Install, maintain and repair heavy industrial machinery and mechanical systems in factories, plants and mills. Work combines precision alignment, mechanical assembly and hydraulics.
Read machinery layouts, align shafts, install bearings and gearboxes, troubleshoot mechanical failures, and perform preventive maintenance and machine moves.
Industrial plants, manufacturing facilities and occasionally field sites. Work can include confined spaces, elevated platforms and shift work in production environments.
Lifting heavy parts, precise manual work, use of hoists and rigging, and sometimes working in awkward positions or tight spaces.
Dial indicators, laser alignment tools, hoists and cranes, pry bars, torque tools, jig saws, welding gear, and specialized bearing and press-fit tools.
Good for mechanically-minded people who enjoy diagnostic work, machine alignment and working with hydraulic, mechanical and electrical systems.
Apprenticeship (commonly 4 years) involving on-the-job training and classroom blocks. Red Seal certification is available in many provinces.
Basic tool use, assisting with breakdowns, learning hoisting and rigging basics, reading mechanical drawings, and attending entry-level technical classes.
Employer apprenticeships, trades college programs that feed into apprenticeships, or being hired as a maintenance helper with on-the-job progression.
Stable industrial demand, good wages, diverse work across sectors, and opportunities to specialize in alignment, robotics support or supervisory roles.
Work can be dirty, shift-based and physically demanding. Some plant sites require drug testing, safety clearances and strict PPE compliance.
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