James Harris, a trainee service engineer at Eastern Business Systems, which is based in Norwich and Newmarket.

Photocopier field service engineer

Answers supplied by Mark Stewart, service director at Eastern Business Systems. The company has been established for 11 years based in Norwich and Newmarket. It currently employs 27 staff with a customer base of more than 2,500 plus machines. EBS is a solution provider for all copying, scanning, fax and printing requirements.

What does the job entail?
You will be visiting customers, so a certain amount of travelling will be involved. The customer base is often varied, from small businesses to blue chip companies, schools and restaurants. Your job would mainly be servicing and repairing photocopiers, facsimile machines, printers and multi-function products.

What skills and qualifications are needed?
No particular qualifications are required as a minimum standard. However,
common sense, an aptitude for electro-mechanical work and an interest in IT and a current driving licence are essential. Product training is given in
the form of residential manufacturer courses, supplemented with web-based theory work and a personal development programme.

What type of person will fit in?
A person who likes to meet people and is a good, confident communicator. Someone methodical in their work, who can work independently, but also as part of a team, can use their initiative and is self-motivated to complete repairs and services to the highest standard.

What are the pluses and minuses of the job?
No two days are the same and you never know what tomorrow will bring. The office products industry is growing with the advent of the digital and colour products, so job security is good. However, service-based work will only guarantee an above average salary when you are working on high end print production products, so the initial salary could be a minus point.

What opportunities exist for career progression?
Opportunities are available to progress from the general office products to the high end colour and large format printers delivering in excess of 100
copies per minute. You could also progress to be a senior engineer, go
into service management or become a product specialist. Alternatively, a
career path may exist to move into the IT and network arena, so there are several options and career paths available.

What can I expect to earn?
Trainees will receive a starting salary of approximately £10,000, rising to about £17,000 plus a company car and bonus for a more experienced field-based engineer. Product specialists or senior management personnel can expect a salary of £25,000 plus performance bonus and other benefits. If you are working in London, you would usually receive a weighting
allowance.

Any hints on getting a job in this area?
Look out for advertisements in the recruitment sections of the local press or look through the Yellow Pages for local dealerships who may be recruiting. National organisations such as Sharp, Canon, Xerox all have recommended service centres which you could approach.