Arcade Game Technician: Education and Job Training Requirements for Becoming an Arcade Game Technician
Would you like to look around a room of children playing arcade games and know that you installed, updated and repaired all those games? Then look into obtaining the necessary vocational training needed to become an arcade game technician! These workers inspect and repair broken machines while working on the maintenance of existing games to keep them from breaking down.
Arcade Game Technician Career Summary
Arcade game technicians are usually employed by amusement parks, game centers and entertainment businesses. These employees repair, install, maintain and upgrade arcade videogame machines. When repairing a machine, arcade game technicians first look for obvious problems and then inspect the object for more serious issues like broken and damaged parts. Power tools like saws and drills are used alongside hand tools and testing equipment to repair and fix machines. Regularly cleaning and maintaining these machines to prevent breakdowns is an important job duty for technicians, according to Career InfoNet, www.acinet.org.
Education Required to Become an Arcade Game Technician
Employers require arcade game technicians to have at least their high school diplomas. Most of the education for this career is obtained on the job; however, businesses give special preference to workers already familiar with electronics and repairs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov, people who want to be arcade game technicians should consider attending machine repair and basic electronics courses at a vocational school. Alternatively, workers new to the field can enter into a 1-year to 2-year electronics program at a technical school.
Job Training and Certifications Required to Become an Arcade Game Technician
O*Net, www.online.onetcenter.org, notes that arcade game technicians need job training that can last from three months to one year. This vocational teaching is usually done under an apprenticeship with an experienced mentor. Arcade Game Technicians regularly attend training sessions for new machines they are expected to work with. The National Automatic Merchandising Association, www.vending.org, offers training programs for vending machine repairers and machine servicers. Arcade game technicians may be able to get this training through their employers.