A Land-Based Engineering Technician mends the equipment used by outdoor workers, from combine harvesters to diggers
Outdoor sectors including agriculture, horticulture, forestry and outdoor power use a diverse range of tools and machinery – everything from saws to combine harvesters, rakes to generators. These all need to be serviced and maintained.
Equipment is often specialised to an industry and fixing it requires in depth understanding of how it will be used and in which conditions, to make sure it is capable of doing the work it needs to do. You could be a technician who supports an outdoor sector, by making sure outdoor workers have the tools they need to succeed.
You will probably specialise in one outdoor sector and could become an expert in one area of machinery, for example milking machines or tractors.
The increased focus on agricultural technology – or Agri-Tech – as well as sustainability and net carbon neutral targets, could mean you get involved in product innovation. You could help to create modern agriculture that minimises negative impacts on the environment.
There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.
But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:
Options available after GCSEs:
Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.
You will need to understand how machines interface with biological systems and what’s involved in an environment, including climate, soil, plants and animals. Each outdoor sector presents different challenges and machinery is becoming more technologically advanced to achieve different goals.
