Employment of general maintenance mechanics is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Workers will be needed for the improvement and renovation of public, commercial, and residential buildings. This is a large occupation with a high turnover rate. In addition to newly created jobs, many openings will arise as experienced mechanics transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.
General maintenance mechanics who work for manufacturing companies may be subject to layoffs during bad economic times, when their employers are under pressure to cut costs. Most mechanics, however, are not usually as vulnerable to layoffs related to economic conditions.
Building management systems, which control and monitor a building’s electrical and mechanical equipment (such as ventilation and lighting), are increasingly being used in large buildings. These systems are helpful because they allow building officials to quickly identify problems and automatically schedule repairs, but they may reduce the need for troubleshooting by mechanics, which could reduce employment in the field.
- Air Quality Engineers
- Airport Service Workers
- Architects
- Asbestos Abatement Technicians
- Assessors and Appraisers
- Boilermakers and Mechanics
- Bricklayers and Stonemasons
- Building Automation Systems Engineers
- Building Automation Systems Technicians
- Building Performance Diagnosticians
- Business Managers
- Carpenters
- Cement Masons
- Chimney Sweeps
- Civil Engineering Technicians
- Civil Engineers
- Computer-Aided Design Drafters and Technicians
- Construction Inspectors
- Construction Laborers
- Construction Managers
- Cost Estimators
- Drafters
- Drywall Installers and Finishers
- Electricians
- Elevator Installers and Repairers
- Engineering Technicians
- Engineers
- Floor Covering Installers
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Geologists
- Geotechnical Engineers
- Glaziers
- Green Builders
- Grounds Managers
- Heating and Cooling Technicians
- Indoor Environmental Health Specialists
- Insulators/Insulation Workers
- Janitors and Cleaners
- Landscape Architects
- Landscapers
- Lathers
- Marble Setters, Tile Setters, and Terrazzo Workers
- Millwrights
- National Park Service Employees
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Operating Engineers
- Painters and Paperhangers
- Parking Attendants
- Plasterers
- Plumbers and Pipefitters
- Property and Real Estate Managers
- Real Estate Developers
- Renewable Energy Site Assessors
- Resort Workers
- Restaurant and Food Service Managers
- Roofers
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Smart Building Systems Designers
- Sports Facility Managers
- Stationary Engineers
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians
- Surveyors
- Swimming Pool Designers
- Welders and Welding Technicians