What does a Construction Millwright Do?

 Construction Millwrights install, maintain and troubleshoot  industrial machinery, mechanical equipment and other automated and robotic systems. Construction Millwrights primarily work in the construction industry, governed by the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (TQA). They often work in close association with people in other trades, such as instrument mechanics, pipefitters and electricians.

Job Related Skills, Interests and Values

  • reading and interpreting job specifications and schematic drawings to determine work procedures
  • laying out and preparing the base or foundation prior to installing industrial machinery
  • working independently and with others to solve mechanical and technical problems
  • cleaning, lubricating and performing other routine maintenance work on a variety of machinery and equipment
  • performing preventive and predictive operational maintenance using a variety of machinery analysis, non-destructive testing and noise monitoring equipment
  • working accurately with numbers, particularly when fitting bearings and aligning gears or shafts to a fraction of a millimetre tolerance
  • setting up and operating welding, brazing and soldering equipment
  • working independently and with others to solve mechanical and technical problems
  • communicating , persuading, and explaining to others what needs to be done

What Preparation and Training do You Need ?

To become a Construction Millwright, you should preferably have a secondary school diploma before entering an apprenticeship of three to four years, though minimum requirements for entry are lower (under the TQA, Grade 10 in Ontario)

What’s Your Future as a Construction Millwright?

Most workers in this trade work full-time, sometimes in shift work, sometimes outdoors although working conditions tend to vary from job to job. The work environment can be noisy and there is always a risk of injury involved in working with heavy machinery. Industries in Southern Ontario that employ Construction Millwrights include:

  • mechanical construction firms
  • primary steel producers
  • machinery and equipment manufacturers
  • mining companies

The introduction of computer-controlled programmable equipment means that Construction Millwrights are being required to install, maintain and troubleshoot "smart" machinery.  Construction Millwrights who have the computer knowledge necessary to deal with programmable logic controllers improve their opportunities of finding a job.

Wage Rate

  • As an apprentice, you would start at a wage rate about half that of a journeyperson
  • Wages generally increase as you gain more competency  
  • Fully qualified Construction Millwrights  can earn anywhere from $19.00/hr to $30.00 per hour, with benefits and opportunities for overtime as well

Self-Rating

Ask Yourself: Is becoming a Construction Millwright For You ?

Are you pretty accurate at and do you enjoy working with numbers?

Yes      No

Can you look at  plans or blueprints and visualize how things come together?

Yes      No

Do you enjoy working with machinery and different kinds of tools?

Yes      No

Do you like to solve problems and suggest ways of fixing them?

Yes      No

Do you work well by yourself, in groups, or supervising other people?

Yes      No

Do you have the physical stamina to work with heavy equipment?

Yes      No

If you answered Yes to most of these questions, working as a Construction Millwright  may be ideal for you !

You may also want to explore other careers that require similar interests and skills:

  • Industrial Mechanic/Millwright
  • Industrial Electrician
  • Welder-Fitter
  • Hoisting Engineer
  • Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic