Becoming a Boilermaker
A boilermaker specializes in constructing, installing, and maintaining boilers, tanks, and other large vessels.
First Steps and Apprenticeship
To become a boilermaker, the first steps are researching the career, then completing a four-year apprenticeship program to develop skills. Apprenticeships provide classroom instruction and hands-on training under experienced boilermakers. Upon finishing and passing exams, apprentices become journeyman boilermakers.
Journeyman Boilermaker
Journeyman boilermakers perform all aspects of the job, from fabricating vessels to maintenance. The work takes place in extreme environments like unsafe spaces. Boilermakers lift heavy objects and use various hardware. The career offers good pay and demand for those willing to improve skills.
Timeframe and Qualifications
How long does it take to be a boilermaker?
To become a boilermaker, completion of a four-year apprenticeship program is required. Apprentices earn the title of journeyman boilermaker after finishing the program and passing exams.
What qualifications do you need to be a boilermaker?
Physical strength, technical skills, and manual dexterity to weld, use tools, and perform rigging are necessary. The work is often in cramped, dark, damp, noisy spaces that lack ventilation. The career pathway entails improving skills in areas like welding, metallurgy, and blueprint reading.