Learns to repair factory machines while paid, often with the company covering college classes.
You shadow mechanics on breakdowns, learn welding and electrical basics, and take classes two nights a week for free.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school; employer apprenticeship, often with community college classes paid for.
Ways in: Apprenticeship, 2-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Industrial Maintenance Technology.
Growing much faster than average (about 13% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. Factory apprentices repair real machines with paid classes; skilled maintenance workers are scarce.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply to factories that offer paid maintenance apprenticeships, often with community college classes
Classes: Physics, Machine shop or electrical CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 49-9041.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.