Greaser
Role lens
Greasers make sure industrial machines are properly lubricated to maintain operations. They use grease guns to oil machines. Greasers also perform basic maintenance and repair duties.
As a greaser, your days are spent maintaining industrial equipment and machinery. You’ll identify lubrication needs, apply grease and oils using specialized tools like grease guns, and conduct basic repairs to prevent breakdowns and extend equipment lifespan. The work often involves a physical role, requiring attention to detail and a commitment to safety protocols. You’ll be crucial in ensuring continuous operations across manufacturing plants, construction sites, and other industrial settings.
- • Applying lubricants (grease, oil) to machinery components using grease guns and other tools.
- • Inspecting equipment for wear and tear and identifying potential maintenance needs.
- • Performing basic repairs and adjustments, such as tightening bolts and replacing worn parts.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Metal, machinery and related trades workers — 106 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia and 12 more.
Longest-running shortage: Austria, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $60,850 2025-05 | −2.8% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +15.1% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £64,322 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for greaser
The outlook for greaser reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could greaser change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- wear appropriate protective gear
- secure working area
- troubleshoot
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- operate grease gun
- clean up spilled oil
- work safely with machines
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Advanced Manufacturing
A typical day as a greaser
09 09:00 · Morning conduct routine machinery checks
10 10:30 · Mid-morning operate grease gun
12 12:00 · Midday secure working area
14 14:00 · Afternoon clean up spilled oil
15 15:30 · Late afternoon maintain machinery
17 17:00 · Wrap-up troubleshoot
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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maintain machinery
Maintain machinery and equipment in order to ensure that it is clean and in safe, working order. Perform routine maintenance on equipment and adjust or repair when necessary, using hand and power tools. Replace defective parts components or systems.
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conduct routine machinery checks
Check machinery and equipment to ensure reliable performance during use and operations in worksites.
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operate grease gun
Use a grease gun loaded with oil to lubricate industrial machinery in order to ensure proper operations.
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troubleshoot
Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
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work safely with machines
Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.
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wear appropriate protective gear
Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
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secure working area
Secure the operation site fixing boundaries, restricting access, placing signs and taking other measures in order to guarantee public and staff safety.
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clean up spilled oil
Safely clean up and dispose of spilled oil.
industrial tools
The tools and equipment used for industrial purposes, both power and hand tools, and their various uses.
- types of lubricants
- technical drawings
Path to become a greaser
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
4 programmes in 8 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 16 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
These are 1 of 20.
Sources
- 1. Contains information from MySkillsFuture Course Run accessed on 2026-09-28 from data.gov.sg which is made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0 (https://data.gov.sg/open-data-licence)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does greaser fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What industries typically hire greasers?
Is there a formal apprenticeship program to become a greaser?
Can I start my own greasing business?
How much does Greaser pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data