S-D
It's a good question. I think techies in previous generations had more skill of hand training and experience, because that what was needed - the ability to repair structure or electrical cabling. These days, I think we need people who are better at fault diagnosis. Perversely, the introduction of Built-In-Test capability in many of our newer aircraft has actually increased the need for analytical thought as the complex interplay of the various aircraft systems can make tracking down a fault horrendously complicated.
That doesn't make one generation better or worse than the next.