dealers; manufacturers of electrical, electronic, and transportation equipment; and Federal, State, and local government.

Occupational Outlook for Orange County, CA Through 2014, the local occupational outlook of job growth is as follows:  Electrical and electronics technicians of commercial and industrial equipment – 17.4%; of motor vehicles – 16.1%; of telecommunications, except line installers – 7%; of computer, ATM, office machines – 1.5%; and of medical equipment – 21.4%..  (Source:  Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/oco )

Salary Range/Median for Orange County, CA:

 (Source:  California Occupational Guides, www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/occguides )

Job Related Skills Emphasized in Coursework:  Courses are taught in a hands-on environment where students work with devices and products such as computers & peripherals, communication devices (radios, televisions, cellular phones, & modems), medical equipment, entertainment products (CD players, stereo, & video games), automotive equipment (computerized engine controls, test equipment, & car stereos), and industrial equipment (monitors, controllers, & robotics).  Students will learn how to troubleshoot, repair, design, install, and manufacture today’s electronic equipment while learning theoretical and practical problem solving skills.

Personal Traits Desired for This Field:

• Enjoy applying classroom learning to solve challenging problems
• Are interested in the design of new products
• Enjoy troubleshooting and repair
• Enjoy solving complex and detailed practical problems

Professional Organizations/Websites/Publications in the Field:

• Electronics Industries Alliance:  www.eia.org
• Electronics Technicians Association International:  www.eta-sda.com
• International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians:  www.iscetstore.org

IVC Contacts:
Electronics Certificates - Program Questions:

Professor Ray Chandos                                            
Physical Sciences and Technologies
949/451-5314                                                 
rchandos@ivc.edu                                         

Certificates - General Questions:

Updated 7/17/09 CTE&WD-mhm
10/9/09 CTE&WD-smk

For more information, see the Electronic Technology web page
(School of Physical Sciences and Technologies).