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Industrial Machinery Mechanic

Skilled Trades

Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Mechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.
  2. 2Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.
  3. 3Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.
  4. 4Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.
  5. 5Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.
  6. 6Examine parts for defects, such as breakage or excessive wear.
  7. 7Operate newly repaired machinery or equipment to verify the adequacy of repairs.
  8. 8Record repairs and maintenance performed.
  9. 9Record parts or materials used and order or requisition new parts or materials, as necessary.
  10. 10Observe and test the operation of machinery or equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using voltmeters or other testing devices.
  11. 11Analyze test results, machine error messages, or information obtained from operators to diagnose equipment problems.
  12. 12Study blueprints or manufacturers' manuals to determine correct installation or operation of machinery.
  13. 13Cut and weld metal to repair broken metal parts, fabricate new parts, or assemble new equipment.
  14. 14Enter codes and instructions to program computer-controlled machinery.
  15. 15Demonstrate equipment functions and features to machine operators.
  16. 16Assign schedules to work crews.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Fixer
  • Feltman
  • Mechanic
  • Reed Man
  • Outfitter
  • Comb Fixer
  • Loom Fixer
  • Overhauler
  • Pin Puller
  • Pin Pusher

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-secondary certificate

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Mechanical85%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • English Language70%

    English

  • Production and Processing68%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Engineering and Technology67%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Design65%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Mathematics61%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

6%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Matched to a related occupation on the list, not this exact job title.

Agricultural and Industrial Machinery Mechanics and Repairers · Shortage indicators met: 4/12

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Industrial Machinery Mechanics

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue