Engineering maintenance fitters make sure that machinery and equipment runs efficiently by carrying out routine maintenance and diagnosing and repairing faults.
Complex modern industrial plants depend on carefully planned maintenance. This avoids expensive shut-downs that can bring production to a halt and result in large numbers of staff being unable to work.
In other industries, especially high-risk sectors such as nuclear, petrochemical, transport and aviation, failure to maintain equipment can result in serious loss of life and equipment.
Fitters might work on mechanical, electrical, electronic or pneumatic machinery, including:
Maintenance fitters usually specialise in one engineering discipline, but should also be familiar with the mechanical, electrical and electronic operations of the machinery they are responsible for. Their work falls into one of two areas - planned or preventative maintenance, and emergency maintenance.
Planned or Preventative Maintenance involves:
Emergency Maintenance involves:
Fitters might have to use technical manuals or diagrams to help locate a fault. They also use a wide range of tools and testing equipment. They need to take safety precautions when working with dangerous substances or machinery.
Fitters are likely to work with a range of other engineering staff, and with people such as production and plant managers.
Most maintenance fitters work 37 to 39 hours a week, over five days. They often work shifts and overtime. Fitters may be on call, usually on a rota basis, and have to respond quickly should machinery break down.
Fitters may work indoors in a factory or production plant, or outdoors, repairing equipment on a building site.
They wear protective clothing such as overalls, boots, gloves and masks. Fitters are provided with specialist tools and equipment to do the job.
They might be based at one site, or may travel around to different sites. Fitters who work on contract for several employers may require a driving licence.
Starting salaries for Apprentices may range from around £9,000 to £13,000 a year.
There are nearly 1.5 million people in the UK working in engineering-related jobs, and there is a steady demand for experienced fitters.
Most maintenance fitters work for production or manufacturing companies, engineering companies, public utilities (such as water and electricity), transport companies and airlines. There is a high proportion of smaller engineering companies that may have just a few staff.
Maintenance fitters may work for a large company on their own premises, or for a supplier of equipment, carrying out contract work. They could also be self-employed.
Vacancies may be advertised in the local and national press, Connexions centres and Jobcentre Plus offices. The website, www.iet.org.uk, has a search facility for engineering jobs, and there are many other websites, such as www.thecareerengineer.com, that specialise in engineering vacancies.
Most people start as Apprentices straight from school or college and train on the job.
It is possible to become an Apprentice without formal qualifications. Most companies ask for some GCSE's/S grades, or the equivalent, so they know that new starters will be able to cope with Apprenticeship training.
Some schools, in partnership with employers, colleges and group training associations, offer a Young Apprenticeship that starts at school at the age of 14.
Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships provide structured training with an employer. As an apprentice you must be paid at least £95 per week; you may well be paid more. A recent survey found that the average wage for apprentices was £170 a week. Your pay will depend on the sector in which you work, your age, the area where you live and the stage at which you have arrived in the Apprenticeship.
Entry to Employment (e2e) can help to prepare those who are not yet ready for an Apprenticeship. In addition, Young Apprenticeships may be available for 14- to 16-year-olds. More information is available from a Connexions personal adviser or at www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
There are different arrangements for Apprenticeships in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For further information visit My World of Work www.myworldofwork.co.uk/modernapprenticeships, Careers Wales www.careerswales.com; and for Northern Ireland contact www.careersserviceni.com.
There are also many full and part-time college courses, including:
Level 3 qualifications have to be taken on an employer's premises.
A Diploma will help you make a more informed choice about the type of learning that best suits you and about what kind of work or further study you may want to do afterwards.
Training is mostly on the job, under the supervision of an experienced colleague.
Apprenticeships combine work-based training with day or block release at a college or a training centre. They may last for three or four years.
Many companies aim to train multiskilled craftspeople rather than specialists, so individuals may learn fabrication skills (welding and metalwork) as well as machining and fitting. Trainees may then go on to specialise in one type of maintenance fitting, which might be mechanical, electrical or electronic.
Oil Drilling Roustabouts and Roughnecks work as part of a small team on offshore oil or gas drilling rigs or production platforms. Roustabouts do unskilled manual labouring jobs on rigs and platforms, and Roughneck is a promotion from roustabout.
Roustabouts do basic tasks to help keep the rig and platform working efficiently and Roughnecks do practical tasks involved in the drilling operation, under the supervision of the driller.
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Engineering maintenance fitters should:
With experience, fitters could be promoted to supervisor or engineering maintenance technician, with responsibility for a team of fitters.
By taking extra qualifications, they could become maintenance or plant engineers. These jobs may lead to more senior management positions and incorporated or chartered engineer status.
There are opportunities to work abroad for multinational companies.
Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB),
Blue Court, Church Lane, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire WD4 8JP
Tel: 01923 260000
Website: www.ecitb.org.uk
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET),
Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL
Tel: 020 7240 1871
Website: www.theiet.org
SEMTA (Science, Engineering, manufacturing Technologies Alliance)
14 Upton Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0JT
Tel: 01923 238441
Website: www.semta.org.uk