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Studies & Degrees in Electromecanics

Electromechanics is the trade that joins mechanical and electrical skills. An electromechanical technician installs, maintains and repairs machines in which motors, gears, hydraulics and pneumatics work together with electrical circuits, sensors and control systems. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics describes these technicians as workers who combine knowledge of mechanical technology with knowledge of electrical and electronic circuitry, and who operate, test and maintain automated, robotic or electromechanical equipment.

The word covers two fields. Industrial electromechanics deals with production lines and industrial machinery. Vehicle electromechanics deals with cars, motorcycles and heavy vehicles: engines, transmission, brakes and the electrical and electronic systems. Training in both fields is practical and takes place largely in workshops, with a period of work experience in a company.

Qualifications and levels

Electromechanics is mainly a vocational subject, not a university degree.

  • Spain, vocational training (FP), grado medio: there are two official intermediate qualifications of 2,000 hours each, according to TodoFP, the portal of the Spanish Ministry of Education. Técnico en Mantenimiento Electromecánico covers manufacturing and assembly techniques, electricity and electrical automation, pneumatics and hydraulics, and the assembly and maintenance of automated lines. Técnico en Electromecánica de Vehículos Automóviles teaches how to locate faults in the mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical-electronic systems of a vehicle.
  • Spain, grado superior: the next level in industry is Técnico Superior en Mecatrónica Industrial, also 2,000 hours.
  • United States: technicians typically need an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate, offered at vocational-technical schools and community colleges. At Northeast Community College in Nebraska, the Associate of Applied Science in Electromechanical Technology takes two years (76 credits) and includes a required internship.
  • Short courses: private centres offer their own courses. These may lead to the centre's own certificate instead of an official vocational qualification, so ask what recognition a course has before enrolling.

Admission in Spain

For a grado medio, applicants need the Spanish compulsory secondary education certificate (ESO) or a higher qualification, or one of the alternatives listed by TodoFP, such as the entrance exam for intermediate vocational courses, for which candidates must be at least seventeen. Students with foreign school certificates need to have them recognised first; ask the education authority of the region where you plan to study. Classes are in Spanish, and in some regions in the co-official language.

Adults can also obtain the official qualification through free-access exams (pruebas libres). Campus Training, a private centre in Madrid, prepares candidates for the exams of the grado medio in vehicle electromechanics. The centre explains that there is one exam for each module and that candidates who pass can apply for the official FP qualification. It also sells its own course in car electromechanics, with 60 to 300 hours of work experience, which leads to what the centre itself calls a título propio (its own certificate).

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 13 active schools for electromechanics: nine in the United States, two in Argentina, one in Spain and one in Russia.

The US schools are mostly community and technical colleges, for example Northeast Community College, Central Ohio Technical College, Cleveland State Community College, Virginia Western Community College and Delaware Technical & Community College. Northeast teaches electrical principles, circuit design, electrical controls, robotics, mechanical systems, programming and computer-aided drafting, and its courses are in person. In Argentina, the list includes Fundación CIEP in Villa María and the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. In Spain, the official vocational courses are taught at public and private FP centres across the country, beyond the school listed here.

Careers

TodoFP lists these jobs for holders of the Spanish maintenance qualification: installer or maintainer of automated production lines, maintenance mechanic, industrial fitter and fitter of electrical, electronic, pneumatic and hydraulic equipment, mostly in private companies that assemble and maintain machinery. Holders of the vehicle qualification work as car electromechanics, vehicle electricians, engine mechanics or vehicle inspection (ITV) operators, in the car, motorcycle and heavy vehicle sectors.

In the United States, electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians held about 15,700 jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The largest employers were engineering services (13 percent), machinery manufacturing (11 percent) and computer and electronic product manufacturing (11 percent). The Bureau expects the spread of robotics and autonomous systems to raise demand, although automation may also replace some tasks.

Frequently asked questions

Is electromechanics a university degree?

Usually not. In Spain it is studied as vocational training (FP), and in the United States through associate's degrees and certificates at community and technical colleges.

How long does the training take?

The Spanish grado medio qualifications have 2,000 hours. The associate's degree at Northeast Community College takes two years.

What is the difference between industrial and vehicle electromechanics?

Industrial electromechanics is about machinery and automated production lines. Vehicle electromechanics is about repairing cars, motorcycles and heavy vehicles. In Spain each has its own official qualification.

Can I get the Spanish qualification without attending classes?

Yes, through the free-access exams (pruebas libres) organised by the regional education authorities, with one exam per module. Check the dates and requirements with the authority of your region.