Trade Career Comparison

Which trade career fits you best?

Millwright

Install, dismantle, repair, and maintain industrial machinery and mechanical equipment in factories and plants.

$62,120/yr median

$39,520$85,210

AverageHeavyUnion: HighEntry: Moderate

Training Path

4 year apprenticeship

Environment

Indoor

Outlook

Average (+5%)

BLS Code

49-9044

Pros

✓Versatile skill set — millwrights are the Swiss Army knives of the industrial trades, combining mechanical, electrical, welding, and rigging skills.
✓Strong union (UBC Millwrights) with good wages, benefits, and pension.
✓Indoor work in factories and plants, protected from weather that affects construction trades.
✓Intellectually engaging problem-solving — diagnosing and repairing complex machinery requires genuine analytical thinking.
✓In-demand in manufacturing, food processing, energy, and mining sectors — your skills are needed wherever heavy machinery operates.

Cons

✗Physically demanding work involving heavy lifting, awkward positions, and working around operating industrial equipment.
✗Exposure to industrial hazards — machinery with moving parts, electrical systems, and chemical environments require constant safety awareness.
✗Shutdown and maintenance work often means nights, weekends, and extended shifts when facilities need rapid equipment repairs.
✗The 4-year apprenticeship requires developing proficiency across many different skill areas — it is a challenging learning curve.
✗Some millwright positions require travel to different plant locations, particularly for installation and shutdown work.

What the Life Is Like

Millwrights install, maintain, repair, and dismantle the heavy machinery used in factories, power plants, and industrial facilities. On any given day, you might be aligning a precision shaft using laser alignment tools, welding a repair on a conveyor system, replacing bearings on a large motor, or using a crane to position a multi-ton piece of equipment. The variety is a major draw — no two days are exactly the same.

Work schedules vary. Maintenance millwrights at operating facilities often work regular day shifts, but on-call duty and weekend work are common when equipment breaks down. Installation and shutdown millwrights may work extended hours during critical project phases. The culture among millwrights is professional and technically oriented. You are expected to understand mechanical systems, read technical drawings, perform precision measurements, and troubleshoot problems methodically.

Physically, the work is heavy. You handle large parts, operate forklifts and cranes, work with hand and power tools, and sometimes perform tasks in uncomfortable positions — inside machines, on top of equipment, or in pits below floor level. The combination of physical and mental demands makes millwright work challenging but rewarding for people who enjoy understanding how things work and keeping critical systems running.

How to Get Started

Apply to a UBC (United Brotherhood of Carpenters) Millwright apprenticeship

Millwrights are organized under the UBC in most areas. Regional training centers offer 4-year apprenticeships combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction in mechanical systems, welding, rigging, electrical fundamentals, and precision measurement.

Build foundational skills

Community college courses in industrial maintenance, welding, or mechanical technology can strengthen your application and give you a head start. Familiarity with hand tools, basic welding, and mechanical concepts is valuable.

Complete the apprenticeship curriculum

Over 4 years, you will develop skills in machinery installation and alignment, welding, rigging and hoisting, hydraulics and pneumatics, electrical troubleshooting, and precision measurement. The training is comprehensive because millwrights need to be multi-skilled.

Earn additional certifications

Welding certifications, rigging and signaling certifications, and forklift/crane operator licenses enhance your capabilities and value. Many programs include these as part of the apprenticeship curriculum.

Advance into specialization or leadership

Experienced millwrights can specialize in precision alignment, vibration analysis, predictive maintenance, or specific industries. Foreman and superintendent roles are available for those with leadership skills, and some millwrights move into facility maintenance management.

Felony Record & Licensing

Generally Accessible

No individual license required in most states. Union apprenticeships are generally accessible.

Millwright is one of the more accessible trades for people rebuilding after a conviction.

Training Funding & Support

Pell Grants Are Available Again

As of July 2023, the FAFSA no longer asks about drug convictions. The FAFSA Simplification Act restored Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students. If a past drug conviction kept you from financial aid before, you can apply again.

WIOA Workforce Funding

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds free job training, career counseling, and supportive services (transportation, work clothes, childcare) for people reentering the workforce. Contact your local American Job Center (careeronestop.org) to see what's available in your area.

Ban-the-Box & Fair Chance Hiring

Over 37 states and 150+ cities have "ban-the-box" or fair chance hiring laws that prevent employers from asking about criminal history on job applications. Many require waiting until after an interview or conditional job offer. These laws are expanding rapidly — check your state's specific rules.

Licensing laws vary by state and change frequently. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Always verify with your state's licensing board before enrolling in a training program.

Data last verified March 2026 · View sources

We verify our data against official sources. Verification dates show when we last checked — they do not guarantee the information is still current. Laws, rates, and thresholds can change at any time. Always confirm critical information at the official source or with a qualified professional.

National Employment Law Project (NELP) — Fair Chance Hiring

General trade accessibility levels for people with felony convictions — categorized as generally-accessible, varies-by-state, often-restricted, or highly-restricted

https://www.nelp.org/policy-issue/criminal-records-and-employment/

Verified March 2026

trade-schools.net — Jobs for Felons

Trade accessibility and reentry employment guidance for specific trades

https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/jobs-for-felons

Verified March 2026

Hire Felons — Reentry Employment Guide

Employer reentry hiring policies and trade accessibility for people with felony convictions

https://www.hirefelons.org/

Verified March 2026

ASE — About ASE Testing

ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certification — no criminal history screening

https://www.ase.com/certification-series/

Verified March 2026

OSHA — Powered Industrial Trucks

OSHA forklift certification — employer-provided, no criminal history screening

https://www.osha.gov/powered-industrial-trucks

Verified March 2026

EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification

EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification — no criminal history screening

https://www.epa.gov/section608

Verified March 2026

Federal Student Aid — FAFSA Simplification Act

Pell Grant eligibility restored for people with drug convictions and incarcerated individuals, effective July 1, 2023; PELL_GRANT_RESTORED_DATE: "July 2023"

FAFSA Simplification Act, Pub. L. 117-103 (2021); 20 U.S.C. § 1070a

https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-simplification

Verified March 2026

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) — Ban the Box Legislation

Ban-the-box and fair chance hiring laws — 37+ states + DC + 150+ localities as of 2026; BAN_THE_BOX_STATE_COUNT: 37; BAN_THE_BOX_CITY_COUNT: 150

https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/ban-the-box-legislation

Verified March 2026

NELP — Ban the Box: U.S. Cities, Counties, and States

Fair chance hiring law coverage — 37+ states + DC + 150+ localities; BAN_THE_BOX_PRIVATE_EMPLOYER_STATES: ["California", "Illinois", "New Jersey", "Washington"]

https://www.nelp.org/publication/ban-the-box-fair-chance-hiring-state-and-local-guide/

Verified March 2026

U.S. Department of Labor — Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO)

WIOA Section 169 workforce funding for reentry — job training, career counseling, and supportive services

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 29 U.S.C. § 3224; WIOA Sec. 169

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/reentry

Verified March 2026

Legal Information Institute — 18 U.S.C. § 922

18 U.S.C. § 922(g) — federal prohibition on felons possessing firearms, effectively barring law enforcement careers

18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922

Verified March 2026