what is a destruction technician?
As a destruction technician, you operate shredders and destruction equipment to destroy confidential documents. The job involves transporting confidential documents to the onsite shredding facility for destruction. You also support the operations of shredding or bailing machines by feeding documents into the shredder and ensuring the proper destruction of the materials. You not only shred paper materials but also handle the disposal and recycling of plastic materials.
The responsibilities of a destruction technician depend on the type of materials to shred. Your job is to retrieve the materials to be shredded and choose the ideal equipment for shredding. For instance, office paper shredders cannot be used to shred micrographic media. Picking the right equipment ensures secure destruction and that the general principles for handling sensitive waste are adhered to. Aside from shredding, you also collect the shredded waste. You dispose of the waste by recycling it or following other waste management protocols, depending on the waste.
Working as a destruction technician requires knowledge of the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (PIPEDA) to handle sensitive and confidential information from companies. You also need physical fitness to lift items and feed the shredders.
Would working as a destruction technician suit your knowledge of operating mechanical equipment? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a destruction technician role.
view jobsaverage destruction technician salary
According to Job Bank, the average salary of a destruction technician in Canada is $31,200 per year. Your earnings fluctuate based on various factors, including experience and skills. When you are starting out in the role, you start with a salary of $29,250 per year. The most experienced destruction technicians make up to $40,300 per year.
how to increase your salary as the destruction technician
As a destruction technician, you start with a lower salary due to minimal experience and qualifications. When you have extensive experience, you earn a higher salary due to your level of expertise. With your extensive experience, you handle complex duties. That means you can negotiate a higher salary that matches your skillset.
Your location also influences your earnings. When you work in a large city with numerous companies that need shredding services, you are likely to earn more due to the demand for destruction technicians. Working in smaller towns lowers your earning prospects due to the low demand for destruction technicians.
The materials you shred and the equipment used also determine your earnings. For instance, destruction technicians who shred documents are likely to earn less than shredder operators who destroy micrographic media.
types of destruction technicians
Destruction technicians shred diverse materials, ranging from paper to plastics and wood. Some of the types of destruction technicians include:
- office shredder operators: as a shredder operator in an office, you use office shredders to shred paper documents. You handle confidential information, and it is important to use the right equipment to prevent data breaches. You also handle the destruction of micrographic media to ensure they don't get into the wrong hands.
- plastic shredder operators: as a destruction technician, you can work in recycling plants to break down plastics collected as waste and prepare them for recycling. You are likely to operate extruding and moulding processing machines, which are used to manufacture plastic products.
working as a destruction technician
If you want to become a destruction technician, check out the following duties and responsibilities.
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what does a destruction technician do?
Regardless of the materials you are shredding, the typical duties of destruction technicians include:
- sorting materials for the shredding machine: as a destruction technician, you prepare the documents or shredding materials for the shredders. You remove unnecessary materials that are harmful to the shredding machines, such as paper clips, rubber bands or black clasps. It is important to remove any metallic materials to ensure they don’t damage the shredding equipment.
- shredding the materials: as a destruction technician, you identify the ideal shredder for your documents or materials. For instance, an office shredder is used to shred documents and papers. After identifying the equipment, you feed the documents into the shredder and start shredding them.
- disposing of waste: as a destruction technician, you collect the waste from the shredded materials. You ensure proper disposal of the waste, depending on the materials. If it is paper waste or plastics, you take them to recycling.
- supervising the entire destruction process: as a destruction technician, you supervise all stages of the shredding process. That means you pick up the documents from the officers and supervise transportation to final destruction.
- maintaining shredders and other equipment: as a destruction technician, you are in charge of maintaining office shredders and other equipment used in the destruction. You clean the equipment, replace parts, and check for needed repairs. After shredding, you ensure the machines are in good shape for the next tasks.
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work environment of a destruction technician
Destruction technicians work in various industries. You can work in corporate offices with internal shredding departments or waste management companies offering document destruction services. As a destruction technician, you work indoors in a noisy work environment, shredding papers and other materials for disposal. When you work for a waste management company, you pick up the documents and materials to be shredded from the companies. While the role involves working in a noisy environment, you use protective equipment like earmuffs and sometimes gloves to protect your hands when cleaning the equipment.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer, you are likely to work alongside field service technicians, file clerks and data entry clerks. You also collaborate with general labourers, office clerks and janitors. Other professionals you are likely to work with include maintenance technicians, maintenance workers and machine operators.
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destruction technician work schedule
Your work schedule as a destruction technician depends on the industry or company you work for. When you work in a full-time role, you are likely to work the standard business hours. Destruction technicians also work evenings when they have deadlines and sometimes work on weekends. You can also work as a destruction technician part-time. You only work a few hours a week handling shredding and recycling of materials.
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career opportunities as a destruction technician
As a destruction technician, you work in the service industry, and your knowledge of operating machines and maintaining equipment comes in handy in various roles. Some destruction technicians utilize their maintenance skills to become field service technicians, recyclers and machine operators. You build your expertise and mechanical skills useful in mechanical maintenance.
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advantages of finding a job as a destruction technician through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits:
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- many training opportunities
- a range of jobs in your area
destruction technician skills and education
You don’t need educational qualifications to become a destruction technician. However, some of the requirements for becoming a destruction technician include:
- apprenticeship: find an apprenticeship program that will improve your knowledge of operating electronic systems or mechanics. When you work in recycling, you may require courses for using moulding process operators. You should also consider completing a statistical process control (SPC) course to improve your knowledge.
- work experience: to work as a destruction technician, you require on-the-job training. Working as a plastic moulding operator in recycling operations in Quebec requires trade certification from Emploi Quebec.
competencies and characteristics of destruction technicians
Some of the skills and qualities of destruction technicians include:
- communication skills: as a destruction technician, you work alongside a team of technicians and machine operators. It is important to have communication skills to excel in the role. Good communication skills help you establish strong relationships with your team members. As a destruction technician, you sometimes handle clients directly when picking up materials for shredding. Having customer service skills and good communication skills helps you excel.
- mechanical knowledge: as a destruction technician, you require mechanical aptitude to dismantle and reassemble machinery. Your mechanical knowledge comes in handy when you are adjusting equipment operations and calibrating the machines.
- attention to detail: as a destruction technician, you handle repair and maintenance tasks on paper shredders and other equipment used in recycling. During maintenance, missing the slightest details can cause serious problems. Attentiveness to detail helps you make sure tasks are carried out accurately to ensure a safe work environment.
- problem-solving skills: as a destruction technician, you are expected to address issues that arise during shredding. Any equipment malfunctions or problems with machines should be resolved immediately. Your troubleshooting skills help you identify problems and find solutions swiftly.
- technical aptitude: as a destruction technician, you rely on your technical knowledge to keep the systems functional. When you understand how the machine operates or how to use computers to automate the systems, your work is easier.
FAQs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a destruction technician.
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what is the job description of a destruction technician?
As a destruction technician, you destroy documents, shred papers or recycle plastic materials. You operate paper shredders and various equipment to ensure the documents are shredded efficiently. Other duties include picking up documents from offices and transporting them to the shredding site. After shredding materials, you dispose of the waste, clean the office equipment and maintain the destruction equipment.
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what is the salary of a destruction technician in Canada?
As a destruction technician, you earn an average salary of $31,200 per year. In an entry-level position, you start with a salary of $29,250 annually. Your earnings increase gradually with experience, and you can earn over $40,316 per year. The salary fluctuates based on the size of the company and the complexity of your responsibilities.
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is destruction technician a good career?
As a destruction technician, you work with a team of technicians to recycle materials and maintain equipment used to shred documents. The profession has promising career opportunities if you want to progress to other maintenance or technician roles. You also enjoy a relatively good salary based on your experience.
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what skills do you need to become a destruction technician?
To excel as a destruction technician, you require proficiency in operating equipment and systems. You should understand how different machines operate. Aside from mechanical aptitude, your troubleshooting skills help you diagnose and resolve issues in machines.
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how do I become a shredder operator?
You can become a shredder operator without post-secondary education or qualifications. Most employers provide on-the-job training to equip you with the necessary skills. Consider pursuing apprenticeship programs to gain the necessary knowledge and skills.
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how do I find a job as a destruction technician?
Finding a job near you as a destruction technician is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
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