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Electric Utilities
Ormat Technologies, Duke Energy, NextEra Energy
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
Workers in this role keep industrial and geothermal systems online by checking equipment, tracing faults, testing pipes and controls, and recording what they did. The job is defined by a mix of routine inspection and urgent troubleshooting: one shift may be quiet, and the next may revolve around a malfunction, emergency backup system, or load change. The tradeoff is straightforward—it's hands-on work with decent middle-income pay, but the work can be dirty, physical, and unpredictable.
Also known as Maintenance TechnicianMaintenance MechanicRepair TechnicianService TechnicianEquipment Maintenance Technician
Median Salary
$48,640
Mean $53,270
U.S. Workforce
~184K
21.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.4%
221.2K to 226.5K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~184K workers, with a median annual pay of $48,640 and roughly 21.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 221.2 K in 2024 to 226.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or GED, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Maintenance Helper / Apprentice and can progress toward Lead Technician / Maintenance Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting, paired with soft skills such as Problem-solving, Attention to detail, and Clear communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Check gauges, readouts, and system alerts to see whether equipment is running normally.
- Track down problems in pumps, wiring, controls, or other equipment and make the needed repairs.
- Test piping and system pressure before and after installation work to make sure everything holds up.
- Adjust equipment and control settings so the system matches current demand and operating conditions.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Check gauges, readouts, and system alerts to see whether equipment is running normally.
02 Track down problems in pumps, wiring, controls, or other equipment and make the needed repairs.
03 Test piping and system pressure before and after installation work to make sure everything holds up.
04 Adjust equipment and control settings so the system matches current demand and operating conditions.
05 Write up what was inspected, repaired, tested, or changed during the shift.
06 Decide when backup or emergency systems should be used during extreme weather or equipment failures.
Industries That Hire
🏢
HVAC and Building Systems
Johnson Controls, Trane Technologies, Carrier
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Manufacturing
Caterpillar, Siemens, GE Vernova
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Facilities Services
CBRE, JLL, ABM Industries
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Oil, Gas, and Energy Services
Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Schlumberger
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started without a four-year degree; the typical entry requirement is a high school diploma, no prior work experience, and moderate on-the-job training.
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The pay is solid for a hands-on job, with a median annual wage of $48,640 and a mean of $53,270.
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There are many openings each year—about 21.5 thousand annual openings—so job seekers should see regular hiring.
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The work is varied and practical, mixing inspections, troubleshooting, testing, and real repair work instead of office tasks.
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The skills transfer across utilities, HVAC, manufacturing, and facilities, so you are not locked into one employer type.
Challenges
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Growth is slow: employment is projected to rise only 2.4% from 2024 to 2034, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
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The pay ceiling is modest for the amount of responsibility and physical work involved, especially when compared with some other technical trades.
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The job can be physically demanding, with lifting, crawling, working in tight spaces, and exposure to heat, cold, noise, and dirty equipment.
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Breakdowns do not follow a schedule, so emergency calls, weather-related issues, and after-hours work can be part of the job.
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Automation and smarter control systems can reduce the amount of routine hands-on work, which can make advancement depend more on learning controls and diagnostics.
Career Progression
Maintenance Helper / Apprentice
0-2 years
$30K-$39K
Learns safety rules, basic tools, documentation, and how to support more experienced technicians on routine jobs.
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker
2-5 years
$40K-$52K
Handles inspections, basic repairs, testing, and troubleshooting with limited supervision and regular job-site responsibility.
Senior Maintenance Technician THIS ROLE
5-9 years
$53K-$67K
Works on harder failures, controls, and system tuning, often mentoring newer workers and handling more complex equipment.
Lead Technician / Maintenance Supervisor
9+ years
$68K-$85K
Coordinates schedules, approves repairs, manages downtime, and makes decisions on safety, priorities, and equipment replacement.
Education Paths
High school diploma or GED
The most common entry point, held by 65.75% of workers in this role.
Post-secondary certificate in industrial maintenance, HVAC, or electrical repair
A common alternative path, held by 20.48% of workers in this role, especially for people who want more hands-on training before applying.
Some college courses in maintenance, mechatronics, or industrial technology
A smaller path, held by 12.25% of workers in this role, and often used to build technical confidence without finishing a degree.
Apprenticeship or manufacturer certification
A practical non-degree route for people who already have shop or field experience and want formal training in controls, electrical troubleshooting, or equipment repair.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 78%
Monitoring 75%
Troubleshooting 72%
Operation and Control 68%
Quality Control Analysis 65%
SCADA/HMI Control Systems 63%
Electrical Test Equipment (Multimeter, Clamp Meter, Megohmmeter) 61%
CMMS Work Orders and Maintenance Logs 60%
Soft Skills
Problem-solvingAttention to detailClear communicationSafety awarenessTime managementAdaptability Job Outlook and Trends
+2.4%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
21.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 221.2K to 226.5 K over the next decade, representing 2.4% growth. Around 21.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.