The industrial technician industry today — and tomorrow
Where do you work, and what is demanded?
Industrial engineering is one of the trades that is absolutely central to Danish industry. When something is to be manufactured in metal or plastic with precision — from a single specialist part to series production — it is often an industrial technician who stands behind the machine and the program.
§Where do industrial technicians work?
Fully trained industrial technicians are typically found in manufacturing and production companies that produce parts and products in metal and plastic. Some of the most common areas are:
- 01Iron and metal industry – machine parts, components and special manufacturing
- 02Machine installation
- 03Energy and wind industry — components for large systems
- 04Food and process industry as well as the automotive industry — operation, maintenance and manufacturing
§What do you typically do?
Work spans broadly: setting up and programming CNC machines, operating lathes and mills, maintaining machinery and equipment, optimizing production processes and performing quality control. Many industrial technicians gradually move from pure machine operation toward programming, planning and responsibility for entire production runs.
§Demand and job opportunities.
Danish industry has a continuous need for employees who can operate and maintain production equipment. A professional certificate makes you more attractive than unskilled labour and gives better footing in the job.
§What does automation and robots mean?
It is a widespread misconception that robots and automation make the industrial technician unnecessary. In practice, technology shifts the task: instead of solely operating a machine by hand, you increasingly program, set up and monitor computer-controlled machines and robots — and check that the result meets tolerances. Professional understanding of materials, measurement and processes becomes more valuable, not less, as machines become more advanced.
Trends to keep an eye on
- 01More CNC and automated production — programming becomes a core competency
- 02Robots and automated production cells to be set up and operated
- 03Increasing requirements for documentation, traceability, and quality management
- 04Digital production tools such as CAD/CAM and data collection
“The machines must be maintained lubricated sharpened and repaired to function and cut well. A dull blade tears grass instead of cutting it cleanly which both looks bad and can damage the grass. Daily care of equipment is therefore part of the professional craft.”