Career profile for Millwright

What does a Millwright do?

Millwrights install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.

What kind of tasks does a Millwright perform regularly?

Millwrights are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

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.
Level bedplate and establish centerline, using straightedge, levels, and transit.
Align machines or equipment, using hoists, jacks, hand tools, squares, rules, micrometers, lasers, or plumb bobs.
Assemble and install equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
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.
Replace defective parts of machine, or adjust clearances and alignment of moving parts.
Attach moving parts and subassemblies to basic assembly unit, using hand tools and power tools.
Assemble machines, and bolt, weld, rivet, or otherwise fasten them to foundation or other structures, using hand tools and power tools.
Lay out mounting holes, using measuring instruments, and drill holes with power drill.
Position steel beams to support bedplates of machines and equipment, using blueprints and schematic drawings to determine work procedures.
Shrink-fit bushings, sleeves, rings, liners, gears, and wheels to specified items, using portable gas heating equipment.
Move machinery and equipment, using hoists, dollies, rollers, and trucks.
Dismantle machinery and equipment for shipment to installation site, performing installation and maintenance work as part of team.
Weld, repair, and fabricate equipment or machinery.
Dismantle machines, using hammers, wrenches, crowbars, and other hand tools.
Fabricate and dismantle parts, equipment, and machines, using a cutting torch or other cutting equipment.
Bolt parts, such as side and deck plates, jaw plates, and journals, to basic assembly unit.
Construct foundation for machines, using hand tools and building materials such as wood, cement, and steel.
Install robot and modify its program, using teach pendant.
Troubleshoot equipment, electrical components, hydraulics, or other mechanical systems.
Connect power unit to machines or steam piping to equipment, and test unit to evaluate its mechanical operation.
Operate engine lathe to grind, file, and turn machine parts to dimensional specifications.

The above responsibilities are specific to Millwrights. More generally, Millwrights are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment		Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Handling and Moving Objects		Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials		Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Performing General Physical Activities		Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Handling and Moving Objects

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Performing General Physical Activities

Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

What is a Millwright salary?

The median salary for a Millwright is $57,260, and the average salary is $59,080. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Millwright salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Millwrights earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Millwrights earn less than $36,450 per year, 25% earn less than $44,990, 75% earn less than $70,820, and 90% earn less than $83,690.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Millwrights is expected to change by 10.2%, and there should be roughly 4,400 open positions for Millwrights every year.

Median annual salary: $57,260
Typical salary range: $36,450 - $83,690
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 10.2%

What personality traits are common among Millwrights?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Millwright are usually higher in their Realistic interests.

Millwrights typically have very strong Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Millwright tend to value Support, Independence, and Working Conditions.

Most importantly, Millwrights strongly value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Second, Millwrights strongly value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Lastly, Millwrights moderately value Working Conditions. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Millwrights must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, dependability, and integrity.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Millwrights, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility		Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Cooperation

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Adaptability/Flexibility

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

What education and training do Millwrights need?

Working as a Millwright usually requires a high school diploma.

Millwrights need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

Educational degrees among Millwrights

7.0% did not complete high school or secondary school
45.5% completed high school or secondary school
27.9% completed some college coursework
13.1% earned a Associate's degree
5.2% earned a Bachelor's degree
1.1% earned a Master's degree
0.2% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Millwrights

Millwrights may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as mechanical, mathematics, or design knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Millwrights might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Mechanical		Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Design		Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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.
Education and Training		Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

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.

Education and Training

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Important Abilities needed by Millwrights

Millwrights must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Millwrights need abilities such as manual dexterity, finger dexterity, and control precision in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Millwrights, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
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.
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.
Control Precision		The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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.
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.

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.

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.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

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.

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.

Critical Skills needed by Millwrights

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Millwrights frequently use skills like operations monitoring, installation, and equipment maintenance to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Millwrights, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Operations Monitoring		Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Installation		Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
Equipment Maintenance		Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Troubleshooting		Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Installation

Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

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