What constitutes a 'Qualified' Airsoft Technician?

Adzski · 15-01-2015 1:00pm #1

Just wondering.....

I always had model making/radio controlled/electrical hobbies growing up....a few technical trained jobs and now find interest in learning the technical side of my (relatively) new hobby - Airsoft.

I see the usual posts/comments/hearsay on forums and social media...many people recommend other people on places like Boards (recommendation would be my preference)

I don't have a worry with regards to taking anything apart, there is a wealth of information available to us all via the internet now, but I saw a comment on FaceBook the other day which interested me: No advertising as a gun tech unless you are qualified

I tried searching for qualifications..courses..diplomas...but could find none.

What makes some 'qualified' when there seems to be no defining standard?

Open a shop....sell..and fix them 'out the back', would make any person 'off the street' assume you knew what you were doing........

Just wondering, not looking for a Tech....happy to make and learn from my own mistakes :-)
(Could be interested in obtaining a formal qualification though!)

T4RGET · 15-01-2015 1:03pm

Adzski wrote: »

Just wondering.....

I always had model making/radio controlled/electrical hobbies growing up....a few technical trained jobs and now find interest in learning the technical side of my (relatively) new hobby - Airsoft.

I see the usual posts/comments/hearsay on forums and social media...many people recommend other people on places like Boards (recommendation would be my preference)

I don't have a worry with regards to taking anything apart, there is a wealth of information available to us all via the internet now, but I saw a comment on FaceBook the other day which interested me: No advertising as a gun tech unless you are qualified

I tried searching for qualifications..courses..diplomas...but could find none.

What makes some 'qualified' when there seems to be no defining standard?

Open a shop....sell..and fix them 'out the back', would make any person 'off the street' assume you knew what you were doing........

Just wondering, not looking for a Tech....happy to make and learn from my own mistakes :-)
(Could be interested in obtaining a formal qualification though!)

in this sense i can only assume the person meant a person who works at a retailer. There is also a slight possibility that the post was mis places or mis read and the poster in fact meant a real steel firearm technician.

To get to the point, no there are no formal or even informal qualifications for airsoft, whatsoever.

Adzski · 15-01-2015 1:33pm

Thanks T4rget, I thought as much.

It was from a Facebook group related to Airsoft and I THINK the admins/moderators work for a retailer.

Having worked in the IT industry for 20+ years...qualifications and experience can be mutually exclusive

Personal opinion that experience is preferential...qualifications help.

T4RGET · 15-01-2015 1:57pm

Adzski wrote: »

Thanks T4rget, I thought as much.

It was from a Facebook group related to Airsoft and I THINK the admins/moderators work for a retailer.

Having worked in the IT industry for 20+ years...qualifications and experience can be mutually exclusive

Personal opinion that experience is preferential...qualifications help.

no bother mate

Gatling · 15-01-2015 2:17pm

There used to be a course ran in the UK certified by classic army , mauri and so on don't think it ever took off its been years since I heard it mentioned.
All techs here are all self taught or learned from YouTube .
Some are more tech minded than others .

I'm a vandal I'll break em but can't mend them

ElSniperino · 15-01-2015 2:42pm

I was wondering the same thing, actually.

I can break down and fix up almost any gas or spring gun, good as new. Replace or upgrade anything I can get the parts for.

Yet I have the skill and grace of a flying brick when it comes to electric guns. You're better off taking a hammer to it than give it to me.

Would I be a 'qualified' gas and spring technician? Would I need to get my electric skill to the same point as the others?

T4RGET · 15-01-2015 3:55pm

ElSniperino wrote: »

I was wondering the same thing, actually.

I can break down and fix up almost any gas or spring gun, good as new. Replace or upgrade anything I can get the parts for.

Yet I have the skill and grace of a flying brick when it comes to electric guns. You're better off taking a hammer to it than give it to me.

Would I be a 'qualified' gas and spring technician? Would I need to get my electric skill to the same point as the others?

qualified? No. Capable? probably yes.
Qualified would indicate some sort of education or training, recognised at that, such training does not exist however. So although you may have knowledge of the mechanism etc of airsoft devices, you're not qualified in a academic sense. That doesn't mean however it stops you providing your services though.

ElSniperino · 15-01-2015 4:16pm

T4RGET wrote: »

qualified? No. Capable? probably yes.
Qualified would indicate some sort of education or training, recognised at that, such training does not exist however. So although you may have knowledge of the mechanism etc of airsoft devices, you're not qualified in a academic sense. That doesn't mean however it stops you providing your services though.

I suppose it all comes down to the semantics of the word, doesn't it? While a qualification implies formal training, theoretically it's just the ability to pass a test that only people of a certain skill level can pass.

Imagine a hypothetical driver that's self taught that is good enough to pass the driving test any day of the week. That driver takes the test and passes.

Would a test without training be enough for one to be trusted with a qualification in repairs? I imagine a shop could possibly supply such an examination for those wanting to get the general certificate. But then it falls into the same trap as some colleges/universities of whether the shop's test is trustworthy.

I would be all for such an exam, but I think it would require some standardisation.

Southern Dandy · 15-01-2015 5:02pm

I put up a post similar to this months back, My current job description is a technician, But I have Electrical and mechanical qualifications and without these I would not even be considered for my job. Technician is a very broad word your not strictly tied down to anything as such so touches all bases no matter what field you are in.

I guess retailers can say they have a "technician" due to the fact the have a skilled person with knowledge and know-how working with them. Not like they attended the prestigious school Airsoft university college and got a Phd in it.

I know/heard (could be BS) of 1 or 2 Uk retailers sent their staff to G&G/G&P etc for in house training. But I honestly could not se the benefit (personally) gearboxes are very simple and this is down to trial and error, experimentation and just have the confidence to tackle it yourself. There are an array of tutorials on youtube to help, any many helpfull people still on boards to ask for advice. If you are anyway decent with your hands you'll sail through gearboxes, trouble shooting, upgrading etc. Still doesn't mean you can call yourself a Tech if you don't specifically work as a tech for a business. Just my two cents.

S.E.A.L.s · 15-01-2015 5:13pm

ASG (Action Sport Games) have an Airsoft Armouries Course for 3rd party staff to become qualified, it covered a number of areas and the only place in Ireland that I know of that had fully qualified staff was Go Tactical

This level of training may not be offered by ASG anymore, I'm unsure of its current status.

Also, there was an online company that I was training with a few years ago that offered similar training services, there was study material and exams to pass in order to qualify, I'm sure they are gone as the website was down last time I checked

For anyone that want's to know more, I could dig up the study material and pass it on

ElSniperino · 15-01-2015 5:14pm

Southern Dandy wrote: »

Still doesn't mean you can call yourself a Tech if you don't specifically work as a tech for a business. Just my two cents.

I'd have to disagree with terminology there. Would an out-of-work technician not be a technician, such as an out-of-work driver still technically be a driver? The skills and qualifications are there, they're just not being paid for their services on a regular basis.

I suppose it's the perceived permanency the person sees themselves being in the area. I would agree someone just doing for short term and not continuing it, letting their skills and qualifications expire wouldn't technically be able to call themselves X, but someone with the skills/qualifications and and is actively keeping their skills sharp and looking for work in the field could be called X

ElSniperino · 15-01-2015 5:16pm

S.E.A.L.s wrote: »

ASG (Action Sport Games) have an Airsoft Armouries Course for 3rd party staff to become qualified, it covered a number of areas and the only place in Ireland that I know of that had fully qualified staff was Go Tactical

This level of training may not be offered by ASG anymore, I'm unsure of its current status.

Also, there was an online company that I was training with a few years ago that offered similar training services, there was study material and exams to pass in order to qualify, I'm sure they are gone as the website was down last time I checked

For anyone that want's to know more, I could dig up the study material and pass it on

I would really appreciate the material, if you wouldn't mind. Working on airsoft guns is sort of something I'm really in to.

S.E.A.L.s · 15-01-2015 5:36pm

ElSniperino wrote: »

I would really appreciate the material, if you wouldn't mind. Working on airsoft guns is sort of something I'm really in to.

Sure, please PM me your email address and once I find the stuff, I will pass it on

Also, as qualification is one of my favourite subjects to discuss, I work in the I.T industry, started in a call centre, then worked for free to become a Technician, found what I loved to do in I.T and worked towards becoming an Engineer, currently I'm a well paid I.T Consultant (self-employed) and in demand

All this without a degree and I've never liked exams, being qualified is relative to what you want to achive, some of the best Airsoft Tech's I know taught themselves and/or had a mate show them the ropes and then they expanded their understanding by doing

Be a doer lads :pac:

ElSniperino · 15-01-2015 5:53pm

S.E.A.L.s wrote: »

Sure, please PM me your email address and once I find the stuff, I will pass it on

Also, as qualification is one of my favourite subjects to discuss, I work in the I.T industry, started in a call centre, then worked for free to become a Technician, found what I loved to do in I.T and worked towards becoming an Engineer, currently I'm a well paid I.T Consultant (self-employed) and in demand

All this without a degree and I've never liked exams, being qualified is relative to what you want to achive, some of the best Airsoft Tech's I know taught themselves and/or had a mate show them the ropes and then they expanded their understanding by doing

Be a doer lads :pac:

Sure that's the way though for most things, isn't it.

Apart from surgery. Don't try the same method. You may or may not be done for that.

Southern Dandy · 15-01-2015 6:26pm

ElSniperino wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with terminology there. Would an out-of-work technician not be a technician, such as an out-of-work driver still technically be a driver? The skills and qualifications are there, they're just not being paid for their services on a regular basis.

I suppose it's the perceived permanency the person sees themselves being in the area. I would agree someone just doing for short term and not continuing it, letting their skills and qualifications expire wouldn't technically be able to call themselves X, but someone with the skills/qualifications and and is actively keeping their skills sharp and looking for work in the field could be called X

Well you see I consider myself an Electrician it is my main qualification even though my job is currently a technician, currently, Technician is a broad term you can be a technician in almost any field. I'd be fairly confident with AEG's n pistols, have done some work for friends and all that but I don't, nor would not consider myself a gun Tech, am a hobbyist like alot of people.

ElSniperino · 15-01-2015 6:33pm

Southern Dandy wrote: »

Well you see I consider myself an Electrician it is my main qualification even though my job is currently a technician, currently, Technician is a broad term you can be a technician in almost any field. I'd be fairly confident with AEG's n pistols, have done some work for friends and all that but I don't, nor would not consider myself a gun Tech, am a hobbyist like alot of people.

I suppose the terms "Technician" and "Airsoft Technician" is something we have to get them separated for the discussion to continue without confusion.

I think for the discussion up to this point, the term "Technician" was a placeholder for "Airsoft Technician". I don't think any degredation of the term was implied.

But a job out of a hobby is still a job, as opposed to being a paid hobby. Other similar hobby-sports have the same problems. Yet I believe that selling your services to work on airsoft guns counts as a form of employment, while working gratis would be under the umbrella of hobby work.

Southern Dandy · 15-01-2015 6:49pm

ElSniperino wrote: »

I suppose the terms "Technician" and "Airsoft Technician" is something we have to get them separated for the discussion to continue without confusion.

I think for the discussion up to this point, the term "Technician" was a placeholder for "Airsoft Technician". I don't think any degredation of the term was implied.

But a job out of a hobby is still a job, as opposed to being a paid hobby. Other similar hobby-sports have the same problems. Yet I believe that selling your services to work on airsoft guns counts as a form of employment, while working gratis would be under the umbrella of hobby work.

Yera it goes down to a matter of opinion really, I guess the industry I work in gives me these views on it (I also love a good hearted debate). Am not knocking peoples abilities because there are people on here that would lose me in a heartbeat they are that good with RIF's, and have many many a time messaged them when I was stuck.

It would be great to do work in a hobby you love all the same!.

Jsmurff · 17-01-2015 2:51pm

Don't systema train/ licence people to repair and build their products? Firesupport Uk claims that their techs have this qualification. From what I understand ptw kits are a pain in the ass to put together because not all components are fully finished (bits of flash/ excess material, unsoldered wires/ conections etc)

What constitutes a 'Qualified' Airsoft Technician?

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