Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

People in this career often have these skills:

• Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
• Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
• Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

People in this career often know a lot about:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

People in this career often have talent in:

• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
• Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

People in this career often do these activities:

• Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Reassemble equipment after repair.
• Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
• Repair defective engines or engine components.
• Service vehicles to maintain functionality.

• Read work orders or descriptions of problems to determine repairs or modifications needed.
• Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.
• Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
• Maintain repair or maintenance records.
• Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
• Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
• Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
• Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
• Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
• Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning.
• Install machine or equipment replacement parts.
• Adjust vehicle components according to specifications.
• Calculate costs of goods or services.
• Move large objects using heavy equipment.
• Fabricate parts or components.
• Install piping for installation or maintenance activities.
• Repair pipes to stop leaking.
• Repair structural components.

• Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

• Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

• Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

• Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

• Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

• Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

• Signal and Track Switch Repairers

• Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians

• Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

• Maintenance and Repair Workers, General