MILLWRIGHTS

Scope of Work - Millwrights install conveyor systems, escalators, giant electrical turbines and generators.  Millwrights install and do maintenance on machinery in factories and do much of the precision work in nuclear power plants.  Millwrights are skilled construction mechanics who study and interpret blueprints. The Millwright is a construction mechanic whose skills are in the area of moving, leveling, aligning, and installing large machinery.  The work includes installation of large machines such as presses, conveyors, etc.—"anything that moves".  Skills taught include Welding, Mechanical Theory, Optical Tooling, Machine Repair, Metallurgy, Characteristics of Metals, and Shop Math.

Working Conditions - Millwrights generally work eight-hour days.  Apprentices usually start out helping journeymen with basic tasks like material handling and move into more sophisticated jobs as their knowledge and skills increase.  Although millwrights work indoors much of the time on installation and maintenance work, their duties also involve working on the outside of buildings and other structures, in situations often requiring the use of scaffolding.  Millwrights work with a variety of hand and portable tools and frequently cut, join and fasten metal construction materials using welding equipment and oxy-acetylene torches