Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Maintenance Aide
- Maintenance Helper
- Mechanic Helper
- Technician's Helper
Alternate Job Titles
- Air Conditioner Installer Helper (AC Installer Helper)
- Air Conditioner Installer Servicer Helper (AC Installer Servicer Helper)
- Airframe and Power Plant Mechanic Helper
- Armature Winder Repair Helper
- Automobile Body Repairer Helper
- Automobile Mechanic Helper
- Automotive Electrical Helper
- Blacksmith Assistant
- Blacksmith Helper
- Cable Splicer Helper
- Car Mechanic Helper
- Car Repairer Helper
- Compressed Gas Equipment Service Mechanic Helper
- Construction Equipment Mechanic Helper
- Cooper Helper
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.
- Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.
- 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.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Manual Dexterity
- Control Precision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Near Vision
- Multilimb Coordination
- Finger Dexterity
- Information Ordering
- Static Strength
- Trunk Strength
- Oral Comprehension
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable wrenches
- Air chisels
- Air compressors
- Automatic levels
- Backhoes
- Ball peen hammers
- Boom trucks
- Bosun chairs
- Box end wrenches
- Bucket trucks
- Carpenter levels
- Carpenters' levels
- Caulking guns
- Chain hoists
- Circular saws
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $28,770 |
| Median | $38,860 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $54,650 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 97,540
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Helpers--Production Workers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,220
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $39,270
Helpers--Electricians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $39,890
Helpers--Extraction Workers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $48,400
Helpers--Carpenters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $41,600
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.