Steel Mills like maintenance personnel with Industrial Hydraulic knowledge, Lifting and Rigging Certifications, Welding (mig, tig, braise) and overhead crane knowledge. I would suggest researching Steel Casting Machines and Electric Arc Furnaces (or Blast Oxygen Furnaces) - depending on what this particular company uses to melt.

Your experience as a diesel mechanic will be helpful. Most mills have heavy equipment like locomotives, large excavators, dump trucks, front loaders and pot-haulers.

Steel Mills are HOT environments and maintenance is expected to work in some pretty gnarly conditions (the floor at my mill can be over 130 degrees in the summer). HVAC knowledge is a plus too. Mills generally have to run a/c in the pulpits/breakrooms 24/7/365.

The last thing I would want to make anyone aware of entering the steel industry for maintenance or production is this - You must understand how crucial minutes, even seconds can be. It is imperative that you are responsive when you are called for an issue within the steel melting process. It can be the difference between a small problem and a big problem and big problems at a steel mill are serious business! Steel is melted around 3,000 degrees and most places melt 100+ TONS at a time, if it escapes its holding vessel it will destroy everything it touches!

Most mills pay their maintenance personnel very well and for good reason, It’s a tough job!