The duties of audio and video equipment technicians are to operate such audio and video equipment as microphones, sound speakers, video screens, projectors, video monitors and recording equipment. They are responsible for connecting wires and cables, sound and mixing boards and related electronic equipment. The fields of their work are concerts, sporting events, meetings and conventions, presentations and news conferences. They are also engaged with such custom lighting systems as associated spotlights.
As soon as the transition has turned to digital recording, editing, and broadcasting, the duties of audio and video equipment technicians have changed. Instead of desktop software, and video and audio tapes one uses effectively computer hard drives and other types of data storage. Broadcasting is performed with computer networks and specialized equipment, that is why audio and video equipment technicians should possess software and computer networking skills.
Audio and video equipment technicians need to have skill working with electrical, electronic, and mechanical systems and equipment. It is also important for them to have good manual dexterity.
If you are eager to become an audio and video equipment technician, you should have a high school diploma. Community colleges or other postsecondary institutions offer degrees. On-the-job training is quite possible. If you want to gain experience, go to work in a studio as an assistant.
The best method of becoming a good audio and video equipment technician is to enter in a technical school community college or university program in electronics, computer networking or broadcast technology. It is effective to gain experience from other technicians and supervisors. Start working in smaller, local stations and after gaining experience work on larger stations and networks. Sometimes employers pay for the tuition and expenses for courses and seminars for their workers, because they want their skills to become better.
The highest salary is obtained in such American cities as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Up to 2012, it is expected that the amount of audio and video equipment technicians will increase fast. Developed technology is obligatory for the production of higher quality radio and television programming.
The cable and pay television sector of the industry will demand more specialists than other sectors.
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