Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
Help installation, maintenance, and repair workers in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment. Perform duties such as furnishing tools, materials, and supplies to other workers; cleaning work area, machines, and tools; and holding materials or tools for other workers.
- Median annual earnings
- $39,594
- Projected change
- +6.2%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 96.01K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
34% of the workforce
Growing to 101.95K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.
- Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.
- Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation.
- Adjust, connect, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools.
- Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment.
- Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers.
- Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components.
- Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete.
- Transfer tools, parts, equipment, and supplies to and from work stations and other areas.
- Position vehicles, machinery, equipment, physical structures, and other objects for assembly or installation, using hand tools, power tools, and moving equipment.
- Adjust, maintain, and repair tools, equipment, and machines, and assist more skilled workers with similar tasks.
- Order new parts to maintain inventory.
- Apply protective materials to equipment, components, and parts to prevent defects and corrosion.
- Design, weld, and fabricate parts, using blueprints or other mechanical plans.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $29,255
- 25th percentile
- $34,857
- 50th percentile
- $39,594
- 75th percentile
- $46,909
- 90th percentile
- $55,991
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $39,594 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
5,940 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 34%
- Associate degree
- 25.1%
- Certificate
- 23.5%
- Some college
- 17.3%
- Bachelor's degree
- 0%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- 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.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Maintenance Workers15,219 postings
- 02Maintenance Assistants8,878 postings
- 03Highway Maintenance Workers2,047 postings
- 04General Maintenance Workers1,725 postings
- 05Maintenance Helpers1,608 postings
- 06Building Maintenance Workers1,188 postings
- 07Maintenance Laborers1,176 postings
- 08Facilities Maintenance Workers1,081 postings
- 09Parks Maintenance Workers1,053 postings
- 10Maintenance People1,008 postings
- 11Maintenance Specialists812 postings
- 12Maintenance Apprentices806 postings
- 13Grounds Maintenance Workers749 postings
- 14Street Maintenance Workers732 postings
- 15Maintenance Staff568 postings
- 16Public Works Maintenance Workers557 postings
- 17Maintenance Technicians547 postings
- 18Maintenance Associates522 postings
- 19Maintenance Leads507 postings
- 20Maintenance Supervisors474 postings
Top employers
- 01McDonald's1,359 postings
- 02State of South Carolina769 postings
- 03Costco678 postings
- 04Walmart530 postings
- 05Marriott International376 postings
- 06Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania368 postings
- 07State of Missouri364 postings
- 08State of Nebraska333 postings
- 09Aerotek324 postings
- 10Sodexo322 postings
- 11State of California284 postings
- 12Aramark260 postings
- 13Mhc Property Management240 postings
- 14Hilton229 postings
- 15Equity Lifestyle Properties223 postings
- 16National Park Service206 postings
- 17U.S National Park Service182 postings
- 18Hotel Management And Consulting174 postings
- 19Nys Department Of Civil Service156 postings
- 20United States Department of Transportation155 postings
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