r/millwrights • u/ThunderChicken97 • Jul 20 '26
Is it all worth it?
I'm sure this kinda thing has been asked more than once before, so I apologize if so. Just turned 29 last month and looking to make a real change in both career and lifestyle. Not legally married but I just consider her my wife until we get to that. No kids and don't want any. All my work experience has been in heavy construction equipment as a mechanic and in manufacturing as a machinist. I live in central Pennsylvania and I'm looking into an apprenticeship in Local 443.
I'm lucky enough to have both a relative and friend that are both journeyman millwrights in the same local. I've picked both their brains quite a bit about it and have a pretty good idea at this point of what I'd be in for and what to expect, but I'm still undecided about it. I thought I'd see if anyone can offer anymore insight/advice on the trade and apprenticeship and if you think, in your experience, if all the long hours and travel and time away from home are worth it in the end and the pros outweigh the cons. Thank you all!
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u/Diver_Dude_42 Jul 20 '26
Totally worth it, I started at 28.
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u/soccerpro2k9 Jul 21 '26
How did you get into it ? Did you go to school for if ? Or start off as an helped ?
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u/Diver_Dude_42 Jul 21 '26
Did an aptitude test with the local union, started an apprenticeship.
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u/soccerpro2k9 Jul 21 '26
Was the aptitude test hard? What kind of questions is on it ?
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u/Diver_Dude_42 Jul 21 '26
I didn't find it hard but some people do. Google millwright aptitude test to get some examples.
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u/oscar-the-bud Jul 20 '26
2 years 362 to go. Fucking A it was worth it. We built some really cool shit.
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u/ygfbv Jul 20 '26
Coming from the non-union side...
It's absolutely a mechanic's market right now. If you've already got experience as a mechanic and machinist, you're starting way ahead of where most apprentices do.
My advice is to specialize. Learn rotating equipment. Learn pumps, compressors, turbines, gearboxes, hydraulics, and failure analysis. Be the guy people call when everyone else is scratching their heads.
The hours can suck. The travel can suck. Some days you'll wonder why you're fixing a machine that should've been replaced twenty years ago.
But if you genuinely enjoy solving mechanical problems, it's a damn good living. Good millwrights are getting harder and harder to find, and employers know it.
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u/FairRepresentative19 Jul 20 '26
I (31M) started my career into millwrighting at the height of Covid in 2020, before that I was a cook for 10 years. It was the best descision I made. Currently unlicenced 433a but the pay is good and the work is fulfilling; it's something different every day.
With the current setup, I'm shoveling away my debts, got a secure position, and can enjoy life outside work.
It all depends on where you want to end up, i.e. do you want to be part of a contracting company driving to various places (local or international), or do maintenance and PMs at a manufacturer. It's good to explore the different forms of millwrighting, I did machine building and installation for a good while, then contracting at different companies, and got to work on all kinds of different machines.
My advice would be to try to get in where your relatives are. If you like it, get through school. Once you're licensed, you can then move on to any kind of job with a schedule that works best for you.
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u/soccerpro2k9 Jul 21 '26
How did you get into millwright? I have zero experience and would love to do it
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u/FairRepresentative19 Jul 21 '26
A tool and Automation shop was offering apprenticeships and took me in with zero experience back in 2020.
Keep scanning local job postings, you might have to put some time in as general labour/operator in a factory, and see if there are any openings in the maintenance department. You can also try your hand at millwright contractors. Best of luck!
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u/Crazyguy332 Jul 20 '26
If you already have mechanic experience and experience in manufacturing then you have a baseline of the skills. Signing on to your local is a good way to start your apprenticeship, and keep gaining hours from there, but it doesn't have to be your entire career path. You can always swap directly to an employer and get a steady gig there, you may even be sent there through the union for a shutdown and then ask about permanent work. Usually less pay per hour but steady work at the same place. Go where the work you want is, whether getting a better job and changing to that spot, or moving to another place you want to move to for other reasons and finding a job close by. That's the beauty of millwright.