Industrial & Manufacturing
The trades that build, install, and maintain the equipment that makes everything else. Welders join steel together; Machinists shape it; Millwrights install and align it; Industrial Maintenance keeps it running.
Four industrial trades. Premium pay for skilled work.
Industrial trades pay above general construction because the work is technical, the equipment is expensive, and the talent pool is smaller. AWS welding certs and NIMS machinist credentials are the standard credentials.
Welder
8 job-title variantsJoin steel and metal through arc welding, MIG, TIG, and stick welding. The most reliably hiring industrial trade with AWS certifications driving pay scales.
Machinist
7 job-title variantsOperate CNC mills, lathes, and grinders to make precision metal parts. NIMS-certified work in shops, fab facilities, and manufacturers.
Millwright
6 job-title variantsInstall, align, and maintain industrial machinery. Premium pay for the alignment and rigging skills that keep factories running.
Industrial Maintenance Technician
6 job-title variantsMaintain industrial equipment across mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems. The generalist trade that ties everything together.
Apply across all four roles
Welding (AWS), machining (NIMS), and industrial maintenance (NCCER) credentials transfer across employers. Federal and defense industrial sites favor cleared veterans for many roles.
AWS (American Welding Society)
Industry-standard welding certifications: AWS D1.1 (structural), 6G (pipefitter qualification), and many specialty certs. Required by most contractors and industrial employers.
AWS homepage →NIMS (Machining Credentials)
National Institute for Metalworking Skills — the standard credentialing body for CNC machining and metalworking. Levels I–III progression.
NIMS homepage →NCCER Industrial Curriculum
NCCER offers Industrial Maintenance, Millwright, and Welding curriculum used by union and open-shop apprenticeships. Levels 1–4.
NCCER credentials →OSHA 10 / 30 + Confined Space
OSHA 10 entry-level; OSHA 30 for foremen. Industrial work commonly requires confined-space, fall-protection, and lockout-tagout training.
See course providers →Helmets to Hardhats — Industrial Trades
Connects veterans to UA, IBEW, IUOE (operating engineers), and other industrial-trade apprenticeships. Strong path for vets with industrial maintenance backgrounds.
Helmets to Hardhats →Common pathways into Industrial & Manufacturing
KinTrades welcomes workers across all three roles in this family — veterans transitioning out of service, students planning a career, and people returning to work after time away.
Veterans
Strong military crosswalks across the family. Army 91E Allied Trades Specialist (welding/machining), 91L Construction Equipment Repairer, and Navy HT/MR all transfer directly.
Air Force 2A7X3 Aircraft Structural Maintenance covers welding. Helmets to Hardhats connects veterans to industrial apprenticeships.
The GI Bill covers AWS, NIMS, and NCCER testing fees.
Veterans on KinTradesHigh School Students
Welding and machining are common HS career-technical-education programs in NC, VA, and MD.
AWS and NIMS exams are open to age 18+ — many HS seniors earn entry-level certs before graduation.
FastForward VA covers welding/machining tuition for VA students; Pell-eligible CCs run 6-month welding programs.
Students on KinTradesSecond Chance
Industrial trades hire on demonstrated skill — once you can pass an AWS welding test or run a CNC machine, your past matters less.
Federal and defense industrial sites run security checks for site access; smaller industrial contractors and fab shops often do not.
Helpers are hired without prior credentials at most industrial maintenance shops.
Second-chance hiringCommon questions about Industrial & Manufacturing
What trades are in the Industrial & Manufacturing family?
Industrial & Manufacturing on KinTrades covers 4 roles: Industrial Maintenance Technician, Machinist, Millwright, Welder. Each is a recognized skilled trade with its own apprenticeship pathway, certifications, and pay band.
How do you get started in Industrial & Manufacturing?
The trades that build, install, and maintain the equipment that makes everything else. Welders join steel together; Machinists shape it; Millwrights install and align it; Industrial Maintenance keeps it running. Most workers come in via an apprenticeship — usually 2 to 5 years paid OJT plus classroom hours — or through a community-college pre-apprenticeship that feeds into one. Some employers also direct-hire helpers and train on-site.
Is Industrial & Manufacturing a good fit for second-chance workers?
Industrial trades hire on demonstrated skill — once you can pass an AWS welding test or run a CNC machine, your past matters less. Federal and defense industrial sites run security checks for site access; smaller industrial contractors and fab shops often do not. Helpers are hired without prior credentials at most industrial maintenance shops.
Is Industrial & Manufacturing a good career path for veterans or high school students?
Veterans: Strong military crosswalks across the family. Army 91E Allied Trades Specialist (welding/machining), 91L Construction Equipment Repairer, and Navy HT/MR all transfer directly. Air Force 2A7X3 Aircraft Structural Maintenance covers welding. Helmets to Hardhats connects veterans to industrial apprenticeships. The GI Bill covers AWS, NIMS, and NCCER testing fees. Students: Welding and machining are common HS career-technical-education programs in NC, VA, and MD. AWS and NIMS exams are open to age 18+ — many HS seniors earn entry-level certs before graduation. FastForward VA covers welding/machining tuition for VA students; Pell-eligible CCs run 6-month welding programs.