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Millwrights
Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.
Other titles employers use
Maintenance Mechanic · Maintenance Millwright · Millwright · Millwright Business Representative (Millwright Business Rep) · Millwright Foreman · Millwright General Foreman · Millwright Instructor · Precision Millwright
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Replace defective parts of machine, or adjust clearances and alignment of moving parts.
- Align machines or equipment, using hoists, jacks, hand tools, squares, rules, micrometers, lasers, or plumb bobs.
- Insert shims, adjust tension on nuts and bolts, or position parts, using hand tools and measuring instruments, to set specified clearances between moving and stationary parts.
- Signal crane operator to lower basic assembly units to bedplate, and align unit to centerline.
- Conduct preventative maintenance and repair, and lubricate machines and equipment.
- Assemble and install equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Installation
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Monitoring
- Repairing
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Building and Construction
- Education and Training
- Engineering and Technology
Useful strengths
- Manual Dexterity
- Near Vision
- Visualization
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Finger Dexterity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.4 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 4.3 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.7 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 50%
- A certificate or some college 45%
- A two-year degree 5%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 3,640
- Job openings each year
- 310
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,640 | 310 | 12.7% |
| Michigan | 3,420 | 280 | 5.6% |
| Illinois | 3,290 | 270 | 6.1% |
| Ohio | 2,530 | 200 | 2.8% |
| Louisiana | 2,420 | 210 | 13.6% |
| Georgia | 2,190 | 190 | 11.2% |
| Indiana | 2,020 | 170 | 6.9% |
| Alabama | 1,750 | 150 | 8.7% |
| Washington | 1,610 | 130 | 1.3% |
| California | 1,600 | 130 | 6.7% |
| Florida | 1,480 | 130 | 15.6% |
| Missouri | 1,230 | 100 | 6.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,170 | 100 | 4.5% |
| Tennessee | 1,100 | 90 | 12.2% |
| Kansas | 1,050 | 90 | 7.1% |
| New York | 1,040 | 0 | −4.6% |
| West Virginia | 900 | 80 | 11.1% |
| South Carolina | 890 | 80 | 12.7% |
| Arkansas | 880 | 70 | 8.6% |
| New Jersey | 850 | 70 | 3.7% |
| Iowa | 840 | 70 | 10.5% |
| Mississippi | 840 | 70 | 10.5% |
| North Carolina | 800 | 70 | 9.6% |
| Wisconsin | 700 | 60 | 9.4% |
| Minnesota | 640 | 50 | 6.7% |
| Arizona | 560 | 50 | 9.8% |
| Kentucky | 550 | 50 | 7.8% |
| Oregon | 530 | 50 | 15.2% |
| Idaho | 380 | 30 | 8.6% |
| Colorado | 370 | 30 | 12.1% |
| Maine | 350 | 30 | 2.9% |
| Virginia | 330 | 30 | −2.9% |
| Nebraska | 250 | 20 | 8.7% |
| Alaska | 210 | 20 | 10.5% |
| Utah | 210 | 20 | 31.3% |
| North Dakota | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Wyoming | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Montana | 130 | 10 | 18.2% |
| South Dakota | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Oklahoma | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| New Hampshire | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| New Mexico | 70 | 10 | — |
| Delaware | 60 | 10 | — |
| Maryland | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Nevada | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Vermont | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Compare every college offering heavy/industrial equipment maintenance technologies/technicians