also: ぎて
noun
assistant engineer; operator
Historical or occupational term for a technical assistant or telegraph operator; now largely obsolete outside historical contexts.
明治時代、彼は鉄道の技手として働いていた。
In the Meiji period, he worked as an assistant engineer for the railway.
技手という役職は、現在ではほとんど使われていない。
The position of 技手 is hardly used today.
Compound of 技 (technique) and 手 (hand/person), literally 'technique hand', referring to a skilled assistant. The reading ぎしゅ is the standard on'yomi; ぎて is an irregular or older reading.