First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
O*NET files this work under First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers: people who directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. The skills rated most useful are monitoring, management of personnel resources, and time management. Expect to inspect, test, and measure completed work, using devices such as hand tools or gauges to verify conformance to standards or repair requirements. The strongest interest signal is Enterprising (6.0 of 7), then Conventional (4.8) and Realistic, which gives it the code ECR. Getting in usually takes one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree, a level O*NET calls medium preparation. If you want leading, persuading and making business decisions, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.
What they do
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.
Main tasks
- Inspect, test, and measure completed work, using devices such as hand tools or gauges to verify conformance to standards or repair requirements.
- Inspect and monitor work areas, examine tools and equipment, and provide employee safety training to prevent, detect, and correct unsafe conditions or violations of procedures and safety rules.
- Interpret specifications, blueprints, or job orders to construct templates and lay out reference points for workers.
- Monitor employees' work levels and review work performance.
- Perform skilled repair or maintenance operations, using equipment such as hand or power tools, hydraulic presses or shears, or welding equipment.
- Compute estimates and actual costs of factors such as materials, labor, or outside contractors.
Skills
- Monitoring
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Time Management
- Speaking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like taking the lead and making the call.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on monitoring and management of personnel resources.
May not suit you if
- You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECR takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Electrical and Instrumentation Supervisor (E and I Supervisor)
- Facilities Maintenance Supervisor
- Facility Maintenance Supervisor
- Maintenance Coordinator
- Maintenance Foreman
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.