Career Opportunities in the
Fire Sprinkler Industry
The fire sprinkler industry is a specific section
of the construction industry which provides built-in automatic fire protection
for buildings. All types of buildings, structures, and occupancies, from
homes and high-rises to shopping malls and factories, are protected.
Opportunities exist now in the fire sprinkler industry,
offering careers of importance and value to your community, as well as
to your own growth and future. This pamphlet will answer some of the questions
you may have about this exciting industry.
What are fire sprinkler systems?
Individual fire sprinklers are spaced throughout the ceiling of a building.
The sprinklers are integrated with a network of piping and connected to
a water supply. Heat from any unwanted fire activates one or more sprinklers
in the immediate vicinity of the fire, permitting water to flow which extinguishes
or controls the fire.
What are the career opportunities?
The fire sprinkler industry is one of the fastest growing segments of
the construction industry in the United States. This $3 billion industry
more than doubled in size between 1982 and 1990, and is expected to continue
this phenomenal rate of growth. Model building codes require a large percentage
of new buildings to be protected with fire sprinklers, and thousands of
existing buildings are also being retrofitted with sprinklers every year.
Because of this growth, the industry offers many rewarding career opportunities.
An excellent place to start is an engineering technician who prepares working
drawings for fire sprinkler installation. As you gain skill and experience,
opportunities for career enrichment include positions in estimating, sales,
purchasing, finance, marketing, and middle and upper management.
You can be a valuable human resource to your employer, who will help
you establish a clearly defined career path based on your strengths and
abilities.
What does the engineering
technician do?
The engineering technician employed in the fire sprinkler industry generally
works for a fire sprinkler contracting firm. These firms vary in size from
small companies with only a few technicians to a few large nationwide companies
such companies each employing over a hundred technicians. Across the country
there is an urgent need to fill hundreds of training positions for engineering
technicians.
The technician works primarily in an office environment, but is also
involved in building site visits and surveys. He or she works with building
plans prepared by architects and engineers, and prepares detailed working
drawings to indicate how sprinklers and piping should be placed within
a building in conformance with specifications prepared by design professionals.
The layout and detailing of sprinkler plans must be performed within guidelines
established through national consensus standards and codes. He or she must
also deal with the supplemental requirements of insurance authorities,
fire authorities, building codes, and water departments. As such, the technician
is a vital part of the fire protection contracting team.
Today's engineering technician utilizes computers to hydraulically calculate
pressure losses through system piping and valves. There is also a trend
toward the use of complete Computer Aided Design (CAD). Senior level technicians
may also become involved in project management which requires temporary
establishment of a field office.
What does it take to become
an engineering technician?
While there are no formal education requirements for a fire protection
engineering technician, a high school diploma is considered the minimum
qualification for entry level positions. Many individuals enter the industry
after receiving a two-year Associate degree in fire science or mechanical
engineering technology, or after completing vocational school training
in drafting. Work experience gained from related mechanical construction
applications is considered when applicable.
The qualities which help an individual
succeed in this career path are:
1. An aptitude in math and spatial relationships;
2. Basic drawing or drafting skills;
3. Attention to detail and ability to learn computer skills;
4. Mechanical aptitudes;
5. And, perhaps most important, the ability to clearly communicate both
verbally and in writing.
What type of certification
is available for the sprinkler technician?
In 1980, the National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc., a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the fire sprinkler industry, established a nationwide program for certification of fire protection engineering technicians. This program is administered by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET), and is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers.
The program recognizes four levels of competence for the technician
involved in sprinkler layout and detailing:
LEVEL I - Student (Entry Level) Technician
LEVEL 11 - Associate Engineering Technician
LEVEL III - Certified Engineering Technician
LEVEL IV - Senior Engineering Technician
A Level III Certified Engineering Technician is an individual with a
broad understanding of industry technical requirements and practices, and
with at least five years experience.
A certified fire protection engineering technician is widely respected
for his or her demonstrated competence and ability. A number of municipalities
require that sprinkler plans be prepared by a Certified Engineering Technician
competent in fire sprinkler system layout and detailing. More than a dozen
states now have fire sprinkler contractor licensing laws which require
contractors to employ certified technicians.
What are the benefits?
While salary levels vary in different parts of the country, individuals
who have achieved recognition as Certified Engineering Technicians in the
fire sprinkler field generally earn $30,000 to $50,000 per year and typically
receive a generous package of employee benefits. Entry level salaries are
naturally lower, with pay commensurate to the level of training and competence.
Senior technicians and those who have moved into estimating, sales, and
other management positions can earn considerably more.
Fire causes death and destruction, and the installation of a fire sprinkler
system provides for the protection of both life and property. Therefore,
one of the most satisfying benefits of a career in the fire sprinkler industry
is the opportunity to assist in saving lives and property from the
ravages of fire.
How do I get started?
While an increasing number of community colleges and four-year universities
offer specialized training for fire sprinkler engineering technicians,
most technicians first enter the industry through employment with a fire
sprinkler contracting firm. See your guidance counselor or contact the
source below for additional information.