Instrument Technician

This page gives you the real story about what it's like to be an Instrument Technician (with insights from people actually doing the job).

Your goal: Decide if this sounds interesting enough to explore further, or if it's clearly not for you. Both answers are useful!

It will take about 5 minutes to read through - by the end, you'll know if this is worth exploring or if you should look at something else.

What is this job?

Every process plant needs a way to control what's happening inside it. Whether it's an oil refinery, a water treatment works, a food factory, or a hydrogen plant, there are tanks to fill, temperatures to manage, pressures to monitor, and flows to regulate. Instrument technicians are the people who make sure all of that actually works.

Think of it like this: a process plant is a bit like a massive, complicated body. The instruments are the nerves, constantly measuring what's going on. The control systems are the brain, deciding what needs to happen. And instrument technicians keep the whole nervous system running properly.

It's described as work that sits between mechanical and electrical. You need to understand both, but you're working on the stuff that measures and controls everything rather than the big rotating equipment or the power supply. When something goes wrong and the readings don't make sense, you're the one figuring out why.

What do they do day to day?

You're out on site working with equipment, but this isn't heavy lifting work. Instrument techs joke that everything fits in your pockets. You're using small tools, working with precision.

Fault finding and problem solving:

  • A temperature reading comes back at a million degrees when it should be 50. You go find out why

  • A motor won't start even though the button's being pressed. You trace through the control system to find what's blocking it

  • Something's out of calibration and giving dodgy readings. You test it, adjust it, prove it works

Maintenance and calibration:

  • Testing safety systems at regular intervals to prove they'll work when needed

  • Calibrating transmitters and sensors to make sure they're reading accurately

  • Finding problems before they cause a breakdown

Installation and commissioning:

  • Wiring up new equipment and connecting small bore tubing (tiny pipes for pneumatic signals)

  • Testing new systems step by step before they go live

  • Working through commissioning plans to prove everything does what it should

Who you work with:

  • Other technicians, including electricians and mechanics

  • Engineers who design systems and write procedures

  • Operations staff who run the plant day to day

Where you work:

  • Process plants of all kinds: refineries, chemical works, power stations, water treatment, food and drink, pharmaceuticals, hydrogen

  • Can be onshore or offshore

  • Mix of workshop and site work

  • Some roles are mainly maintenance, others are more construction or commissioning focused

How much do they earn?

Salaries vary depending on the industry, location, and whether you're onshore or offshore. Here's a rough guide:

Apprentice £14,000 - £25,000 per year

You're learning on the job while getting paid. Wages increase each year of your apprenticeship.

Newly Qualified £28,000 - £35,000 per year

Just finished your apprenticeship and got your trade papers.

With Experience £35,000 - £50,000 per year

A few years under your belt, comfortable with fault finding and working independently.

Senior Level / Offshore £50,000 - £80,000+ per year

Experienced technicians, especially those working offshore rotations or on specialist projects, can earn significantly more.

What affects your salary:

  • Industry: oil and gas, hydrogen, and nuclear tend to pay more

  • Location: offshore roles pay a premium for time away from home

  • Tickets: extra certifications like CompEx (hazardous areas) and specific system training increase your value

  • Shift patterns: working nights or rotating shifts usually comes with extra pay

Remember: These are approximate figures for the UK. The good thing about this trade is there's clear progression, and your skills transfer across industries. Once you're qualified, there's usually plenty of work about.

You'll Be Successful In This Career If...

You're hands-on and practical

You'd rather be doing than sitting. If you enjoyed workshop classes at school and like picking things up, taking them apart, and figuring out how they work, this kind of work might suit you. The running joke is that instrument techs are paid from the shoulders up, but you still need to enjoy getting your hands dirty.

You like problem solving where every day is different

The textbook doesn't always work. Sometimes you're throwing it out the window and using your own brainpower. A reading makes no sense. A motor won't start. Something that worked yesterday is playing up today. If you enjoy the puzzle of figuring out what's gone wrong, you'll enjoy fault finding.

You're precise and notice when things aren't quite right

Calibrating instruments means tiny adjustments matter. Pneumatic equipment especially needs careful handling. If you're the type who spots when something's slightly off and takes the time to get it right rather than rushing, you'll do well in this role.

You're curious about how things work

Good technicians don't just follow procedures blindly. They want to understand why they're doing something, how one component affects another. When you understand the system, you can diagnose problems faster and spot issues before they become serious. If something doesn't make sense, you keep asking questions until it does.

You're comfortable with both mechanical and electrical work

Instrumentation sits in the middle. You'll work with small bore tubing (pneumatics, mechanical side) and wiring and electronics (electrical side). If the idea of learning both appeals to you rather than specialising in just one, this could be a good fit.

The Bottom Line

If you're practical and hands-on, curious about how systems work, enjoy problem solving where the answer isn't always obvious, and like the idea of a mix between mechanical and electrical work, then instrument technician could be a strong fit for you. It's a trade where you're using your brain as much as your hands.

The routes to the role:

Apprenticeship:

  • The most common route in, typically 4 years
  • Earn while you learn, often with day release to college
  • You'll work towards an HNC or HND plus an SVQ portfolio
  • Companies in oil and gas, utilities, manufacturing, and process industries all offer these
  • The APTUS programme is a well-known route for offshore instrumentation

What you need to get started:

  • National 5s (or equivalent) in Maths, English, and a science (Physics is most useful)
  • Interest in how things work and a practical mindset
  • Evidence that you've done something beyond just schoolwork: volunteering, Duke of Edinburgh, work experience, even just reaching out to companies

What you'll gain through your apprenticeship:

  • HNC or HND in a relevant discipline
  • SVQ Level 3 in Instrument and Control
  • Industry tickets like CompEx (working in hazardous areas) and 18th edition (wiring regulations)
  • Offshore survival tickets if you're going that direction

Other routes:

  • College courses in instrumentation, electronics, or electrical engineering can lead into junior technician roles
  • Some people move across from electrical or mechanical backgrounds with additional training
  • The armed forces train technicians who often move into industry afterwards

Insights from people who do the job

Andrew Wilson

Operations Technician at

Scottish Gas Networks

GET INSIGHTS FROM ANDREW