Measuring Middle-Skills Gaps within the Finger Lakes Regional Economy

MILLWRIGHT

Today’s millwrights work in factories, power plants, and other industrial settings to move, assemble, install or dismantle machinery. Working with motors or coupling motors, they must know how a number of different machines work. Using hoisting and moving equipment, they position the pieces that need to be assembled. Their job requires a thorough knowledge of the equipment they use as well as an understanding of blueprints and technical instructions. A millwright’s career path can diverge into specialty areas such as elevator installation, rail car repair or industrial machinery. An elevator mechanic installs, maintains or fixes elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Rail car repair incorporates maintenance, repair of air brake pipes, valves, gaskets, air hoses and other equipment as required. Millwrights operate electrical and gas welding equipment and acetylene torches for shaping metal parts such as aluminum, cast iron, steel and bronze. Their skillset includes the primary purposes of installing, maintaining, upgrading and fabricating machinery and equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, and other drawings in industrial establishments.

SKILLED TRADES