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Industrial machinery
Millwright
Installing and aligning the machines a plant cannot run without.
Typical pay
$55k-$115k
How you get in
4-year apprenticeship
Outlook
Steady; manufacturing and energy both need them
Millwrights install, align, maintain and repair industrial machinery. Precision alignment and rigging are the core skills, and shutdown work pays extremely well for people willing to travel.
A day in the life
- 6:00aSafety meeting and lockout-tagout on the line
- 6:45aRig and set a replacement gearbox
- 9:30aLaser alignment on the coupling
- 12:00pLunch
- 12:30pPrecision leveling and grouting a new base
- 4:00pRun the machine, verify vibration readings, document
How to get in
Union apprenticeship
Duration
4 years
Cost
$0 — paid while you train
Credential
Journeyman millwright
- Apply to a Millwrights or Carpenters local when applications open
- Pass the aptitude test and interview
- Work full time while completing classroom instruction in rigging, alignment and hydraulics
- Finish with a journeyman card, pension and portable benefits
Industrial maintenance into millwright
Duration
2-5 years
Cost
$5,000-$25,000
Credential
Industrial maintenance certificate or associate degree
- Work in plant maintenance or as a mechanic
- Complete an industrial maintenance program covering hydraulics and power transmission
- Learn precision alignment and vibration analysis
- Move into millwright work with mechanical experience documented
Specialize in alignment or vibration
Duration
1-3 years after journeyman
Cost
$2,000-$10,000
Credential
Vibration analyst or laser alignment certifications
- Master the fundamentals as a journeyman first
- Get certified in vibration analysis or precision alignment
- Move into reliability engineering support or contract specialist work
- Specialists command the highest rates in the trade
What people love
- · Excellent union pay and pension
- · Paid apprenticeship with no debt
- · Shutdown and travel work pays a large premium
- · Precision work with real craft satisfaction
What wears people down
- · Travel and shutdown schedules mean long stretches away
- · Heavy rigging with real crush hazards
- · Plant environments are hot, loud and dirty
- · Work comes in project waves, not steady flow