Takeover Tracker
36%medium risk
Electro-Mechanical Technicians
vs

65 shared · 17 different

core competencies

32%medium risk
Photonics Technicians

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricElectro-Mechanical TechniciansPhotonics Technicians
Risk Score35.8%31.8%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile68th50th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)5 / 125 / 15
Median Salary$70,760$77,390
Employment15K64K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Performing General Physical Activities
Physics
Design
MathematicsAI-Vulnerable
Interacting With Computers
Repairing
Engineering and Technology
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
MonitoringAI-Augmented
Reaction Time

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Electro-Mechanical Technicians

29%

total discount

Photonics Technicians

28%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Electro-Mechanical Technicians

5 of 12 at risk
74%Verify part dimensions or clearances to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
74%Read blueprints, schematics, diagrams, or technical orders to determine methods and sequences of assembly.
69%Prepare written documentation of electromechanical test results.
67%Inspect parts for surface defects.
57%Develop, test, or program new robots.

Photonics Technicians

5 of 15 at risk
86%Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
86%Monitor mechanical factors, such as turbine load or strain information.
68%Compute or record photonic test data.
53%Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.
51%Perform diagnostic analyses of processing steps, using analytical or metrological tools, such as microscopy, profilometry, or ellipsometry devices.

Wage Comparison

Photonics Technicians earns +$6,630(+9%) vs Electro-Mechanical Technicians
Electro-Mechanical TechniciansPhotonics Technicians
10th
$47,770$47,010
25th
$58,570$59,700
Median
$70,760$77,390
75th
$87,320$97,760
90th
$109,580$114,630

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Electro-Mechanical Technicians2028–2035
Photonics Technicians2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Photonics Technicians has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Electro-Mechanical Technicians.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Electro-Mechanical Technicians

$45,442

from $70,760

Photonics Technicians

$52,788

from $77,390

After adjusting for AI risk, Photonics Technicians offers $7,346 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Electro-Mechanical

0

Unique to Photonics

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Fine Manipulation
Regulatory Barriers
Social Intelligence
Decision Complexity
Electro-Mechanical TechniciansPhotonics Technicians
Find transitions from Electro-Mechanical TechniciansFind transitions from Photonics Technicians