An appliance technician is trained specifically in the service, diagnosis and repair of domestic and/or commercial appliances. They tend to operate under either an EAS (Electrical Appliance Serviceperson) or EST (Electrical Service Technician) license issued by the Electrical Workers’ Registration Board, certifying them as competent to work safely up to 250 volts or 1000 volts, respectively. Most household appliances are single-phase (240V). Domestic ovens can be two- or three-phase (up to 415V) and most commercial appliances are also multi-phase.
Electricians — while more highly qualified — are primarily trained to connect buildings to the electricity grid, install switchboards and protective devices like circuit breakers, and wire up buildings. They typically receive little or no training specifically in appliance work.
You’ll sometimes hear sparkies good-naturedly refer to appliance technicians as “toaster mechanics,” while appliance techs jokingly retort that electricians are “just cable pullers.” They each have their specialties. Although occasionally you’ll find an electrician who moves into domestic appliance work after injury or getting tired of crawling through ceiling cavities, it’s the exception rather than the rule (as are electrical businesses that specialise in appliance work, although there are a few out there).
Appliance technicians who are authorised service agents also receive supplier bulletins and technical support, so they have the most up-to-date background information on any common faults for specific brands and models and can get a second opinion directly from the manufacturer for especially tricky cases.
As a result of their specialised training and industry connections, while they can’t rewire your villa, an appliance tech can often more quickly find the fault with and fix an appliance, which ends up being more cost-effective and saves everyone time and hassle.
If you’re curious as to what’s involved in becoming an electrical worker in New Zealand, see the EWRB website: https://www.ewrb.govt.nz/registration/