While all food and beverage processors have equipment and big moving parts, not all organizations can afford to keep a qualified Millwright on staff. Typically, only larger operations will be able to employ an in-house Millwright or maybe even a small team of Millwrights. Medium-sized operations will have a Facilities Maintenance team who take care of the plant and perform regular maintenance on the machines, and some basic fixes when required. When things go awry, mid-sized operations will call in the help of a Millwright Mechanic to perform all of the larger and more complex fixes. Small and micro food processing operations may not have either occupation on staff and would have to hire out both skills on an as-needed basis (usually to comply with food safety standards).

In other words, there’s a place for Industrial Millwright Mechanics in all food and beverage operations – you’ll just need to decide what type of work best suits your personality. With the larger plant you’ll get an opportunity to continuously improve one set of machinery, building schedules and ensuring continuity in work. If you’re more interested in traveling and seeking new and unfamiliar challenges, then taking a spot with a maintenance/ building management-type company who services micro, small and medium food operations may be your best fit.

If you’re interested in working at a large organization, check out this career video of what an Industrial Mechanic’s role looks like at Frito Lay:

Millwrights are always in high demand as they have a broad knowledge of the mechanical field allowing them to work in numerous types of positions in many different industries.

With the current market conditions, there’s even forecasted to be a shortage of Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics across Canada in the coming years.  This is a very secure and rewarding occupation, as there will always be a need for Millwright Mechanics especially as automation continues to increase.

As with anything, “practice makes perfect” and that’s certainly the case here, over time you will encounter numerous pieces of machinery and will troubleshoot all types of problems, giving you greater exposure to different scenarios and their solutions. Manufacturing plants typically have custom machinery pieces to fit their production needs so no two plants are exactly alike!

If you’re just starting your career, you’ll work in a junior position assisting more experienced Millwrights in the plant in performing preventative maintenance and problem-solving newer problems. As you gain experience, you’ll take on responsibility for various areas on the plant and report to senior managers. Over time you’ll become familiar with all plant operations and be the “go-to person” able to resolve most issues.

Any specializations and ongoing professional development activities will contribute toward career progression and advancement.

An Industrial Millwright Mechanic is a certifiable trade in Canada, an apprenticeship or certification is only required to work in the province of Quebec and is voluntary throughout the rest of the country. However, to become employed as an Industrial Millwright, most employers are looking for your Apprenticeship, Red Seal Certification, and/ or 2-3 years’ work experience.

The “433A” Industrial Mechanic Millwright Apprenticeship program takes approximately 4 years to complete and most of that time is spent learning on the job so you can still earn and gain experience while you are learning! To apply for the Apprenticeship program, you only need a minimum of Grade 12 high school education. Here’s what you can expect:

• 7,280 hours of on-the-job training/ work experience
• 720 hours of in-school training – 3 levels of theoretical training
• A certification exam at the end

For the education portion of your Apprenticeship, many Colleges and Universities throughout Canada are partnered with the apprenticeship program to provide the training. This comes in 3 levels and you’ll take the training in segments as you clock your work experience. Alternatively, some post-secondary institutions offer a separate 1-2 year training program so you can see if this is your ideal career fit before you take on a 4-year apprenticeship program.

If you’re unsure if this is the right career for you, many Colleges and Universities throughout Canada offer 1-2 year programs that contribute towards the “in school” training component of your apprenticeship. So, you may want to try it out in the classroom.

Since the Industrial Millwright Mechanic trade can be applicable to numerous industries, some food science and safety-related courses may be beneficial in scoring the perfect job in the Food & Beverage Manufacturing Industry. Here are some short courses to consider for an extra competitive edge:

• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)
• Introduction to HACCP
• Introduction to Preventive Control Plans (PCPs)
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Industrial Sanitation and Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOP)
• Introduction to Allergens in the Food Manufacturing Industry
• Written and Oral Communication Skills
• Job Task Planning and Organizational Skills
• Record Keeping & Documentation
• Quality Assurance & Quality Control