In the construction industry, for example, employment fluctuates with the level of commercial and industrial building activity. When construction activity falls, jobs are scarce, and even experienced millwrights may face layoffs or shortened workweeks. However, in capital intensive industries such as manufacturing, the need to replace, maintain, and repair machinery should give most millwrights a relative degree of job stability. In addition, a trend towards replacing rather than repairing machinery may cause some employers to hire more millwrights and fewer industrial repairers because millwrights are trained in the installation and alignment of machinery as well as its repair. However, earnings vary by industry and geographic location.
Many millwrights belong to labor unions.
Related Occupations To set up machinery for use in a plant, millwrights must know how to use hoisting devices and how to assemble, disassemble, and in some cases repair machinery. Other workers with similar job duties are industrial machinery repairers, mobile heavy equipment mechanics, aircraft mechanics and engine specialists, diesel mechanics, farm equipment mechanics, ironworkers, and machine assemblers. Sources of Additional Information For further information on apprenticeship programs, write to the Apprenticeship Council of your State's labor department, local offices of your State employment service, or local firms that employ millwrights. 101 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington DC 20001.