Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

How to become a Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker

Official title: Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Also called: HVAC Helper (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Helper), HVAC Installation Helper (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Installation Helper), Maintenance Aide, Maintenance Helper, Mechanic Helper, Mechanic Repair Helper, Mechanic's Assistant, Technician's Helper

Help installation, maintenance, and repair workers in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment. Perform duties such as furnishing tools, materials, and supplies to other workers; cleaning work area, machines, and tools; and holding materials or tools for other workers.

Main tasks

Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.
Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.
Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation.
Adjust, connect, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools.
Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment.
Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers.
Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components.
Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Facilities Locator.
Apprenticeship: Service Planner (Light,Heat).

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $39,630 a year The middle half earn $34,910 to $46,890.
About 97,100 people work in this job now, and about 102,200 are projected by 2035. (+5.3%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker?

Ways in include: Facilities Locator.

How much does a Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $39,630 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $34,910 to $46,890.

Is a Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 97,100 to about 102,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker?

Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Facilities Locator.

Will AI change the work of a Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.