Boilermaker: Job Duties and Requirements for Becoming a Boilermaker
Most Boilermakers enter the field by earning a high school diploma or GED and then completing a formal apprenticeship program. Boilermakers can work for refineries or construction or natural resource companies, or they can find careers as metal fabricators or power or water plant operators.
Boilermaker Career Definition
Boilermakers make and install boilers and other large containers that house gases or liquids, such as oil. This includes reading blueprints, casting pieces and bending them into shape, and welding, riveting or bolting those pieces together. Boilermakers also test completed boilers and perform routine maintenance. They often upgrade boilers to meet environmental standards and increase their efficiency.
How to Become a Boilermaker
Required Education for a Career as a Boilermaker
Most prospective Boilermakers earn a high school diploma or GED and then enroll in an apprenticeship training program, such as the Boilermakers National Joint Apprenticeship Program (www.bnap.com). This program takes approximately four years to complete and requires 6,000 hours of work assignments and 576 hours in the classroom, studying such disciplines as welding, drafting, rigging and boiler technology. Alternately, some Boilermakers take courses at a technical school and learn additional skills directly from their employers.
Required Skills to Become a Boilermaker
Being a Boilermaker is physically demanding, and workers must have the necessary strength, coordination and manual dexterity. They also must possess various technical skills, such as the ability to weld, work with a variety of tools and use rigging. Boilermakers must be prepared to travel to project sites and spend long spans of time away from home.
Economic Outlook for Boilermakers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) predicts that Boilermakers will enjoy faster than average job growth in the coming years. This increased demand will result from the need to upgrade boilers to meet new energy and environmental standards. The median annual salary for Boilermakers is $52,260, according to BLS estimates.
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