Career: ATM Technicians
When the first prototype of a modern automated teller machine was made in 1969, no one would have predicted that ATMs would become a common sight on every street corner. Now it’s hard to imagine life without them. After the August 2003 blackout in the Northeast, people caught short of cash appreciated anew the convenience of the ever-present machine once the juice flowed again.
ATM technicians keep ATMs running and are an essential part of the multibillion ATM industry.
ATM technicians maintain and repair ATMs, either on-site or at a repair shop.
Did You Know?
- Keep an eye out for talking ATMs. These audio-enabled machines will be a big help to people with vision impairments.
Are You Ready To...?
- Pass a certification exam
- Be called out late on a rainy night to repair a broken ATM
- Repair “pick failures” that keep cash from being dispensed
- Replace worn magnetic heads that don’t read customers’ cards
It Helps to Be...
Interested in electronics and good at seeing problems and fixing them.
Make High School Count
- Sign up for electronics. This will give you a solid base for understanding how ATMs work.
- Take shop to get hands-on experience with tools.
- Build computer skills. ATMs work on a computer network. When one isn’t working properly, the network recognizes it and alerts the ATM technician.
Did You Know?
- ATMs aren’t just for banking anymore. Some ATMs also provide stamps, phone cards, and event tickets.
Outlook
Government economists expect the number of jobs for computer, ATM, and office machine technicians to decline slowly between 2008 and 2018. For an edge in the job market, get formal training, hands-on experience, and certification, learning as much as you can about electronics. Technicians with expertise in electronic kiosks, a special type of ATM, should have an added advantage.
Compensation
The average hourly wage in 2009 for computer, ATM, and office machine technicians was $18.95, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
