Advantages of Memberships
Participation in an electronics organization can be highly worthwhile. The benefits provided to members range from the sharing of useful information to the sponsorship of special programs to certify technical competency.
Professional Electronics Technicians Association (ETA)
The Professional Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) lists six reasons technicians should find membership beneficial:
- Improvement of pay and prestige through group efforts
- Monthly information on various phases of electronics, including circuit descriptions and short quizzes
- Business seminars and other management information for those who are service managers
- Discounts on trade magazines, technical books, and other items
- Opportunities for people with common interests to get together and share information
- A certification program
This association, based in Indiana, welcomes memberships from individual technicians, electronics students, and owners of businesses and institutions, among others. Annual membership fees range from $20 for students to $125 for institutions (some schools, for instance, hold membership in this organization). In addition to regular ETA membership, each member may participate in one of the following divisions:
- Educators
- Certified technicians
- Canadian division
- Communication techs
- Medical
- Industrial
- Shop owners
International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians
A similar organization is the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians, which has its national headquarters in Ft. Worth, Texas. Its functions include direction and administration of:
- The Certified Electronics Technician (CET) program
- A national apprenticeship and training program
- Technical information training and upgrading programs
- Serviceability inspection programs
Originating as an offshoot of the National Electronic Association in 1970, this organization currently has more than twenty-eight thousand members. To be eligible for membership, an electronics technician must have passed the organization's CET exam. Once membership is conferred, men and women benefit from not only the information and networking provided, but also the stature of having passed a recognized certification process.
Other Organizations
Persons employed in electronics jobs other than as technicians may elect to participate in other organizations. Owners of their own electronics repair firms, for example, may join a group such as the National Electronic Sales and Service Dealers Association. Engineers may join an organization for engineers from a variety of fields, or join one that is more specialized, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Labor Unions
Many persons employed in electronics belong to labor unions. These organizations allow workers to join together to promote the welfare of members of the group, especially in terms of their relations with employers. Unions have been a major force in American and Canadian business and industry for more than a hundred years. A number of advancements-such as shorter work weeks, higher pay, fringe benefits, and expanded worker rights-have resulted from the efforts of labor unions.
Men and women employed in electronics jobs may belong to a number of unions, including the following:
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers
- United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
- Federation of Westinghouse Independent Salaried Unions
Some of the benefits offered by labor unions include:
- apprentice training opportunities
- guaranteed wage levels and other benefits provided by the employer in accordance with contracts negotiated by union representatives
- voting rights, such as the right to vote for union officials and the right to vote for or against proposed contracts
- informative publications for members
- pension plans and other benefits managed by the union for its members
- protection against unfair labor practices
- strength in numbers, which helps counterbalance the power employers, can hold over their employees
Labor unions depend on dues from members to sustain their operations. This means that as a member, you must pay a specified amount each month or pay period toward these costs. A typical amount for dues is a contribution of the equivalent of two hours' wages per month, although this can vary. For a large union with thousands of members, overall income can be significant. This money is then used to support a wide range of union activities to improve wages, working conditions, and other employment-related matters.
At any given time, a labor union might be lobbying Congress in support of legislation that would have a positive impact on its members, negotiating with employers for a new contract, sponsoring a scholarship program for children of union members, or working to improve members' medical benefits.
In the electronics field, union membership is more common with employees of large firms than it is with smaller companies such as one- or two-person repair businesses. It also is more typical of urban areas than rural ones and in certain geographical locations. The southern United States, for example, is not a strong union region compared to the northern United States and parts of Canada.
In some settings, union membership is virtually required. Elsewhere, it may be entirely up to the individual. In any case, many persons employed in electronics-related jobs find union membership beneficial.
Certifications
How can you prove to a prospective employer or customer that you are qualified to repair electronic equipment or perform other work in electronics? Holding a diploma or degree in an electronics field is one good indicator of competence. Another is to become certified through a nationally recognized certification process.
Electronics Technicians Association Certification
Electronics technicians and students of electronics can become certified through organizations such as those discussed earlier in this chapter. The Electronics Technicians Association, for example, sponsors an examination process leading to one of the following designations:
Associate: The exam at this level is offered to students and to technicians with fewer than four years of experience.
Journeyman: This level is designed for technicians with at least four years of experience and/or education in electronics. The exam includes the basic electronics information required for associates, as well as an option of the student's choice.
Senior: Requiring eight years of experience, this level also requires a higher passage rate than the journeyman designation.
Master: Technicians with at least eight years of experience who can demonstrate competency in six major electronics categories can earn this level of recognition.
Categories and specialty areas in which students can be tested include the following:
Category: Consumer Electronics
Specialty areas: Radio/TV, VCR, and Sound Category: Video Distribution
Specialty areas: MATV, Antenna, Satellite
Category: Telecommunications
Specialty areas: Phone, Data, Microwave, VSAT Category: Industrial Category: Computer Category: Biomedical
Students and technicians take these certification exams at a variety of locations around the United States and Canada, including schools, colleges, and other locations. Those in the military can sit for the exams at military bases around the world. Upon passing, technicians receive certificates and become registered with the Electronics Technicians Association as certified engineering technicians (CETs). This can prove valuable in many ways, ranging from intangible benefits such as increased self-confidence, to tangible proof of competencies needed to obtain a job or promotion.
International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians
Another certification process is sponsored by the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians. More than twenty-eight thousand men and women currently hold certification from this organization. The association sponsors examinations that can lead to one of two certification levels: associate or journeyman.
The associate-level exam may be taken by students or by technicians with fewer than four years of experience in the field. The journeyman-level exam is open only to those who have four years of experience or more. It includes not only a basic electronic portion, but also components in special fields of electronics chosen by the individual taking the exam. Those who pass either exam benefit from the recognition involved in this highly reputable process.
If you plan to work as a technician, taking one or more certification exams is well worth considering. Certification credentials can be a valuable asset for one's entire professional life.
