Computer & Office Machine Repairer
Technology
Repair, maintain, or install computers, word processing systems, automated teller machines, and electronic office machines, such as duplicating and fax machines.
You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Reassemble machines after making repairs or replacing parts.
- 2Converse with customers to determine details of equipment problems.
- 3Disassemble machines to examine parts, such as wires, gears, or bearings for wear or defects, using hand or power tools and measuring devices.
- 4Advise customers concerning equipment operation, maintenance, or programming.
- 5Align, adjust, or calibrate equipment according to specifications.
- 6Repair, adjust, or replace electrical or mechanical components or parts, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering or welding equipment.
- 7Travel to customers' stores or offices to service machines or to provide emergency repair service.
- 8Maintain parts inventories and order any additional parts needed for repairs.
- 9Reinstall software programs or adjust settings on existing software to fix machine malfunctions.
- 10Operate machines to test functioning of parts or mechanisms.
- 11Clean, oil, or adjust mechanical parts to maintain machines' operating efficiency and to prevent breakdowns.
- 12Maintain records of equipment maintenance work or repairs.
- 13Test new systems to ensure that they are in working order.
- 14Complete repair bills, shop records, time cards, or expense reports.
- 15Install and configure new equipment, including operating software or peripheral equipment.
- 16Analyze equipment performance records to assess equipment functioning.
- 17Read specifications, such as blueprints, charts, or schematics, to determine machine settings or adjustments.
- 18Update existing equipment, performing tasks such as installing updated circuit boards or additional memory.
- 19Test components or circuits of faulty equipment to locate defects, using oscilloscopes, signal generators, ammeters, voltmeters, or special diagnostic software programs.
- 20Assemble machines according to specifications, using hand or power tools and measuring devices.
- 21Lay cable and hook up electrical connections between machines, power sources, and phone lines.
- 22Enter information into computers to copy programs from one electronic component to another or to draw, modify, or store schematics.
- 23Calibrate testing instruments.
- 24Fill machines with toners, inks, or other duplicating fluids.
- 25Train new repairers.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- Mechanic
- ATM Servicer
- Repair Agent
- Hardware Tech
- IT Technician
- PC Technician
- ATM Technician
- Break/Fix Tech
- Field Engineer
- PC Repair Tech
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
Typical entry
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
4
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Computers and Electronics87%
Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies
- Customer and Personal Service80%
- Mechanical73%
Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)
- Engineering and Technology62%
PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)
- English Language61%
English
- Education and Training48%
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Leading or coordinating othersHigh
- Handling conflict situationsOften
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentAlmost never
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Asasi / Foundation
One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.
Diploma
Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.
TVET
Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org