Millwright
Millwrights keep wind turbines and the machinery at solar plants, hydrogen plants and energy factories running, and their training covers both mechanical parts and electrical motors and wiring. Artisans with both mechanical and electrical skills are in high demand on solar projects, and industry says South Africa's education system doesn't produce enough of them.
Jobs in the energy transition
Wind turbine service technician
You'd keep wind turbines running by servicing and repairing both their mechanical parts and their motors, wiring and controls, high above the ground.
Extra training: After qualifying as a millwright, you'd take a wind turbine service technician course of about nine months at SARETEC, a renewable energy training centre in Cape Town, and recent intakes also asked for three years of work experience.
Solar plant maintenance artisan
You'd maintain and repair the mechanical and electrical equipment on a solar farm, a mix of skills that industry says is hard to find.
Hydrogen plant maintenance millwright
You'd maintain the motors, pumps and other machines that keep a hydrogen production plant working.
Car plant maintenance millwright
You'd keep the production machines running in car factories, including the Pretoria plants that now build plug-in hybrid cars.
How to get there
The qualifications
You'd work towards the Occupational Certificate: Millwright, which is at NQF Level 4, the same level as Matric.
What you need to start
The official minimum is a Grade 9 pass, or another qualification at the same level, with Mathematics.
These are the official minimum requirements, and colleges can set higher ones.
Where you can study
Data verified June–July 2026 from official college publications and the DHET occupational qualifications register. Spot an error? Suggest a correction.
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