Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · Holland code RC
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
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.
Also called: Maintenance Aide, Maintenance Helper, Mechanic Helper, Technician's Helper, HVAC Helper (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Helper), HVAC Installation Helper (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Installation Helper), Mechanic Repair Helper, Mechanic's Assistant.
O*NET 49-9098.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $39,630
- Middle half earn $34,910 to $46,890. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 32% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Assemble and maintain physical structures, 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening3.1 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.1 / 5
- Monitoring3.1 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.6 / 5
- Active Learning2.6 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical4.1 / 5
- Building and Construction3.8 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7 / 5
- Public Safety and Security3.5 / 5
- English Language3.5 / 5
- Engineering and Technology3.4 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative16
- Artistic2
- Social14
- Enterprising10
- Conventional51
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- dismantling worker · DE Metallarbeiter im Bereich Demontage/Metallarbeiterin im Bereich Demontage · FR démanteleur/démanteleuse
- shipwright · DE Bootsbauer/Bootsbauerin · FR charpentier de marine/charpentière de marine
- structural ironworker · DE Metallbauer – Konstruktionstechnik/Metallbauerin – Konstruktionstechnik · FR charpentier en structures métalliques/charpentière en structures métalliques
- boat rigger · DE Takler/Taklerin · FR accastilleur/accastilleuse
- locksmith · DE Schloss- und Schlüsselmacher/Schloss- und Schlüsselmacherin · FR serrurier/serrurière
- construction equipment technician · DE Baumaschinenmechatroniker/Baumaschinenmechatronikerin · FR mécanicien d’équipement de chantier/mécanicienne d’équipement de chantier
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out (5222)8,600 employed
- Steel erectors (5311)8,200 employed
- Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers (5236)16,800 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €40,086 |
| Germany | €38,638 |
| Austria | €38,194 |
| Sweden | €37,856 |
| Netherlands | €37,077 |
| Ireland | €36,098 |
| France | €27,145 |
| Italy | €26,488 |
| Spain | €22,817 |
| Portugal | €11,142 |
| Poland | €10,099 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.35. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (49-9098).
Related careers
Is it a fit for you?
Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.
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