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Precision Machinists

Employment Prospects

Employers

Most of the approximately 383,470 precision machinists employed in the United States work in small machining shops or with manufacturers that produce durable goods, such as products and parts for industrial machinery, aircraft, or automobiles. Maintenance machinists work in practically all industries that use production machinery. Although machinists work in all parts of the country, the largest number of employers are found in areas where manufacturing is concentrated, such as the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast.

Starting Out

To find job leads, you should try searching online employment sites and newspaper classified sections, or contact potential employers directly to ask about opportunities. Other sources of information are state employment offices, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship, and union headquarters, such as the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers or the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. If you receive formal postsecondary training from a community college or technical school, you may find job assistance from the school's career counselors or career services offices.

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