Home appliance and power tool repairers usually work with little or no direct supervision, a feature of the job that appeals to many people. More than 15 percent of repairers are self-employed. About one half of salaried repairers worked in retail establishments such as department stores, household appliance stores, and fuel dealers. Others worked for gas and electric utility companies, electrical repair shops, and wholesalers. Mechanical aptitude is desirable, and those who work in customers' homes must be courteous and tactful.
Employers prefer to hire people with formal training in appliance repair and electronics.
Courses in basic electricity and electronics are becoming increasingly necessary as more manufacturers install circuit boards and other electronic control systems in home appliances. Regardless of whether their basic skills are developed through formal training or on the job, trainees usually receive additional training from their employer and manufacturers. In shops that fix portable appliances, they work on a single type of appliance, such as a vacuum cleaner, until they master its repair. Then they move on to others, until they can repair all those handled by the shop. In companies that repair major appliances, beginners assist experienced repairers on service visits.