Fluid power technicians, sometimes called hydraulic and pneumatic technicians, work with equipment that utilizes the pressure of a liquid or gas in a closed container to transmit, multiply, or control power. Working under the supervision of an engineer or engineering staff, they assemble, install, maintain, and test fluid power equipment. Depending on their specialization, fluid power technicians may be required to perform tasks as simple as replacing a hose on a machine in a factory, or as complex as fully dismantling, repairing, and reassembling a machine, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, on components that are so small that a magnifying glass is needed to inspect it for signs of wear or maladjustment. About three-fourths of the factories in this country use hydraulic or pneumatic power systems. These fluid power systems run over half the machines and equipment used in industry. They are also important in transportation vehicles, such as in automatic transmissions, power brakes, and power steering. In addition, fluid power is used for tasks as varied as opening supermarket doors and raising and lowering the flaps on airplane wings. In this article, the author discusses everything students need to know about careers for fluid power technicians--wages, responsibilities, skills needed, career advancement possibilities, and more.