Industrial Machinery Mechanic

Career Overview

Industrial machinery mechanics, also called maintenance machinists, keep machines in working order by detecting and correcting errors before the machine or the products it produces are damaged. Many of these machines are increasingly run by computers. Industrial machinery mechanics use technical manuals, their understanding of industrial equipment, and observation to determine the cause of a problem.

Education

Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights generally need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some mechanics and millwrights complete a 2-year associate’s degree program in industrial maintenance.

Future Outlook

Overall employment of industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights is projected to grow 13 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will vary by occupation.

Work Environment

Workers in this occupation must follow safety precautions and use protective equipment, such as hardhats, safety glasses, and hearing protectors. Most work full time in manufacturing facilities. However, they may be on call and work night or weekend shifts. Overtime is common.

Recommended High School Courses

Chemistry
Math
Physics
Welding

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Rate Control - The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
Maintain work equipment or machinery.
Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
Observe equipment in operation to detect potential problems.
Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
Reassemble equipment after repair.
Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.
Analyze test or performance data to assess equipment operation.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Record information about parts, materials or repair procedures.
Maintain repair or maintenance records.
Interpret blueprints, specifications, or diagrams to inform installation, development or operation activities.
Cut materials according to specifications or needs.
Operate welding equipment.
Enter codes or other information into computers.
Train others in operational procedures.

Schools

American River College

Bismarck State College

Chippewa Valley Technical...

College Of The North A...

Conestoga College- Cam...

Durham College- Whitby...

Mohawk College- Stoney...

Potential Scholarships

Ache Police Officers And...

Aqha Region 1 Quarter Hor...

Aqha Arizona Quarter Hors...

- Haywood | Hunt & Associ...

Curt Pozan Trades Scholar...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:

Low End:

$33,760.00 /yr

Avg/Med:

$53,590.00 /yr

High End:

$79,150.00 /yr

Related Careers

Farm Equipment Mechanic

Logging Equipment Operator

HVAC Technician

Power Plant Operator

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.