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SOC 49-9041
This page covers the combined U.S. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook group Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights: installing, maintaining, and repairing factory equipment and other industrial machinery. It comprises three official O*NET/SOC occupations: industrial machinery mechanics (49-9041.00, this page's anchor), machinery maintenance workers (49-9043.00), and millwrights (49-9044.00). Official BLS scope: Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights install, maintain, and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery. U.S. wages and employment on this page use the BLS OOH combined scope (May 2025 median annual wage $64,100; about 547,300 employed in 2025; much-faster-than-average growth of 14% for 2025–2035 and about 51,900 annual openings). Wage percentiles separately use the 49-9041.00 anchor from BLS OEWS 2025 as presented by O*NET (median $64,520; 10th to 90th percentiles $46,120–95,170). These two scopes differ, and neither equals the three-category total. Exact mainland Chinese occupational wages, an official identity corresponding one-to-one with this group, and a fully equivalent unified Chinese occupational qualification were not obtained; all are recorded as visible gaps.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((0+0+50)/3+0.5)=17; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
Taking responsibility | Fit depends on whether you can do three things within the same task: substantiate equipment work (confirm permits, observe and inspect, disassemble and diagnose, repair or replace, install and align, test and verify, and produce reviewable records); uphold standards and safety (safety isolation and lockout/tagout, parts and specification checks, and protective equipment under organizational and regulatory requirements); and accept defined job responsibilities (take responsibility for your work quality and records, while escalating or referring equipment modifications, engineering judgments, and safety determinations beyond your authority). Test this through a verifiable experience, such as producing a step-by-step workflow and diagnostic record or practicing identification and response with simulated equipment anomalies, rather than relying only on an interest questionnaire.
Caution signals | The group's scope and anchor tasks involve equipment sites, safety isolation, and inspection judgments. Missing safety isolation or lockout/tagout, incorrect part specifications or wear assessment, an incorrect disassembly or assembly sequence, tests missing critical operating conditions, or unauthorized equipment modification can cause injury, equipment damage, or production stoppage. This page therefore addresses safety isolation and protection, parts and specification checks, disassembly and test verification, and authorization boundaries separately. U.S. BLS projects much-faster-than-average growth of 14% for this group in 2025–2035, about 51,900 annual openings, and about 547,300 employed in 2025 (all combined figures). If site conditions, exposure to contaminants and hazardous equipment, or shift work are difficult for you, weigh these practical costs carefully.
This page covers the combined U.S. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook group Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights: installing, maintaining, and repairing factory equipment and other industrial machinery. It comprises three official O*NET/SOC occupations: industrial machinery mechanics (49-9041.00, repairing, installing, adjusting, or maintaining industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems, and possibly installing, dismantling, or moving machinery and heavy equipment according to plans); machinery maintenance workers (49-9043.00, routine machinery maintenance and servicing); and millwrights (49-9044.00, installing, dismantling, aligning, and moving industrial machinery according to drawings). The official BLS scope is: Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights install, maintain, and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery. Group-level requirements: most roles require a high school diploma; machinery mechanics and maintenance workers typically also need at least one year of on-the-job training, while most millwrights complete an apprenticeship lasting up to about four years. This page uses O*NET 49-9041.00 as a visible anchor for group scope, including identity, tasks, and work context, but this anchor does not equal the three-category total. Insufficient evidence: no official mainland Chinese occupational identity corresponding one-to-one with this group was obtained (recorded as a gap under the evidence policy). This page defines occupational identity using the BLS combined page and O*NET 49-9041.00, does not equate Chinese industry titles directly with the U.S. occupational group, and lists Chinese industry data separately.
Career direction comparison
The following comparison helps distinguish career directions. Each row addresses the same dimensions: the direction's core work and outputs, its key difference from this group, and the preferences it may suit. Evidence links in the table lead to official U.S. occupational pages.
| Career direction | Core work and outputs | Key difference | Preferences it may suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics (within the group) | Perform more complex equipment fault diagnosis and repairs, and install, adjust, or maintain production and processing machinery | Centers on complex diagnosis and repair; the group's anchor occupation (O*NET 49-9041.00) | People willing to handle complex fault diagnosis and repairs |
| Machinery Maintenance Workers (within the group) |
AI's impact on the occupation
Insufficient evidence: no evidence was obtained for generative AI adoption rates, productivity, net employment effects, or replacement timelines for the three-occupation group or its components. Editorial trial candidates include manual lookup, work records, and diagnostic suggestions. Verify equipment, specifications, and testing conditions separately for repair, maintenance, and installation. AI Impact Score 17% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((0+0+50)/3+0.5)=17; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Mainland Chinese wage reference
Classification note | This page covers a BLS occupational group comprising O*NET 49-9041.00 (industrial machinery mechanics), 49-9043.00 (machinery maintenance workers), and 49-9044.00 (millwrights), with 49-9041.00 as the anchor. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers (49-2092.00), machinists (51-4041.00), and heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians (49-3042.00) are separate occupations. International classifications such as ISCO-08 indicate only the broad placement of equipment-repair roles; they cannot replace U.S. SOC or mainland Chinese occupational classifications and statistical definitions.
Occupational definition | This page covers the U.S. BLS group Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights: installing, maintaining, and repairing factory equipment and other industrial machinery. It comprises O*NET 49-9041.00 (industrial machinery mechanics), 49-9043.00 (machinery maintenance workers), and 49-9044.00 (millwrights). Mainland Chinese equipment-installation and repair roles have similar tasks, but qualification and safety systems belong to different jurisdictions, and no official mainland Chinese identity corresponding one-to-one with this group was obtained. Figures are not converted and identities are not equated.
U.S. wage reference
2025 combined national median $64,100; percentiles 10 / 90: $45,760 / 94,530; combined percentiles 25 / 75 were not obtained. Anchor 49-9041 median $64,520 and percentiles 10 / 25 / 75 / 90 of $46,120 / 55,010 / 78,780 / 95,170 are component-occupation comparisons only. BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone; component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI.
| Wage distribution position | Annual wage reference | Conversion boundaries | How to interpret this position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | 10th-percentile annual wage: $46,120 (2025, BLS OEWS, O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor scope, not the combined total) | Official annual wages, not personal monthly income | The original figure is a 49-9041 anchor comparison, not combined data. Combined percentiles 10 / 90 are $45,760 / 94,530; percentiles do not identify experience groups. |
Career fit guide
Direct answer | Fit for this occupational group is indicated by the ability to perform safety isolation, disassembly and inspection, repair, installation, and test verification at equipment sites according to procedures while ensuring work quality and documentation, rather than by personality labels. The anchor occupation's interest code RCI (Realistic–Conventional–Investigative) indicates a direction only; preferences do not equal talent or a hiring conclusion.
You may be better suited： Signal one | Can you perform safety isolation, disassembly and inspection, repair, and installation according to procedures?
Conditions requiring caution： Signal two | Can you ensure work quality through parts checks and test verification?
Try an entry exercise： Signal three | Can you identify matters beyond your authority and escalate or refer them?
Work pressures, risks, and professional boundaries
Direct answer | This occupational group's main risks fall into four groups: missing safety isolation and lockout/tagout, incorrect part specifications or wear assessment, incorrect disassembly or installation sequence, and tests missing critical operating conditions. Priorities are traceable disassembly, inspection, parts, installation and alignment, and test records, with work stopped and escalated when anomalies or authority limits arise.
Evidence scope | Risk items draw on safety requirements on the BLS combined page and the O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor's tasks—repair and maintenance, component repair, cleaning and adjustment, disassembly and inspection, documentation and ordering, and testing and verification—and work context (protective equipment daily: 87%; hazardous equipment daily: 54%; contaminants daily: 44%). Mainland Chinese institutional boundaries are editorial summaries subject to current regulations and organizational procedures.
Typical scenario：Missing safety isolation and lockout/tagout
Main roles：
Entry, qualifications, and career development
First choose a repair, maintenance, or installation target and verify education, training, and activity requirements separately. Millwright apprenticeships generally last 3–4 years; detailed repair and maintenance training descriptions differ, so no uniform group duration is imposed. Check mainland Chinese postings and catalogs.
Career outlook and related transitions
BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone; component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI. 2025 combined median $64,100; percentiles 10 / 90: $45,760 / 94,530. Mainland Chinese identity, exact-wage, and equivalent-qualification gaps are retained.
United States · BLS combined scope (industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights)
Much faster than average (14%)
Employment growth
This page covers the U.S. BLS group Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights: installing, maintaining, and repairing factory equipment and other industrial machinery. It comprises three O*NET/SOC occupations: industrial machinery mechanics (49-9041.00, more complex diagnosis and repair, this page's anchor), machinery maintenance workers (49-9043.00, routine maintenance and servicing), and millwrights (49-9044.00, installing, aligning, and moving industrial machinery according to drawings).
Industrial machinery mechanics handle more complex fault diagnosis and repairs; machinery maintenance workers focus on routine maintenance and servicing; millwrights install, dismantle, align, and move industrial machinery according to drawings. They share equipment-site work and safety requirements, but differ in responsibility depth and qualifications, especially millwright apprenticeships. Titles alone do not make them interchangeable.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
Fit signals | BLS and this page's anchor (O*NET 49-9041.00) tasks and work activities show that this group centers on equipment installation, repair, and maintenance, including maintaining equipment operating condition, repairing or replacing faulty components, cleaning, lubricating and adjusting, disassembling, inspecting and reassembling, installing and aligning according to drawings, and documenting repairs and verifying results. Work primarily takes place at equipment sites, requiring protective equipment such as hard hats, safety glasses, and hearing protection, around contaminants, hazardous equipment, and noise. Most roles are full time and may require night or weekend duty and overtime. If you are willing to perform hands-on repairs according to procedures, value safety and precision, and accept defined job responsibilities, these daily requirements may align with your working style.
This checklist is for self-reflection only. It is not a hiring standard, ability score, assessment of job competence, or engineering, safety, compliance, or investment advice. This page covers the combined U.S. O*NET/SOC occupational group Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: installing, maintaining, and repairing factory equipment and other industrial machinery. The three occupations have distinct official scopes: industrial machinery mechanics (O*NET 49-9041.00) repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems; machinery maintenance workers (49-9043.00) perform routine machinery maintenance; and millwrights (49-9044.00) install, dismantle, align, and move industrial machinery according to drawings. This page uses O*NET 49-9041.00 as a visible anchor for the group's scope, but the anchor is not the three-category total. U.S. wages and employment use the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook combined scope (May 2025 median wages, 2025 employment, and 2025–2035 outlook). Exact mainland Chinese occupational wages were not obtained and are recorded as a visible gap. No official mainland Chinese identity corresponding one-to-one with this group was obtained, nor a unified Chinese occupational qualification fully equivalent to O*NET 49-9041.00; these are recorded under the evidence policy. The two jurisdictions' legal and safety systems cannot be applied interchangeably.
To assess your fit for this occupational group, first complete a verifiable site-work exercise using public or simulated materials. Define a fictional equipment situation, such as an unexpected production-line machinery shutdown requiring worn components to be replaced. Write a step-by-step workflow covering work-permit and safety-isolation confirmation, observation and anomaly identification, disassembly and parts inspection, fault diagnosis, component repair or replacement, reassembly and testing, and repair and maintenance documentation. Mark each step's checkpoints and possible problems: missing safety isolation or lockout/tagout, incorrect part specifications or misjudged excessive wear, incorrect disassembly or assembly sequence, tests missing critical operating conditions, or unauthorized equipment modification. Then check whether safety isolation and lockout/tagout, parts and specification checks, and test verification are indispensable; whether equipment modifications, engineering judgments, and safety determinations beyond your authority are escalated or referred; and whether repairs and maintenance leave reviewable records. Test yourself through a concrete deliverable rather than relying solely on an interest questionnaire.
Daily work in this occupational group can be divided into three streams: (1) safety and preparation—confirm work permits and safety isolation, apply lockout/tagout, wear protective equipment, and study drawings and manufacturers' manuals; (2) repair and diagnosis, including routine maintenance and installation—observe and identify anomalies, install and align according to drawings, disassemble and inspect parts for defects, diagnose faults, and repair or replace components; and (3) assembly and verification—reassemble in sequence, operate equipment to verify results, document repairs and maintenance, and order required parts. All three share safety and quality requirements but serve different outputs: safety and preparation establish working conditions, repair and diagnosis address root causes and installation quality, and assembly and verification restore equipment and document results.
Primarily on-site equipment installation, repair, and maintenance, requiring protective equipment and work around contaminants, hazardous equipment, and noise. Most roles are full time and may require duty coverage and shift work.
Roles involving hazardous equipment and continuous production rely on this basis and require greater attention to safety isolation and work quality.
Insufficient evidence: no official mainland Chinese occupational identity corresponding one-to-one with Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights was obtained (recorded as a gap under the evidence policy). Scope boundaries: this page covers that BLS combined occupational group, comprising three official O*NET/SOC occupations: industrial machinery mechanics (49-9041.00), machinery maintenance workers (49-9043.00), and millwrights (49-9044.00). The visible anchor is 49-9041.00, but it does not equal the three-category total. Adjacent occupations—electrical and electronics installers and repairers, machinists, heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, and industrial engineering technologists and technicians—differ in work objects, qualifications, and responsibilities and cannot be interchanged by title alone. Equipment modifications, engineering judgments, and safety determinations depend on authorized responsibilities and must be decided by qualified personnel under organizational procedures and applicable regulations.
| Dimension | Main direction | Comparison direction |
|---|---|---|
| Core purpose | Turn equipment anomalies into reviewable fault diagnoses and repair records, and restore equipment availability. |
Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment (anchor O*NET task: repair or maintain equipment).
Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment (anchor O*NET task: repair or replace components).
Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery (machinery maintenance workers' routine maintenance; anchor task: cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment).
Disassemble machinery and equipment to remove parts for repair, inspect parts for defects such as breakage or excessive wear, and reassemble after inspection or repair (anchor task: disassembly and inspection).
Install, dismantle, align, and move industrial machinery and heavy equipment according to drawings (millwright scope).
Operate newly repaired machinery or equipment to verify repair adequacy, document completed repairs and maintenance, and record and order required parts or materials (anchor tasks: testing and verification; documentation and parts ordering).
Before accepting a role, verify each of the following items relating to this occupational group (BLS Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights; O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor) and mainland Chinese qualification and safety systems. Any unverified item remains pending verification; recruitment advertising cannot substitute for checking it.
Basis: BLS group scope and the official O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor definition and task list.
Basis: the anchor's O*NET Job Zone Three and BLS group education requirements.
Basis: qualification and safety regulations in the job's jurisdiction and organizational procedures.
| Perform routine machinery maintenance and servicing |
| Focuses on routine maintenance and servicing; generally excludes complex fault diagnosis |
| People interested in routine maintenance and servicing |
| Millwrights (within the group) | Install, dismantle, align, and move industrial machinery according to drawings | Produces installation and alignment results; generally excludes routine repair | People interested in equipment installation and alignment |
|---|
| Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers (adjacent) | Install and repair electrical and electronic systems | Centers on electrical and electronic systems, outside this group's mechanical-repair scope | People interested in electrical and electronics repair |
|---|
| Machinists (adjacent) | Metal cutting and precision-parts machining | Produces precision-machined parts rather than whole machines | People interested in precision machining |
|---|
| Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service Technicians (adjacent) | Repair and maintain vehicles and mobile equipment | Works on vehicles and mobile equipment, generally excluding fixed production machinery | People interested in vehicle and mobile-equipment repair |
|---|
Conclusion | This page covers the BLS group comprising industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights. All install, maintain, and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, but responsibilities differ: industrial machinery mechanics handle more complex fault diagnosis and repairs; machinery maintenance workers focus on routine maintenance and servicing; and millwrights install, dismantle, align, and move industrial machinery according to drawings. Work objects and qualifications also differ from adjacent occupations such as electrical and electronics installers and repairers, machinists, and heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians. Interchanging roles by title alone can misrepresent methods and responsibility boundaries.
Transition guidance | The three occupations within the group have different responsibility boundaries. Moving between them or into other directions requires relevant training and experience; authority for equipment modifications, engineering judgments, and safety determinations does not transfer automatically between roles.
Editorial analysis: trial manuals, records, and diagnostic information, checking each component occupation and equipment condition separately. A demonstration does not establish reliability or confer modification permission.
Insufficient evidence: no occupation-specific measurements of generative AI adoption rates or productivity were obtained. Governance frameworks and tool capabilities do not establish expanding industry adoption, established implementation standards, or widespread adoption.
BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone; component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI. This page has obtained no causal research on generative AI's net employment effects.
| Work direction | Task | Current changes | Human control points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm permits and safety isolation | Safety and preparation | Editorial trial suggestion: tools may assist with procedure lookup and work-permit organization. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | Execution of safety isolation, lockout/tagout, and protection. |
| Repair or maintain equipment operating condition | Repair and maintenance | Editorial trial suggestion: tools may assist with manual lookup and record organization. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | On-site repair judgment and quality responsibility. |
| Clean, lubricate, and adjust | Routine maintenance | Editorial trial suggestion: tools may help organize maintenance plans and records. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | Maintenance judgment and execution quality. |
| Disassemble, inspect, and reassemble | Disassembly and inspection | Editorial trial suggestion: tools may help organize disassembly, assembly, and inspection records. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | Disassembly and assembly sequence, parts inspection, and assembly quality. |
| Install and align equipment according to drawings | Installation and alignment | Editorial trial suggestion: tools may assist with drawing interpretation and parameter calculations. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | Installation sequence, alignment, and acceptance responsibility. |
| Diagnose faults and verify through testing | Diagnosis and testing | Editorial trial suggestion: tools may assist with troubleshooting suggestions and data organization. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | Root-cause diagnosis and test verification. |
| Record work and order parts | Documentation and collaboration | Editorial trial suggestion: explore assistance with record organization and ordering lists. Occupation-specific adoption rates or effects have not been verified. | Record accuracy, ordering judgment, and collaboration responsibility. |
Why can employment evidence yield different conclusions? Task exposure, organizational adoption, productivity change, and job numbers are four different measurement objects. Their samples, methods, and periods also differ, so one cannot be inferred from another.
The following editorial comparison considers task objects and potential assistance for trials; actual conditions, data, and methods require verification. No occupation-specific measurements of relative acceleration or adoption sequence were obtained.
What AI mainly changesTools may assist with procedure and manual lookup and organizing work permits.
Still human responsibilitiesExecution and judgment for safety isolation and lockout/tagout.
What AI mainly changesEditorial trial suggestion: explore assistance with research, record organization, and troubleshooting.
Still human responsibilitiesOn-site disassembly and inspection, failure root causes, installation and alignment, and work-quality judgment.
What AI mainly changesTools may assist with repair records and ordering lists.
Still human responsibilitiesResponsibility for assembly sequence, test verification, and handover.
When digital tools enter repair and installation workflows, accountability must remain continuous. Identify who is responsible at every stage, from work permits and tool assistance to human review, documentation, and handover, and retain traceable evidence.
Define operational scope, equipment and data boundaries, permitted tools, and information that must not be sent externally, including equipment and process information, drawings and manufacturer materials, and unpublished repair reports.
Limit tool use to information and manual lookup, repair-record organization, troubleshooting assistance, and parts-information queries. Tools must not directly issue safety determinations, equipment-modification decisions, or work-quality conclusions.
Responsible personnel must verify disassembly and inspection, installation, assembly, and test results item by item, confirm consistency with site and equipment conditions, and assess compliance with procedures and safety requirements.
Record tools and versions, key inputs, changes, and their grounds so the work process is reproducible and traceable for subsequent review.
Verify who is responsible for modifications, work, and acceptance by specific equipment, activity, and jurisdiction; do not impose a universal authority or personal certificate.
Tool-generated diagnoses or conclusions are treated as confirmed results, introducing errors into repairs or equipment status
Control measures:Label generated content as provisional and verify site inspections and tests item by item before use
Equipment and process information, drawings, and manufacturer materials are sent externally, creating data and business risks
Control measures:Follow organizational information requirements; confirm authorization and the minimum necessary scope before use
Tool versions and inputs are not recorded, making the original basis difficult to reconstruct in a quality dispute
Control measures:Consistently record tools, versions, and key inputs, and retain change histories
Incorrect testing or diagnostic suggestions lead to faulty repair or installation judgments
Control measures:Check results against on-site tests and procedures; do not substitute tool conclusions for verification
Missing review creates unclear accountability, making responsibility difficult to determine when problems arise
Control measures:Identify responsibility for tools, review, modifications, and acceptance by equipment and activity.
Use AI for research and manual lookup, but do not treat generated content as a repair conclusion. First build solid skills in safety isolation, disassembly and assembly, and fault diagnosis.
Trial information and documentation tools in an authorized environment and measure their effects. Check repair, maintenance, and installation against actual procedures; no general time savings have been verified.
Specify digital-tool boundaries in repair and safety procedures, including whether tools may support research, diagnosis, and documentation; define data rules and mechanisms for reviewing and reverting tool outputs.
Use tools for organization and preliminary analysis, but do not substitute automated conclusions for site inspections, test verification, or safety determinations.
Insufficient evidence: no evidence was obtained for generative AI adoption rates, productivity, net employment effects, or replacement timelines for the three-occupation group or its components. Editorial trial candidates include manual lookup, work records, and diagnostic suggestions. Verify equipment, specifications, and testing conditions separately for repair, maintenance, and installation.
Source:ILO task-exposure limitations and editorial analysisOriginal material ↗
Anchor occupation 49-9041 includes programming computer-controlled machinery; 49-9044 includes installing robots and modifying programs. RCI does not establish that all three occupations have no programming requirement. Check target-role and equipment-control requirements.
Source:O*NET tasks; specific assessments are editorial analysisOriginal material ↗
Editorial analysis: manuals, records, and diagnostic information are trial candidates. No measurements of which task changes first or relative acceleration have been verified; the anchor's task ranking cannot serve as evidence of group adoption.
Source:O*NET tasks; specific assessments are editorial analysisOriginal material ↗
BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone; component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI.
Source:Current BLS overall projections, not AI causationOriginal material ↗
Model output does not confer authority for modifications, work permits, or safety determinations. Verify responsible parties separately by equipment, component-occupation activity, organization, and jurisdiction.
Source:O*NET tasks; specific assessments are editorial analysisOriginal material ↗
No evidence was obtained for disappearance years or replacement probabilities for the group or component occupations; task exposure is not a timetable.
Source:ILO task-exposure limitations and editorial analysisOriginal material ↗
Editorial suggestion: practice specification checks, diagnosis, installation and alignment, and test records for the target repair, maintenance, or installation role. Follow equipment procedures and training for actual safety requirements. Tool trials provide no guarantee of irreplaceability or uniform efficiency.
Source:O*NET tasks; specific assessments are editorial analysisOriginal material ↗
Editorial suggestion: practice specification checks, diagnosis, installation and alignment, and test records for the target repair, maintenance, or installation role. Follow equipment procedures and training for actual safety requirements. Tool trials provide no guarantee of irreplaceability or uniform efficiency.
Insufficient evidence: no national wage figure specific to this occupation was obtained. The National Bureau of Statistics reports average wages by industry category, not occupation; this page does not substitute industry figures.
Insufficient evidence: no national wage figure specific to this occupation was obtained. Private-unit data are also reported by industry category and cannot be treated as this occupational group's wages.
Insufficient evidence: mainland Chinese public occupational statistics do not establish a national wage distribution precisely corresponding to the U.S. BLS group Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights. The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average wages by industry category, not occupation. This page does not fill the gap with industry averages, recruitment offers, or U.S. data.
Mainland China section | Mainland Chinese equipment-installation and repair roles have tasks similar to this occupational group; their qualification and safety requirements are governed by applicable regulations and organizational procedures. Public occupational statistics do not separately report a national wage distribution for this group: the National Bureau of Statistics publishes average wages for employees in urban units by industry category, without distinguishing occupations. Under the evidence policy, this page records statistical definitions and visible gaps only, without substituting industry averages, recruitment offers, or U.S. wages for exact occupational figures.
| Educational background | Common role directions | Explanation and verification guidance |
|---|---|---|
| High school diploma or vocational-school training (mechanical, electromechanical, or a related field) | Equipment-maintenance assistant; machinery-repair apprentice | U.S. BLS generally specifies high school or equivalent. Mechanics may need at least one year of on-the-job training; the detailed maintenance-worker description states several months to one year, while the summary and some training overviews state at least one year. The source's internal differences are retained. Millwrights generally complete a 3–4-year apprenticeship. Check mainland Chinese job postings. |
| Relevant education plus equipment and safety training | Industrial machinery mechanic; machinery maintenance worker; millwright | Editorial verification suggestion: check target equipment, education for repair, maintenance, or installation roles, safety training, and operational catalogs. No uniform sample representing most mainland Chinese roles was obtained. |
| Specialist equipment experience and fault-diagnosis skills | CNC equipment, hydraulics and pneumatics, or production-line installation and commissioning | Complex equipment repairs or installation projects usually require more experience and specialist training. Job authorization and equipment-modification authority depend on organizational procedures. |
| Special-operation or equipment-operation qualifications (depending on work requirements) | Roles involving electrical work, welding, lifting, and hazardous operations | In mainland China, entry, safety, and work permits for equipment-installation and repair roles are governed by applicable regulations and organizational procedures. No unified Chinese personal occupational qualification fully equivalent to this group was obtained; this page records the gap under the evidence policy. Check region, equipment type, and company procedures. Education, training, special-operation qualifications, job authorization, and equipment-modification authority are distinct statuses. |
Conditional industry reference: if the target employer is classified under manufacturing, NBS2025 Tables 2 / 5 separately report non-private/private pretax annual averages of 113,594 / 76,055 yuan. Verify the employer's industry. Averages across all occupations in an industry are not the group's median, starting, or take-home pay. Mainland Chinese identity and exact-wage mappings remain gaps.
BLS shows that work in this occupational group is concentrated in manufacturing facilities. National Bureau of Statistics average wages are industry-based and do not distinguish occupations; this page does not substitute them for occupational wages.
Some roles are in energy, chemicals, and logistics. Employment scale and performance criteria differ; this page does not supply substitute figures.
Classifications and statistical definitions differ; no numerical conversion is made.
Insufficient evidence: no evidence was obtained for generative AI adoption rates, productivity, net employment effects, or replacement timelines for the three-occupation group or its components. Editorial trial candidates include manual lookup, work records, and diagnostic suggestions. Verify equipment, specifications, and testing conditions separately for repair, maintenance, and installation.
| Median (50%) | Median annual wage: $64,100 (May 2025, BLS OOH, combined scope) | Official annual wages, not personal take-home pay | The median is the distribution midpoint, not typical experience, a personal starting salary, or a pay progression. |
|---|
| Top 10% | 90th-percentile annual wage: $95,170 (2025, BLS OEWS, O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor scope, not the combined total) | Official annual wages, not personal take-home pay | The original figure is a 49-9041 anchor comparison, not combined data. Combined percentiles 10 / 90 are $45,760 / 94,530; percentiles do not identify experience groups. |
|---|
Wages · 10th percentile：10th-percentile annual wage: $46,120 (2025, BLS OEWS, O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor scope, not the combined total)；The shared $46,120 is the 49-9041 anchor's 10th percentile； the actual combined figure is $45,760. Different populations cannot be spliced together.
Wages · 25th percentile：25th-percentile annual wage: $55,010 (2025, BLS OEWS, O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor scope, not the combined total)；Scope | This percentile uses BLS OEWS 2025 data for 49-9041.00 (anchor) presented by O*NET. Limit | The lower-quartile threshold； industry and region affect actual income, and this figure covers the anchor.
Wages · Median：Median annual wage: $64,100 (May 2025, BLS OOH, combined scope)；OEWS reports pretax regular wage rates, including incentive pay such as production bonuses, but excluding overtime premiums, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and employer benefit costs. The combined median is $64,100 and the anchor median $64,520； no unpublished combined hourly wage is calculated.
Wages · 75th percentile：75th-percentile annual wage: $78,780 (2025, BLS OEWS, O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor scope, not the combined total)；Scope | This percentile uses BLS OEWS 2025 data for 49-9041.00 (anchor) presented by O*NET. Limit | The upper-quartile threshold, generally associated with industry, region, and specialist capabilities； this figure covers the anchor.
Wages · 90th percentile：90th-percentile annual wage: $95,170 (2025, BLS OEWS, O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor scope, not the combined total)；The shared $95,170 is the anchor's 90th percentile； the actual combined figure is $94,530. They cannot be spliced together.
The median is the distribution midpoint, not entry-level pay; percentiles do not identify years of experience.
Combined wages come from BLS OOH using OEWS2025; anchor percentiles come from O*NET49-9041. OEWS reports pretax regular wage rates, including incentive pay such as production bonuses, but excluding overtime premiums, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and employer benefit costs.
Editorial verification suggestion: check the target region, employer, actual duties, and offer definitions. This page has not estimated each condition's wage effect.
The group is the three-category total; 49-9041 is a component anchor. Anchor percentiles cannot be spliced into a combined distribution.
| Industry | Median wage for this occupation within the industry | How to interpret |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | $65,220/year; 2025 three-occupation combined median within the industry | Industry median for the three-occupation group, not 49-9041 alone or the industry average across all occupations. |
| Construction | $63,870/year; 2025 three-occupation combined median within the industry | Industry median for the three-occupation group, not 49-9041 alone or the industry average across all occupations. |
| Wholesale trade | $62,450/year; 2025 three-occupation combined median within the industry | Industry median for the three-occupation group, not 49-9041 alone or the industry average across all occupations. |
| Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance (excluding automotive and electronic equipment) | $60,780/year; 2025 three-occupation combined median within the industry | Industry median for the three-occupation group, not 49-9041 alone or the industry average across all occupations. |
Employer type (manufacturers, specialist repair services, energy and chemicals), equipment type and region, and shifts and duty arrangements affect income level and stability.
Specialist equipment experience, fault-diagnosis capabilities, and responsibility for complex repair and installation projects affect earning potential and progression.
Region and living costs, industry, and production cycles affect workload and income. Regional or combined-percentile wages were not obtained and are recorded as visible gaps.
Current period: BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone； component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI. The shared historical figures above have consumers outside the selected scope； the scope conflict is retained in this round.
Current period: BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone； component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI. The shared historical figures above have consumers outside the selected scope； the scope conflict is retained in this round.
Current period: BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone； component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI. The shared historical figures above have consumers outside the selected scope； the scope conflict is retained in this round.
O*NET occupational interest baseline
Interest code RCI (anchor)This page's anchor occupation (O*NET 49-9041.00, Industrial Machinery Mechanics) has interest code RCI (Realistic–Conventional–Investigative).
Understanding this interest code: RCI combines Realistic (a preference for hands-on repairs using tools and equipment), Conventional (a preference for established procedures), and Investigative (a preference for researching and troubleshooting problems). This page's anchor occupation (O*NET 49-9041.00) has code RCI; it suggests a combination emphasizing hands-on work, procedural adherence, and troubleshooting for this occupational group, rather than labeling individuals.
Which Holland interest types are closer to industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance, and millwright work?
Anchor 49-9041 has interest code RCI. This describes only that component occupation, not uniform group interests or personal competence.
Do not use it this way:The interest code indicates a direction, not ability or a hiring conclusion. A high preference score cannot replace site-work experience.
Test my Holland career interestsWhich Big Five traits are more relevant to this work?
The anchor's current work styles include dependability, attention to detail, and cautiousness. These are not uniform group styles and do not establish Big Five test validity for occupational performance.
Do not use it this way:Work styles are descriptive cues. Practical task experience can help check preferences; no measured evidence of the extent of reduced fit was obtained.
View my Big Five personality traitsCan MBTI determine whether industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance, and millwright work suit me?
No validation studies showing MBTI predicts performance for the group or component occupations were obtained; a skills list is not evidence of type fit.
Do not use it this way:The skills list indicates a direction, not your current abilities; test it against practical work evidence.
Understand my MBTI preferencesCan the Enneagram tell whether this occupation suits me?
No validation studies showing the Enneagram predicts group or component-occupation performance were obtained; task frequency is not Enneagram evidence.
Do not use it this way:Frequent activities do not imply monotonous work: together, these activities form the core of equipment repair and installation.
Explore my Enneagram patternsCan I become an industrial machinery mechanic, machinery maintenance worker, or millwright if mathematics is not my strength?
Repair and installation involve specifications, dimensions, and test data; installation apprenticeships include mathematics training. Editorial suggestion: check unit conversion, measurement, and error interpretation. No universal IQ or mathematics-score threshold was obtained; anchor context does not establish a group mathematics threshold.
Do not use it this way:Work-context percentages reflect respondents' reports and do not predict an individual's working conditions.
Understand my intelligence and reasoning performanceDo industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights need high emotional intelligence?
The work requires confirming anomalies and handovers with operators, crews, and installation teams. No universal emotional-intelligence score threshold or performance-validity studies were obtained.
Do not use it this way:This editorial self-assessment is not a hiring standard or ability score.
Understand my emotional intelligence abilitiesCloser fit:Fit signal: assess fit for industrial machinery mechanics (the group anchor) through consistent completion of core operations in real tasks, turning anomalies into actionable issues, and accepting its methods and documentation requirements.
Note:People who struggle with site conditions or complex diagnostic pressure.
View related occupations:Industrial Machinery Mechanics (group anchor)Closer fit:Fit signal: assess fit for machinery maintenance (within the group) through consistent completion of core operations in real tasks, turning anomalies into actionable issues, and accepting its methods and documentation requirements.
Note:People who prefer complex diagnosis and overhauls.
View related occupations:Machinery Maintenance WorkersCloser fit:Fit signal: assess fit for millwright work (within the group) through consistent completion of core operations in real tasks, turning anomalies into actionable issues, and accepting its methods and documentation requirements.
Note:People who prefer routine repair to installation.
View related occupations:MillwrightsCloser fit:Fit signal: assess fit for electrical and electronics installation and repair through consistent completion of core operations in real tasks, turning anomalies into actionable issues, and accepting its methods and documentation requirements.
Note:People unwilling to focus primarily on electrical and electronic systems.
View related occupations:Electrical and Electronics Installers and RepairersCloser fit:Fit signal: assess fit for machinist work through consistent completion of core operations in real tasks, turning anomalies into actionable issues, and accepting its methods and documentation requirements.
Note:People unwilling to focus primarily on precision machining.
View related occupations:MachinistsCloser fit:Fit signal: assess fit for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technician work through consistent completion of core operations in real tasks, turning anomalies into actionable issues, and accepting its methods and documentation requirements.
Note:People who prefer repairing fixed production equipment.
View related occupations:Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service TechniciansNo personality label guarantees fit; observe actual repair, maintenance, or installation behavior for the target component occupation.
Introversion is not an exclusion criterion; clearly confirm anomalies, work scope, and handovers.
Extraversion does not guarantee performance; examine procedural adherence, measurement, and documentation.
No validation studies establishing which MBTI type best suits the group or component occupations were obtained.
Anchor 49-9041 has interest code RCI. This describes only that component occupation, not uniform group interests or personal competence.
No validation studies showing personality tests predict group performance were obtained; anchor work styles do not establish group validity.
Repair and installation involve specifications, dimensions, and test data; installation apprenticeships include mathematics training. Editorial suggestion: check unit conversion, measurement, and error interpretation. No universal IQ or mathematics-score threshold was obtained; anchor context does not establish a group mathematics threshold.
The work requires confirming anomalies and handovers with operators, crews, and installation teams. No universal emotional-intelligence score threshold or performance-validity studies were obtained.
No validation studies showing the Enneagram predicts group or component-occupation performance were obtained; task frequency is not Enneagram evidence.
Editorial suggestion: use fictional materials to explain diagnosis, maintenance records, or installation checks and testing evidence separately, and compare preferences among component occupations. The exercise is not a work permit.
Potential consequences：Injury or unexpected equipment startup
Reduce risk：Editorial verification suggestion: follow and review actual equipment energy-control, permit, and training procedures. This card is not an operational procedure.
Basis：O*NET 49-9041.00 occupational profile and task list (anchor) · FermatMind career content field and evidence-definition rules
Typical scenario：Incorrect part specifications or wear assessment
Main roles：Machinery mechanic / maintenance worker; equipment lead
Potential consequences：Repeat failure after repair or equipment damage
Reduce risk：Check parts against drawings and specifications and measure wear
Basis：O*NET 49-9041.00 occupational profile and task list (anchor) · FermatMind career content field and evidence-definition rules
Typical scenario：Incorrect disassembly or installation sequence; poor alignment
Main roles：Machinery mechanic / millwright; crew leader
Potential consequences：Reduced equipment precision or rework
Reduce risk：Follow manufacturers' manuals and drawings for disassembly and assembly and record critical torque values and clearances
Basis：O*NET 49-9041.00 occupational profile and task list (anchor) · FermatMind career content field and evidence-definition rules
Typical scenario：Tests missing critical operating conditions
Main roles：Machinery mechanic / millwright; production lead
Potential consequences：Residual hazards and unplanned downtime
Reduce risk：Test against the verification checklist and cover critical operating conditions before handover
Basis：O*NET 49-9041.00 occupational profile and task list (anchor) · FermatMind career content field and evidence-definition rules
Typical scenario：Equipment and process information, drawings, and manufacturer materials sent externally
Main roles：Workers in this group; information security lead
Potential consequences：Data and business risks
Reduce risk：Follow organizational information requirements; confirm authorization and the minimum necessary scope before use
Basis：O*NET 49-9041.00 occupational profile and task list (anchor) · FermatMind career content field and evidence-definition rules
Typical scenario：Unauthorized equipment modification or safety determination
Main roles：Workers in this group; supervisor
Potential consequences：Unauthorized decisions create accountability and safety risks
Reduce risk：Verify responsibility for modifications, work, and acceptance by specific equipment, activity, and jurisdiction; do not generalize a universal qualification from occupational titles.
Basis：O*NET 49-9041.00 occupational profile and task list (anchor) · FermatMind career content field and evidence-definition rules
| Career direction | Initial tasks | Evidence to prepare | Work samples you can create without experience | Difference from this group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics (group anchor) | Assist equipment disassembly and inspection, diagnosis, and repair documentation under guidance | Training and repair records; safety materials | A step-by-step repair workflow and fault-diagnosis record | Centers on complex fault diagnosis and repair (O*NET 49-9041.00) |
| Machinery Maintenance Workers (within the group) | Perform routine machinery maintenance and servicing | Maintenance training records | A maintenance and servicing record | Focuses on routine maintenance and basic diagnosis, generally referring overhauls to mechanics; diagnosis is not entirely excluded |
| Millwrights (within the group) | Assist equipment installation and alignment | Installation training records | An equipment-installation and alignment explanation | Produces installation and alignment according to drawings |
| Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers (adjacent) | Assist installation and repair of electrical and electronic systems | Electrical training records | An electrical inspection and repair explanation | Centers on electrical and electronic systems, outside this group's mechanical scope |
| Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service Technicians (adjacent) | Assist vehicle and mobile-equipment repair and maintenance | Vehicle-repair training records | A vehicle inspection and repair explanation | Works on vehicles and mobile equipment, rather than fixed production machinery |
In mainland China, check the target component occupation, equipment, and activity-specific requirements. No sample representing most roles was obtained.
Verify education and installation and repair abilities separately; no comparison of competence-prediction validity is available.
Relevant U.S. roles follow employer and operational requirements. Mainland Chinese qualification and safety requirements depend on local rules and organizational procedures.
Handle and retain equipment and process information, drawings and manufacturer materials, and unpublished repair reports only within the minimum necessary scope under organizational requirements.
The anchor's current work styles include dependability, attention to detail, and cautiousness; these are not a uniform group survey or evidence of individual scale validity.
Core skills include critical thinking, active learning, and active listening. Transferable skills include equipment maintenance, operation and control, operations monitoring, repairing, and troubleshooting.
A simulated equipment-anomaly and test dataset with normal and faulty examples.
A blank repair and fault-diagnosis record template.
A blank lockout/tagout, installation and alignment, and verification checklist.
For the three supplied anomaly types—missing safety isolation, incorrect part specifications, and poor installation alignment or tests missing critical operating conditions—describe identifying features and responses.
Identify matters beyond your personal authority: equipment modifications, engineering judgments, and safety determinations.
For each anomaly, explain identification evidence and the consequences of your response; describe risks from compressed or omitted steps.
Finish with a reflection: if working conditions are inadequate or equipment status is unclear, how would you stop and reassess?
Mark whether each step was completed independently or under guidance.
Identify steps involving safety and equipment status that require following procedures rather than deciding independently.
Record review comments, dates, and supporting grounds for later reflection.
Show the complete chain from permit confirmation through disassembly, inspection, and diagnosis or installation and alignment, to testing and handover, not only the result.
Exclude identifiable information about real equipment or production lines, and specify evidence and assumptions.
Explain which site or procedure check tool outputs underwent before use; label illustrative numbers as examples.
| Stage | Potential checks | Observable evidence | Boundary note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resume and initial screening | Equipment-repair or installation experience, training and certifications, and safety records | Repair and safety materials; training records | Self-assessment and training records cannot replace organizational assessment or work authorization |
| Interview and scenario questions |
Record the safety, equipment, environmental, and information requirements you observe.
Identify the practical cost you find hardest to accept and decide whether it is manageable.
List key requirements under applicable procedures: lockout/tagout and energy isolation, parts and specification checks, installation and alignment, and test verification.
Write response and escalation plans for two typical risks: equipment information sent externally and unauthorized modifications.
| Qualification or preparation item | Applicable population | Role in this group | Whether generally required | How to obtain it | Approximate investment | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High school or equivalent; some related educational routes (United States) | U.S. entry roles | Corresponds to the BLS group's common educational starting point | Relatively common (United States) |
Typical responsibilities：Assist disassembly and inspection, repairs, and documentation under guidance.
Evidence for advancement：Submit repair and documentation samples and obtain mentor feedback.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; equipment and safety awareness are needed.
Next step：Work toward independently completing complex fault diagnosis and repairs.
Typical responsibilities：Independently perform disassembly and inspection, fault diagnosis, and repair.
Evidence for advancement：Submit repair records and test verification.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; certification is required for special operations.
Next step：Learn to lead complex equipment overhauls.
Typical responsibilities：Lead complex overhauls and mentor newcomers.
Evidence for advancement：Submit complex cases and records.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; experience and specialist training are usually needed.
Next step：Turn experience into reusable repair-procedure materials.
Typical responsibilities：Oversee equipment reliability and repair standards.
Evidence for advancement：Submit reliability and assessment records.
Qualification boundaries：Determined by organizational governance requirements.
Next step：Contribute to equipment management and technical-upgrade planning.
Typical responsibilities：Assist routine inspections, lubrication, and servicing.
Evidence for advancement：Submit inspection and servicing records.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; equipment foundations are needed.
Next step：Learn to develop and optimize preventive-maintenance plans.
Typical responsibilities：Perform routine inspections, lubrication, and servicing and record equipment condition.
Evidence for advancement：Submit maintenance plans and execution records.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; equipment experience is usually needed.
Next step：Contribute to condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.
Typical responsibilities：Monitor conditions such as vibration and temperature and analyze trends.
Evidence for advancement：Submit monitoring and analysis records.
Qualification boundaries：Determined by organizational procedures and technical requirements.
Typical responsibilities：Assist equipment positioning, alignment, and commissioning.
Evidence for advancement：Submit installation and alignment records.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; installation and safety foundations are needed.
Next step：Learn to install and commission equipment independently.
Typical responsibilities：Complete equipment installation, alignment, and trial operation.
Evidence for advancement：Submit installation and trial-operation records.
Qualification boundaries：Depends on organizational requirements; lifting operations require qualifications.
Next step：Contribute to production-line relocation and technical-upgrade installation.
Typical responsibilities：Oversee installation-project schedules, quality, and safety.
Evidence for advancement：Submit project and acceptance records.
Qualification boundaries：Determined by organizational procedures and project requirements.
Can assist equipment maintenance, disassembly and inspection, installation, and documentation under guidance, follow procedures, and accept feedback.
Can independently disassemble and inspect common equipment, diagnose faults, perform repairs or installation and alignment, and submit records.
Can lead complex equipment overhauls or installation projects, mentor newcomers, and produce verifiable records.
Takes organizational responsibility for equipment reliability, work standards, and teams.
Overall employment projections do not establish AI causation. Growth measures total employment change; openings include growth and replacement needs and are not net new jobs.
Does not establish：Combined growth does not identify hiring by component occupation or region; distinguish growth from replacement openings.
United States · BLS combined scope
About 51,900/year
Average annual job openings
Overall employment projections do not establish AI causation. Growth measures total employment change; openings include growth and replacement needs and are not net new jobs.
Does not establish：National projections do not equal actual hiring or individual employment outcomes; distinguish growth from replacement openings.
Mainland China · No exact measure for this occupational group; only industry-category average wages (industry proxy)
Insufficient evidence
Mainland Chinese occupational wages
The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average wages by industry category without distinguishing occupations; these data cannot produce occupational-level figures for this group.
Does not establish：Industry proxy; no substitution with industry averages, recruitment offers, or U.S. data.
These are skill-adjacency relationships, not automatic promotion or a way to avoid additional preparation.
Transferable skills：Repair and fault-diagnosis foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: complex fault diagnosis and overhauls.
View career detailsTransferable skills：Equipment maintenance and servicing foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: routine maintenance procedures and condition records.
View career detailsTransferable skills：Equipment-installation and mechanical foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: installation and alignment techniques.
View career detailsTransferable skills：Equipment and tool-use foundations.
Skills to develop：Develop target electrical and electronics repair methods; verify applicable catalogs, qualifications, and authorization for actual activities.
View career detailsTransferable skills：Mechanical and measurement foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: metal-cutting and precision-machining techniques.
View career detailsTransferable skills：Mechanical repair and diagnostic foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: vehicle and mobile-equipment system repair.
View career detailsTransferable skills：General repair and tool-use foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: general maintenance methods.
View career detailsTransferable skills：Hydraulics and mechanical-repair foundations.
Skills to develop：To develop: mobile heavy-equipment system repair.
View career detailsBLS combined scope: May 2025 median annual wage $64,100 (hourly wage $30.82); about 547,300 employed in 2025; much-faster-than-average growth of 14% for 2025–2035, about 51,900 annual openings, and employment change of about +78,900. Anchor scope (O*NET 49-9041.00, 2025 OEWS): median $64,520; annual wages at percentiles 10 / 25 / 75 / 90 of $46,120 / 55,010 / 78,780 / 95,170. The two scopes differ, and neither equals the three-category total.
No national wage figure can be read precisely for this occupational group. The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average wages for employees in urban units by industry category without distinguishing occupations, so these data cannot produce occupational-level figures for this group. This page records the gap under its evidence policy rather than substituting figures.
BLS describes safety precautions and protective equipment such as hard hats, safety glasses, and hearing protection for this group. Most work full time in manufacturing facilities; duty coverage and shift work may be required, and overtime is common. Anchor O*NET work-context figures show daily protective-equipment use for 87%, daily hazardous-equipment exposure for 54%, and daily contaminant exposure for 44%. Main risks include missing safety isolation and lockout/tagout, incorrect part specifications or wear assessment, incorrect disassembly or installation sequence, tests missing critical operating conditions, equipment and process information sent externally, and unauthorized equipment modifications or safety determinations.
It will affect information-processing tasks rather than replace on-site disassembly and inspection, installation and alignment, assembly-quality judgment, and safety determinations. Generative AI can assist information and manual lookup, repair-record organization, troubleshooting, and parts-information queries. People remain responsible for safety isolation and protection, on-site disassembly and inspection, installation and alignment, assembly quality, test verification, and equipment-modification decisions. This page provides no replacement probability, adoption rate, or timetable.
BLS indicates that most roles in this group require a high school diploma. Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers typically also need at least one year of on-the-job training, while most millwrights complete an apprenticeship lasting up to about four years. Related mainland Chinese roles generally require education in mechanical, electromechanical, or a related field, plus equipment-installation, repair, and safe-work capabilities.
Insufficient evidence: no unified mainland Chinese personal occupational qualification fully equivalent to this occupational group (O*NET 49-9041.00 or the group) was obtained (recorded as a gap under the evidence policy). Check region, equipment type, and company procedures separately. Education, training, apprenticeship, special-operation qualifications, job authorization, and equipment-modification authority are distinct statuses. Training does not equal certification, and certification does not confer authority for equipment modifications or safety determinations.
Main risks include missing safety isolation and lockout/tagout, incorrect part specifications or wear assessment, incorrect disassembly or installation sequence, tests missing critical operating conditions, equipment and process information sent externally, and unauthorized equipment modifications or safety determinations. Priorities are traceable disassembly, inspection, parts, installation and alignment, and test records, with work stopped and escalated when anomalies or authority limits arise.
U.S. BLS combined projections indicate much-faster-than-average growth of 14% for 2025–2035 and about 51,900 annual openings. Mainland Chinese wage and unified-qualification gaps are recorded. Potential transitions include machinery maintenance and installation within the group, electrical and electronics repair, precision machining, general maintenance, and mobile-equipment repair. Each requires relevant additional training or qualifications; transferable skills do not mean automatic promotion.
This round checked BLS group scope, 2025 combined wages and industry figures, and projections, plus 49-9041 anchor tasks, interests, education, and context. BLS2025–2035 three-occupation group: employment rises from 547,300 to 626,200, growth of 14%, with 51,900 annual openings. The group is the total of three occupations, not 49-9041 alone; component growth rates are 18%, -2%, and 1%, respectively, so group growth does not mean every component grows. Openings include growth and replacement needs, not net new jobs or actual hiring, and do not establish causation by generative AI.
On 2026-10-11, checked the BLS group and O*NET Updated2026; wages are 2025 and projections 2025–2035. Internal differences in maintenance-worker training durations are listed; conflicts remain for protected shared consumers.
Source card | Source register: this page lists the BLS combined occupational page and O*NET 49-9041.00 anchor's occupational profile, details, national wages, industry distribution, hot technologies, certification directory, and national training entries; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS 2025) and methodology; National Bureau of Statistics average annual wages of employees in urban units; the Work Safety Law, Special Equipment Safety Law, and Personal Information Protection Law of the People's Republic of China; the ILO generative AI occupational exposure index; the NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework; and O*NET entries for component and adjacent occupations.
Usage limitations：U.S. occupational description; this page is the group anchor and does not cover mainland Chinese qualification and safety systems.
Usage limitations：Combined scope (three component occupations); not an individual employment conclusion and does not equal the three-category total.
Usage limitations：Combined scope; cannot be attributed to generative AI and does not equal the three-category total.
Usage limitations：The original methodology document prevails.
Usage limitations：Industry-category data without occupational distinctions; this occupational group is not separately reported.
Usage limitations：Current legal texts and competent-authority requirements prevail.
Usage limitations：Original legal texts and competent-department interpretations prevail.
Usage limitations：Current legal texts and competent-authority requirements prevail.
Usage limitations：U.S. industry distribution (anchor); does not establish a mainland Chinese mapping.
Usage limitations：Occupational-level description (anchor), not a repair procedure or safety code.
Usage limitations：The certification directory does not replace organizational and competent-authority requirements for job authorization and work permits.
Usage limitations：Task exposure does not equal automatic job disappearance or a specific adoption rate.
Usage limitations：Internal definition rules, not an external factual source.
Usage limitations：Not a repair procedure or safety code.
Usage limitations：Technology mentions do not establish ability, adoption, or automation levels.
Usage limitations：A training search entry point does not replace education and work-authorization requirements.
Usage limitations：Editorial design, not universal employer requirements or hiring standards.
Usage limitations：Occupational-level description (anchor), not a prediction of an individual's work.
Usage limitations：Component-occupation scope, not the entire group.
Usage limitations：Component-occupation scope, not the entire group.
Usage limitations：Adjacent occupational scope, not this group.
Usage limitations：Database and classification information do not establish authorization.
Usage limitations：Maps titles to SOC; does not establish licensing authority.
Usage limitations：Exact anchor occupational scope; excludes benefits and bonuses; percentiles do not equal starting salaries or experience levels; not the combined total.
Usage limitations：Exact anchor occupational scope; see the BLS OOH combined page separately for group outlook.
Usage limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
The group is the total of three occupations, not the anchor alone. Combined percentiles 10 / 90 have been published as $45,760 / 94,530; percentiles 25 / 75 were not obtained. Gaps in mainland Chinese identity, exact wages, equivalent qualifications, measured AI effects, and personality validity are retained; shared wording denying the total is protected.
Big Five personality · MBTI · Intelligence and reasoning · Emotional intelligence
| Machinery maintenance workers focus on routine maintenance and servicing of general machinery and generally do not handle complex fault diagnosis or equipment overhauls. |
| Main work objects and basis | The work concerns production and processing machinery, equipment, and components, using drawings and specifications, safety procedures, and repair standards. | Millwrights focus on installing, dismantling, aligning, and moving industrial machinery according to drawings and generally do not handle routine repair. |
|---|
| Core process | Confirm permits—disassemble, inspect, and diagnose (or install and align)—repair or replace—assemble and test—document and hand over, working alongside production and engineering teams. | Machinists focus on metal cutting and precision machining; their work cannot be treated as interchangeable with this group's equipment repair and maintenance. |
|---|
| Main outputs | Repair and maintenance records, fault-diagnosis and test data, drawings and specification manuals, parts-ordering and replacement records, and installation and alignment records. | Electrical and electronics installers and repairers focus on electrical and electronic systems, outside this group's mechanical-repair scope. |
|---|
| Responsible parties | Take responsibility for work quality and record accuracy, and escalate or refer equipment modifications and safety determinations beyond your authority under organizational procedures. | Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians focus on vehicles and mobile equipment and generally do not repair fixed production machinery. |
|---|
| Authority and approval | Equipment modifications, engineering judgments, and safety determinations must be decided by qualified personnel or competent authorities under organizational procedures. | You must not independently make decisions beyond your professional competence or assigned responsibilities. |
|---|
| Limits of conclusions | This page does not promise recruitment, licensing, or hiring outcomes at any organization. | Qualification and safety systems differ between the United States and mainland China. Check them separately; they cannot be applied interchangeably. No official mainland Chinese identity corresponding one-to-one with this group was obtained either. |
|---|
Basis: the job posting and organizational production and duty procedures.
Basis: organizational safety and equipment-management procedures.
Basis: organizational occupational health and protection requirements.
Entry routes commonly include manufacturers, specialist repair services, and energy and chemical employers; duty coverage, rotating shifts, and overtime are common.
Mainland Chinese roles vary by equipment type, industry, and region; performance criteria depend on organizational announcements.
Does not involve real equipment, real production lines, or identifiable repair data.
| Scenario responses and on-site questions |
| One scenario exercise cannot replace a comprehensive assessment of repair and installation abilities |
| Skills and safety assessment | Disassembly and assembly, measurement, repair, installation, and testing | Operation and work-record samples | A single assessment does not establish the ability to independently take responsibility for repair or installation projects |
|---|
| Onboarding and probation | Following work and safety procedures, documentation, and reporting | Work records and anomaly and escalation histories | Equipment-modification and work authorization depend on organizational procedures and announcements |
|---|
Identify at least two deviations against work procedures and record corrective actions.
Record their objections and your responses; address anomalies and counterexamples directly.
Use this to decide whether to continue pursuing the direction and write a specific question to test next.
| Check actual-role education; do not impose vocational school as a universal condition |
| According to program duration |
| Education does not guarantee equipment-operation or work authorization |
| On-the-job training (machinery mechanics and maintenance workers, United States) | U.S. repair and maintenance roles | Mechanics may need at least one year; maintenance-worker details state several months to one year, while summaries and training overviews state at least one year | Relatively common (United States) | Receive organizational training after hiring | Check the component occupation and program; internal source differences are listed | Applies only to U.S. definitions |
|---|
| Apprenticeship (millwrights, United States) | U.S. installation roles | BLS indicates that most millwrights complete an apprenticeship | Relatively common (United States) | Complete an apprenticeship program and pass assessment | Generally 3–4 years; check the specific program | Applies only to U.S. definitions; apprenticeship does not equal job authorization |
|---|
| Equipment and safe-work training | Site roles | Provides foundations in safety isolation, protection, and emergency response | Relatively common | Attend safety training organized by the employer or competent authority | Insufficient evidence: specific course durations and fees have not been verified | Training does not replace special-operation qualifications or work permits |
|---|
| Special-operation or equipment-operation qualifications (depending on work requirements) | Roles involving electrical work, welding, lifting, and hazardous operations | One statutory condition for performing relevant special operations in mainland China | Depends on the operation category | Complete training and pass assessment under competent-authority requirements | According to assessment arrangements | Certification does not confer permission for a specific role or equipment modifications |
|---|
| Unified mainland Chinese occupational qualification fully equivalent to this occupational group | Related mainland Chinese roles | Insufficient evidence: no unified Chinese personal occupational qualification precisely corresponding to this group was obtained | Not applicable (gap recorded) | Check region, equipment type, and company procedures separately | According to regional and organizational requirements | Do not directly describe adjacent electromechanical equipment-repair standards as this group's exact qualification |
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Qualification boundary four | Preparation items on this page are research and verification directions, not any organization's formal qualification list. Organizational announcements and competent-authority requirements prevail if they differ. This page provides no conclusions about personal ability or background, hiring likelihood, or compensation promises.
Next step：Advance predictive-maintenance systems.
Typical responsibilities：Oversee reliability systems and maintenance strategies.
Evidence for advancement：Submit system and assessment records.
Qualification boundaries：Determined by organizational governance requirements.
Next step：Contribute to equipment reliability strategy.
Next step：Advance installation standards and acceptance systems.
Typical responsibilities：Lead equipment technical-upgrade and capacity-expansion projects.
Evidence for advancement：Submit technical-upgrade proposals and assessment records.
Qualification boundaries：Determined by organizational governance requirements.
Next step：Contribute to organizational technical upgrades and capacity planning.
