Millwright Career
Millwrights provide installation and maintenance services for industrial equipment that is often used in manufacturing plants. This job could include anything from basic machine calibration to dismantling old equipment and replacing it with a newer model.
Although Millwrights often work in factories, they can also work in power plants or even at construction sites. Their expertise with planning, mapping, and assembling complicated equipment is incredibly valuable when a company is considering remodeling or updating their work space.
Millwright Career Snapshot
If employed by a specific factory or business the Millwright may work regular scheduled hours. However, if self-employed or working for multiple companies they may be on-call, which could include working evenings, weekends, or even overtime. For workers who are hired on a case-by-case basis, they may have down-time between jobs, and may only be on-site for a few hours each day until they have finished their task.
Further details on a career as a millwright are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average annual salary for millwrights.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.
have a High school diploma while 28% have a Post-secondary certificate.
Millwright Education
While a high school diploma is often the only required education, most Millwrights gain experience from a few years in either trade schools or apprenticeships. Others may earn their Associate’s Degree, which can typically be done in two years. Workers who have spent a significant amount of time learning from and working alongside experienced Millwrights may stand a better chance of finding employment.
Millwright Job Duties
Duties include using hand tools and other machinery to assemble or disassemble heavy equipment. Millwrights may also be expected to read or draw up blueprints for installing machinery, as well as troubleshoot equipment for any potential problems.
Millwright Salaries
The average salary for millwrights is about $51,390 annually according to BLS.gov May 2015 reports. Outlying salaries can range from $30,670 on the low end and $74,090 on the higher end. Hourly pay is usually between $23-25. Millwrights who have obtained some form of apprenticeship or Associates Degree can be expected to make more than others in the field.
Millwright Job Outlook
The projected growth for Millwright careers between 2014 and 2024 is about 15%. As companies continue to grow and technology develops further, more technicians will be needed to install and maintain these machines.
Millwright Skills & Traits
| Millwright Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Millwrights: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Installation • Equipment Maintenance • Operation Monitoring • Critical Thinking • Repairing | • Arm-Hand Steadiness • Finger Dexterity • Control Precision • Manual Dexterity • Multilimb Coordination | • Calipers • Hammers • Hoists • Levels • Punches or nail sets or drifts | • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment • Handling and Moving Objects • Performing General Physical Activities • Getting Information |
Related Careers
Electrical & Electronics Engineers
Bachelor’s Degree
Electricians
Postsecondary Certificate
Maintenance & Repair Workers
High School Diploma or Equivalent
