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Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.
Ability to work at heights. Some elevator and escalator installers may have to work atop ladders, mechanical lifts, or in elevator shafts.
Detail oriented. Elevator and escalator installers must keep accurate records of their service schedules. They need to carefully review complex blueprints and follow blueprint instructions exactly.
Mechanical skills. Elevator and escalator installers use a variety of power tools and handtools to install and repair lifts.
Physical stamina. Elevators and escalator installers must be able to do strenuous work, including in cramped and confined spaces, for long periods.
Physical strength. Elevator and escalator installers often lift heavy equipment and parts, including escalator steps, conduit, and metal tracks. They may be required to lift equipment weighing up to 200 pounds.
Troubleshooting skills. Elevator and escalator installers must be able to diagnose problems, especially when making repairs.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
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87% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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86% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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82% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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80% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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79% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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78% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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77% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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76% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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75% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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73% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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72% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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70% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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68% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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66% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
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100% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. | |
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67% | Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service. | |
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61% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
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83% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. | |
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64% | Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. | |
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61% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
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69% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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69% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. | |
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66% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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66% | Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
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99% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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96% | Exposed to Hazardous Conditions - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions? | |
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96% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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94% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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93% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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93% | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? | |
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92% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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90% | Exposed to High Places - How often does this job require exposure to high places? | |
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89% | Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions - How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions? | |
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89% | Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? | |
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89% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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89% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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86% | Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting - How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions? | |
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86% | Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body? | |
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86% | Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable? | |
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85% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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85% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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85% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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84% | Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment? | |
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83% | Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable? | |
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83% | Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? | |
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82% | In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)? | |
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82% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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81% | Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings - How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings? | |
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78% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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77% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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76% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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75% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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74% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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71% | Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements? | |
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71% | Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures? | |
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70% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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70% | Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)? | |
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68% | Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures? | |
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66% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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65% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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87% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
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85% | Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles. | |
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84% | Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). | |
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82% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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81% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
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77% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. | |
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76% | Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment - Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles. | |
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75% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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72% | Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. | |
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72% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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70% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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67% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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67% | Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft. |
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers install, maintain, and fix elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and other lifts.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers typically do the following:
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers, also called elevator and escalator constructors or mechanics, assemble, install, maintain, and replace elevators, escalators, chairlifts, moving walkways, and similar equipment.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers usually specialize in installation, maintenance, or repair work. Maintenance and repair workers generally need to know more about electronics, hydraulics, and electricity than do installers. Most elevators and similar mechanisms have computerized control systems, requiring maintenance and repair workers to do complex troubleshooting.
After an elevator, escalator, or other equipment is installed, workers must regularly maintain and repair it. Maintenance includes oiling and greasing moving parts, replacing worn parts, and adjusting equipment for optimal performance. Workers also troubleshoot and may be called for emergency repair.
A service crew usually handles major repairs—for example, replacing cables, doors and other components, or machine bearings. Service crews may need to use cutting torches or rigging equipment and also may need to do major modernization and alteration, such as replacing electric motors, hydraulic pumps, and control panels.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers held about 25,100 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of elevator and escalator installers and repairers were as follows:
| Building equipment contractors | 85% |
| Government | 3 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 1 |
Elevator and escalator installation and repair work is usually physically demanding. These workers may sit or stand for extensive periods, lift items that weigh up to 200 pounds, and work in cramped areas inside crawl spaces and machine rooms. They also may work at heights in elevator shafts, in dusty and dirty places with oily and greasy equipment, and in hot or cold environments.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers may suffer injuries from falls, burns from electrical shocks, and muscle strains from lifting and carrying heavy equipment. To reduce their risks and prevent injury, workers must wear protective equipment such as hardhats, harnesses, and safety glasses.
Most elevator and escalator installers and repairers work full time. They may work overtime to make emergency repairs or to meet construction deadlines. They may be on call 24 hours a day.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Nearly all learn how to do the work through an apprenticeship. Most states require workers to be licensed.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required. High school classes in math, mechanical drawing, and physics may be helpful.
A career in elevator or escalator installation and repair typically begins with a 4-year apprenticeship program sponsored by a union, industry association, or employer. For each year of a typical program, apprentices must complete a predetermined number of hours of technical instruction and paid on-the-job training. During training, apprentices learn about safety, blueprint reading, mathematics, applied physics, elevator and escalator parts, electrical and digital theory, and electronics.
When they finish the apprenticeship program, fully trained elevator and escalator installers and repairers become mechanics or assistant mechanics. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers need ongoing training in order to keep up with technological developments.
Workers with relevant experience who can document it and demonstrate their skill may qualify for a shorter apprenticeship.
Most states require elevator and escalator installers and repairers to be licensed. Check with your state for more information.
Although not required, certification shows competence and proficiency in the field.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers can become Certified Elevator Technicians (CET) or Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technicians (CAT) through the National Association of Elevator Contractors. They can also be certified as Qualified Elevator Inspectors (QEI) through the National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities International.
Employers may require elevator and escalator installers to have a driver’s license or reliable transportation to travel to jobsites.
Installers may receive additional training to specialize and advance to become a mechanic-in-charge, adjuster, or supervisor.
Employment of elevator and escalator installers and repairers is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.
Despite limited employment growth, about 2,100 openings for elevator and escalator installers and repairers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for elevator and escalator installers and repairers is closely tied to the construction of office buildings and stores that have elevators and escalators, and this type of construction is expected to slow over the projections decade.
However, the need to regularly maintain, update, and repair old equipment; provide access for people with disabilities; and install increasingly sophisticated equipment and controls will sustain demand for elevator and escalator installers and repairers.
For information about apprenticeships or job opportunities as an elevator and escalator installer or repairer, contact local elevator and escalator contractors, a local chapter of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, a local joint union–management apprenticeship committee, or the nearest office of your state employment service or apprenticeship agency. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.
For more information about elevator installers and repairers, visit
International Union of Elevator Constructors
National Elevator Industry Educational Program
For more information about the NAEC Apprenticeship Program, the Certified Elevator Technician program, or the Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician program, visit
National Association of Elevator Contractors
For more information about certification as a Qualified Elevator Inspector, visit
National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities International
For information about opportunities for military veterans, visit:
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of elevator and escalator installers and repairers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Boilermakers |
Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain, and repair boilers, closed vats, and other large vessels or containers that hold liquids and gases. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $66,920 |
|
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers |
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install or repair a variety of electrical equipment. |
See How to Become One | $64,190 |
|
Electricians |
Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $60,240 |
|
Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights |
Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights install, maintain, and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $59,470 |
|
Ironworkers |
Ironworkers install structural and reinforcing iron and steel to form and support buildings, bridges, and roads. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $58,330 |
|
Sheet Metal Workers |
Sheet metal workers fabricate or install products that are made from thin metal sheets. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $55,350 |
|
Wind Turbine Technicians |
Wind turbine service technicians maintain and repair wind turbines. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $57,320 |