Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 16 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

• Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools. Core · importance 4.0
• Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning. Core · importance 4.0
• Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation. Core · importance 3.9
• Adjust, connect, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools. Core · importance 3.9
• Assemble and maintain physical structures, using hand or power tools. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment. Core · importance 3.9
• Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers. Core · importance 3.8
• Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components. Core · importance 3.8
• Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete. Core · importance 3.8
• Position vehicles, machinery, equipment, physical structures, and other objects for assembly or installation, using hand tools, power tools, and moving equipment. Core · importance 3.7
• Transfer tools, parts, equipment, and supplies to and from work stations and other areas. Core · importance 3.7
• Adjust, maintain, and repair tools, equipment, and machines, and assist more skilled workers with similar tasks. Core · importance 3.6
• Order new parts to maintain inventory. Core · importance 3.6
• Apply protective materials to equipment, components, and parts to prevent defects and corrosion. Core · importance 3.6
• Prepare work stations for use by mechanics and repairers. Supplemental · importance 3.3
• Design, weld, and fabricate parts, using blueprints or other mechanical plans. Core · importance 3.0

Work activities

• Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
• Maintain work equipment or machinery.
• Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
• Inspect electrical or electronic systems for defects.
• Repair electrical components.
• Fabricate parts or components.
• Operate welding equipment.
• Observe equipment in operation to detect potential problems.
• Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.
• Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Connect hoses to equipment or piping.
• Connect electrical components or equipment.
• Install machine or equipment replacement parts.
• Clean work areas.
• Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
• Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
• Apply protective coverings to objects or surfaces near work areas.
• Move materials, equipment, or supplies.
• Reassemble equipment after repair.
• Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
• Assemble structural components.
• Position equipment using hand tools, power tools, or heavy equipment.
• Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
• Position hand tools.

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Abilities

Essential skills

Transferable skills

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

• English Language Common Skill
• Mathematics Common Skill
• Finger Dexterity Common Skill
• Information Ordering Specialized Skill
• Equipment Maintenance Specialized Skill
• Deductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Critical Thinking Common Skill
• Active Listening Common Skill
• Visualization Specialized Skill
• Speech Recognition Specialized Skill
• Microsoft Word Common Skill
• Microsoft Windows Common Skill
• Microsoft PowerPoint Common Skill
• Microsoft Outlook Common Skill
• Microsoft Excel Common Skill
• Inductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Time Management Common Skill
• Equipment Selection Specialized Skill
• Physics Specialized Skill
• Social Perceptiveness Common Skill
• Reading Comprehension Common Skill
• Depth Perception Common Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Common Skill
• Active Learning Common Skill
• Learning Strategies Specialized Skill
• Installation Specialized Skill
• Telecommunications Specialized Skill
• Writing Common Skill
• Systems Analysis Specialized Skill
• Instructing Specialized Skill
• Chemistry Specialized Skill
• Negotiation Common Skill
• Psychology Specialized Skill
• Biology Specialized Skill
• Foreign Language Common Skill
• Geography Specialized Skill
• Presentation Software Specialized Skill
• Industrial Control Software Specialized Skill

Tools & technology

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

How to get in

Job zone

Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Typical entry-level education

High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement

Related experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Preparation level

SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Interest areas

Work styles

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Related occupations

Part of the Construction career cluster.

• Helpers--Production Workers · 51-9198.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters · 47-3015.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Electricians · 47-3013.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Extraction Workers · 47-5081.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Carpenters · 47-3012.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons · 47-3014.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters · 47-3011.00 Compare →
• Millwrights · 49-9044.00 Compare →
• Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers · 49-2092.00 Compare →
• Maintenance Workers, Machinery · 49-9043.00 Compare →
• Maintenance and Repair Workers, General · 49-9071.00 Compare →
• Industrial Machinery Mechanics · 49-9041.00 Compare →

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
• Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
• AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
• ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
• IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
• Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
• Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-role-49-9098-00,
  title  = {Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-9098-00}
}