On the job, technicians will interact with coworkers, and many will also have contact with clients. To facilitate troubleshooting, they must be able to ask appropriate questions, listen attentively, and explain clearly. They must also be able to interact positively with customers, often in stressful situations, and to communicate highly technical information in basic terms. They may work with clients of varying levels of technical expertise in person, over the phone, or on line. In their program coursework, they will write lab reports in which they document procedures and explain their conclusions.
Technical accuracy is important in such work.
Similar writing will be done on the job, as well as completing various forms and creating technical diagrams. Workers who move into management will also engage in business correspondence. Math is a crucial skill in this program. At least two years of high school algebra and trigonometry, taken recently, is recommended prior to program entry, as students will take Technical Math II in their first term. Nondecimal bases will be used in Digital Electronics.