Employers

Approximately 27,000 elevator installers and repairers are employed in the United States and contractors specializing in work with elevators employ the majority. Other elevator installers and repairers work for one of the more than 60 large elevator manufacturers such as Otis Elevator Company or Thyssenkrupp Elevator, for government agencies, or for small, local elevator maintenance contractors. Some larger institutions (such as hospitals, which run 24 hours a day) employ their own elevator maintenance and repair crews. Few elevator installers and repairers are self employed.

Starting Out

If you are seeking information about trainee positions in this field, you can contact the National Elevator Industry Educational Program or the International Union of Elevator Constructors for details. The local office of your state's employment service may also be a source of information and job leads. Contacting elevator repair companies directly about job openings is another good job-search strategy. 

When an installer/repairer has completed the approximately four-year training program, met any local licensure requirements, and successfully passed a validated mechanic's exam, he or she is considered fully qualified—a journeyman. After gaining further experience, installers and repairers who work for elevator contracting firms may be promoted to positions such as mechanic-in-charge or supervisor, coordinating the work done by other installers. Other advanced positions include adjusters, highly skilled professionals who check equipment after installation and fine-tune it to specifications, and estimators, who figure the costs for supplies and labor for work before it is done. Those who work for an elevator manufacturer may move into sales positions, jobs related to product design, or management. Other experienced workers become inspectors employed by the government to inspect elevators and escalators to ensure that they comply with specifications and safety codes.

Read Lift and Conduit (https://www.neiep.org/Publications/bst-Default.aspx) and Mainline (https://www.naec.org/news.html) to learn more about the industry.

Visit http://www.naec.org/member-site/job-board.html for job listings.

Talk to elevator installers and repairers about their careers. Ask them for advice on breaking into the field.