Millwright

Millwrights install, maintain, repair and troubleshoot stationary industrial machinery and mechanical equipment in factories, production plants and recreational facilities.

On a typical job, Millwrights:

• read diagrams and schematic drawings and service manuals to determine work procedures
• operate rigging equipment and dollies to place heavy machinery and parts
• fit bearings, align gears and shafts, attach motors and connect couplings and belts (often to within a fraction of a millimetre tolerance)
• align and test equipment, and make any necessary adjustments
• perform predictive and operational maintenance using procedures such as vibration analysis and repair or replace defective parts when necessary
• service and repair hydraulic, pneumatic and programmable logic controls
• may do some tack welding (a weld that is adequate in size to temporarily hold components in place until it can be completely welded by a registered apprentice welder or a journeyman welder) and fabrication as well as maintain an inventory of replacement parts.

Millwrights may do primarily construction work, plant maintenance work or a combination of both.  They often work in close association with other trades people such as machinists, instrument mechanics, welders, electricians and pipefitters.

Working conditions for Millwrights vary from one job to another.  On construction job sites, they are exposed to a variety of weather conditions.  In plant maintenance, they may work indoors and outdoors.  Hours of work vary; shift work and some overtime may be required.  The work environment may be noisy and there may be some risk of injury involved in working with heavy machinery.

Qualifications

To be successful in their trade, millwrights need:

• the strength and stamina required to work with heavy equipment weighing in excess of 25 kilograms
• good coordination and manual dexterity
• the ability to visualize a layout by looking at plans and blueprints
• the ability to comprehend and trouble-shoot mechanical systems
• the ability to get along with and sometimes supervise the work of others.

This occupation is most rewarding for those who enjoy variety, security and doing precision work with machinery and equipment.

In Alberta, the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act requires that anyone working in this trade must be a registered apprentice or a certified journeyman or hold a recognized trade certificate. To enter the Millwright apprenticeship program, applicants must have at least Alberta Grade 11 education (with a pass mark in (i) Math 20 or 23 or Pure Math 20 or Applied Math 20 (ii) English 20 or 24, and (iii) Science 20 or 24, Biology 20, Chemistry 20 or Physics 20), or equivalent, or pass an entrance exam, and find an appropriate employer who is willing to hire and train an apprentice. Employers generally prefer to hire high school graduates or technical school graduates and may select apprentices from among their current employees.  Courses in applied mathematics and physics are particularly important.

To register, the apprentice and the employer complete an application form together and submit it to the closest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office located at most Alberta Career Development Centres and Canada Alberta Service Centres. Once the application is approved, a contract is drawn up and signed by the apprentice and the employer.

The term of apprenticeship is four years (four 12-month periods) including a minimum of 1560 hours of on-the-job training and eight weeks of classroom training for each year.  An applicant who previously completed courses of study or work experience related to the Millwright trade or holds a related journeyman certificate and has the employer's recommendation, may qualify for credit that could reduce the term of apprenticeship.

The classroom training is arranged by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training and is offered at Red Deer College. When apprentices attend training, they are required to pay the applicable tuition fee and purchase course supplies. Human Resources Development Canada may provide income support for apprentices attending classroom training. For more detailed information, contact your local Canada Employment Centre.

After successfully completing the required examinations and hours of employment, apprentices are awarded a Journeyman Certificate.

Graduate apprentices who pass an approved Interprovincial examination qualify for the Interprovincial Red Seal which means their trade qualifications are recognized throughout most of Canada.

Employment and Advancement

Journeyman millwrights find employment in construction, maintenance, machine shops and stock keeping and sales.  They are employed by manufacturing, processing, and construction companies as well as amusement parks and ski hills.  Those employed in construction may experience periods of unemployment.

Millwrights are exposed to the duties involved in a variety of other trades and therefore can be good candidates for promotion to supervisory and superintendent positions.

For more information about the Millwright Apprenticeship program, please contact Trades and Manufacturing at Red Deer College 403.342.3100 or Apprenticeship and Industry Training 403.340.5151.

You can also find more information at www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca.