Good opportunities are expected for most types of precision instrument and equipment repairer jobs. Overall employment growth is projected to be about as fast as the average for all occupations over the 2006-16 period; however, projected growth varies by detailed occupation.

Employment change. Projected employment growth for precision instrument and equipment repairers varies greatly by specialty.

Employment of camera and photographic equipment repairers is projected to decline by about 2 percent between 2006 and 2016, and employment of watch repairers is projected to decline 5 percent over the same period. These occupations are in decline primarily because the products they service are often less expensive to replace than to repair. Most of the workers who remain in this industry will specialize in repair of expensive watches and cameras, as well as antiques.

Over the same time period, the employment of musical instrument repairers and tuners is projected to increase 3 percent, which is slower than average. Band and orchestra programs in high schools continue to provide most of the business for these workers, and they have been declining for several years. With fewer new musicians, there will be a slump in instrument rentals, purchases, and repairs. In the meantime, however, there continues to be a demand for these services, and new opportunities should continue to arise as the population grows.

The medical equipment repairer occupation is projected to increase 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations, as a result of increased demand for medical services and increasing complexity of the equipment used in hospitals and clinics. Opportunities should be increasingly good for those who have a strong understanding of software and electronics, as many new medical devices are increasingly reliant on computers.

Over the same time period, employment of other precision instrument and equipment repairers is projected to increase 4 percent, more slowly than average, as most of them work in declining manufacturing industries. Nevertheless, these workers can expect to play an increasingly large role in those industries, as automation continues to dominate modern manufacturing.

Job prospects. Despite varying levels of growth in the various occupations, almost all workers in these fields can expect good job prospects over the next decade. As the baby boomer generation nears retirement, many skilled workers in these occupations are expected to leave the workforce. Additionally, many technical schools and other programs offering courses in these occupations have closed, leading to a shortage of qualified workers. Individuals with strong apprenticeships or internships should have the best prospects as instrumentation continues to become more complex and requires ever greater skill to repair.

Precision instrument and equipment repairers held 68,000 jobs in 2006. Employment was distributed among the detailed occupations as follows:

Medical equipment repairers often work for hospitals or wholesale equipment suppliers, while those in the occupation titled "all other precision instrument repairers" frequently work for manufacturing companies and wholesalers of durable goods. About 1 out of 6 precision instrument and equipment repairers was self-employed—most are proprietors of jewelry, camera, medical equipment, or music repair services.

For information on musical instrument repair, including schools offering training, contact:

• National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT), P.O. Box 51, Normal, IL 61761. Internet: http://www.napbirt.org

For additional information on piano tuning and repair work, contact:

• Piano Technicians Guild, 4444 Forest Ave., Kansas City, KS 66106. Internet: http://www.ptg.org

For information about training, mentoring programs, employers, and schools with programs in precision instrumentation, automation, and control, contact:

• ISA-The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society, 67 Alexander Dr, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Internet: http://www.isa.org

For information about watch and clock repair and a list of schools with related programs of study, contact:

• American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute (AWI), 701 Enterprise Dr., Harrison, OH 45030-1696. Internet: http://www.awi-net.org
• National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, 514 Poplar St., Columbia, PA 17512-2130. Internet: http://www.nawcc.org

For information about medical equipment technicians and a list of schools with related programs of study, contact:

• Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), 1110 North Glebe Rd., Suite 220, Arlington, VA 22201-4795. Internet: http://www.aami.org