Skills
Machinery Maintenance Worker Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in machinery maintenance workers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do machinery maintenance workers need?
Machinery Maintenance Workers need technical skills such as lubrication, belt and filter changes, and basic mechanics, plus people skills like reliability and attention to detail. They also use tools such as Grease guns and Oil cans.
Technical (hard) skills
- Lubrication
- Belt and filter changes
- Basic mechanics
- Hydraulics basics
- Inspection
- CMMS entry
People (soft) skills
- Reliability
- Attention to detail
- Safety awareness
- Teamwork
Tools, equipment and technology
- Grease guns
- Oil cans
- Wrenches
- Filter tools
- Flashlights
- Tablets for CMMS
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how machinery maintenance workers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Lubrication” and “Belt and filter changes.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “reliability,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as MLT I near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our machinery maintenance worker glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Machinery Maintenance Worker training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.