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How a Horticultural Technician makes a difference

Fruit, vegetables, plants, and flowers are all grown in the horticultural industry. Each species in each of these categories benefits from particular conditions – soil, watering, feed, and temperatures – to grow at its best. 

Research takes place to understand what makes the difference to a plant’s health. Seedlings are nurtured in different conditions to compare the results and new techniques are employed to increase the yield of fruit or quality of flowers. You could be the technician who helps to create delicious fruits that feed people, and plants and flowers that make them happy.

The type of work a Horticultural Technician will do

  • Understanding different species and their stages of growth
  • Preparing seed beds/growing areas
  • Following procedures to maximise growth potential
  • Controlling pests, weeds, and diseases
  • Feeding and tending to plants
  • Managing accurate records
  • Operating and taking care of machinery
  • Experimenting with new growing approaches
Useful skills
Problem solving
Useful skills
Precise
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Average salary per year *
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Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities for a Horticultural Technician

Once you’ve gained experience in seed production, you could move on to leading a team and taking responsibility for crop management.

You could also become an independent grower, a researcher, or offer your skills as a consultant to other growers.

How to become a Horticultural Technician

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:

  • A T-level in Science.
  • An apprenticeship as a Laboratory Technician.

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

The horticulture industry is innovative and technologically advanced, combining scientific research with high-tech machinery and lots of outdoor work. As well as optimising fruit yields and enhancing the vibrancy of plants and flowers, you will also need to consider the surrounding environment to make sure growing practices maintain or improve the land.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Arable Technician
Horticulture Operative

How a Telecommunications Technician makes a difference

Organisations rely on telecommunication systems in all areas of operations, just as people rely on voice, data, and video communications across their leisure and home life. The number of devices that utilise mobile and broadband networks has expanded tremendously over the last ten years, as internet and mobile technology have become faster and more readily available.

Not all areas enjoy the same superfast internet connections, however, and mobile and broadband networks can fail. Therefore specialists are required to understand what the challenges are, install the right technology, and repair issues quickly. You could be the technician who helps people and business to communicate with each other effectively by making network connections fast and reliable.

The type of work a Telecommunications Technician will do

  • Implementing IT solutions involving network hardware, software, databases and programming
  • Responding to reports about failing networks and communications
  • Diagnosing issues
  • Interacting with a wide variety of users with varying levels of technical knowledge
  • Collecting and analysing network and telecommunications performance data
  • Implementing and testing secure systems
  • Testing and maintaining core network infrastructure
Useful skills
Logical thinking
Useful skills
Attention to detail
Useful skills
Problem solving
Useful skills
Technologically minded
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities for a Telecommunications Technician

You could work in several different environments, including large telecoms companies, within the IT team of a big organisation, or within a specialist IT consultancy that helps organisations install and manage their telecommunication systems.

As your knowledge and experience increase, you could get involved in the design of networks, helping organisations transition from old telecommunications systems to fast internet-based solutions.

How to become a Telecommunications Technician

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:

More options available after that:

  • An apprenticeship as a Cellular Network Field Engineer.

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

Many of the systems you install will be based in the cloud, instead of being installed in servers on premises. You’ll use cloud technology to roll out new systems to businesses and to provide software updates and new services to customers. You will understand how voice, data, and video infrastructure operates and how to direct different types of calls over the network to make telecommunications as cost effective as possible.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Cloud Technician
Communications Technician
Cyber/Security Support
Data Centre Support Technician
Help Desk Support
IT Field Technician
IT Support Analyst
Network Field Operative
Network Support
Office IT Technician

How a Crop Technician makes a difference

The land is where food production starts and it needs to be taken care of to produce healthy crops. As they grow, crops also need to be nurtured to protect them from weeds, diseases, harsh weather conditions, and hungry birds, insects and other animals.

Understanding how to build up resistance to all these things and improve the quality of crops involves research into how to establish strong seedlings, manage their growth, and harvest the final crop. You could be the technician who helps to grow successful crops to put tasty and nutritious food on people’s tables.

The type of work a Crop Technician will do

  • Understanding different species of crops and their stages of growth
  • Preparing seed beds/growing areas
  • Following procedures to maximise growth potential
  • Controlling pests, weeds, and diseases
  • Caring and tending to crops
  • Managing accurate records
  • Operating and taking care of machinery
  • Experimenting with new growing approaches
Useful skills
Instructing others
Useful skills
Critical thinking
Useful skills
Precise
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities for a Crop Technician

Once you’ve gained experience in seed production, you could move on to leading a team and taking responsibility for crop management.

You could also become an independent grower, a researcher, or offer your skills as a consultant to other growers.

How to become a Crop Technician

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.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

The agriculture industry needs to be innovative and technologically advanced, combining scientific research and high-tech machinery with lots of outdoor work. As well as optimising crop yields, you will also need to consider the surrounding environment, to make sure growing practices maintain or improve the land.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Arable Technician
Horticulture Operative

How a Creative Venue Technician makes a difference

If you’ve ever been to a concert, the theatre or even a show on ice, you probably remember the performers most of all. However, every production – whether it’s live, for the radio, or on film – involves a large back stage crew who take care of the scenery, lights, cameras, sound and smooth running of a performance.

Some members of the crew will be specialists in a specific area while others are multi-skilled, working across a range of technical disciplines. This could be anything from constructing scenery to moving it around set, repairing equipment to adapting venues for touring shows. You could be the technician who helps to create the magic of performances and ensures audiences are fully entertained.

The type of work a Creative Venue Technician will do

  • Assembling and installing stage scenery
  • Maintaining scenery, equipment and props
  • Working with the creative team to deliver staging ideas
  • Programming lighting, audio, video and automation
  • Carrying out repairs to a venue
  • Working with a group to deliver projects on time
  • Interacting with a diverse range of technical and creative people
Useful skills
Attention to detail
Useful skills
Instructing others
Useful skills
Communicating complex ideas
Useful skills
Problem solving
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Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities for a Creative Venue Technician

Once you’ve developed an all-round understanding of stage craft and how different teams work together, you may decide to specialise in one area, whether that’s lighting, sound, scenery or stage management.

Even if you choose to continue as a multi-skilled technician, you can progress to being a team leader, responsible for project management, training other people, and the quality of delivery. Eventually you could reach the position of producer and have overall control of how a show is put together.

How to become a Creative Venue Technician

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:

  • A T-level in Media, Broadcast and Production.
  • An apprenticeship as a Creative Industries Production Technician.
  • An apprenticeship as a Scenic Automation Technician.

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

There are many kinds of creative venue. Not only theatres and concert halls, but arts centres, broadcast studios, recording studios and festivals. The stagecraft you learn, including carpentry, operating stage machinery, and performing scene changes, will be transferrable to lots of different shows and environments, and could allow you to travel the world.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Venue Technician
Theatre Technician
Stage Technician
Lighting Technician
Sound Technician
Video Technician
Automation Technician

How an Archaeological Technician makes a difference

Archaeologists discover all kinds of items that can tell us about how people lived and worked in the past. Tools can reveal the metals that were available and how things were built. Clothing can tell us about available materials and cultural traditions. Bones can tell us about people’s diets and health.

An archaeological dig is an intricate process that involves setting a grid, gently excavating soil and stones, and making a record of any changes to the soil as you dig down. Nowadays, it also involves a range of technology, including 3D scanners. Any finds are recorded and analysed to see what they reveal about the past. You could be the technician who finds a unique historical artefact that helps to piece together how our ancestors lived.

Useful skills
Attention to detail
Useful skills
Precise
Useful skills
Problem solving
Useful skills
Critical thinking
Useful skills
Communicating complex ideas
Useful skills
Technologically minded

The type of work an Archaeological Technician will do

  • Carrying out surveys
  • Participating in excavations
  • Recording discoveries
  • Completing post-excavation analysis
  • Producing publications
  • Labelling, bagging and cataloguing artefacts
  • Processing and sorting environmental samples
  • Archiving materials, records and digital data
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities for an Archaeological Technician

Your career could begin in a wide range of organisations, including private companies that need to understand sites before building starts, or charities, museums or universities involved in archaeological research.

You may find you prefer lab research or decide that you want to spend most of your time on digs. You can apply for roles on digs taking place all over the world and could eventually lead a dig yourself.

How to become an Archaeological Technician

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:  

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.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

Your archaeological career could take you to many parts of the world, as well as all over the UK. You could be commissioned to excavate sites before permission is given to build on them, or you could even be interviewed for the news when an exciting new artefact is discovered. As well as working on a dig, you have the option of carrying out lab work, completing the analysis of important finds.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Archaeologist
Site Assistant
Archaeological Fieldwork Technician
Finds Processor
Finds Technician
Finds Assistant
Environmental Processor
Environmental Technician