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 Boilermaker work demands a high degree
of technical skill and knowledge, a dedication to excellence, a willingness
to study and complete on-the-job-training, and an ability to travel from job
site to job site to maintain employment. The following information will
explain the job responsibilities, requirements, challenges, and experiences
of a boilermaker.
 Today's field construction boilermaker
apprentice is involved in more that just the construction and repair of
boilers. Apprentices are a vital part of construction project teams that
erect and repair pressure vessels, air pollution equipment, blast furnaces,
water treatment plants, storage and process tanks, stacks and liners. An
apprentice could be involved in the installation of a giant superheater
section in a large utility boiler, the erection of a 750,000-gallon water
storage tank, the placement of a nuclear power plant reactor dome, or the
construction of components on a hydroelectric power station.
Boilermaker Apprentice Job Duties:
Typical tasks
performed by a field construction boilermaker apprentice include:
1. Loading and unloading materials.
2. Rigging materials for movement.
3. Directing crane operators
4. Assembling/disassembling scaffolds
and work platforms.
5. Changing crane booms
6. Inspecting and caring for rigging
accessories and equipment.
7. Burning and gouging.
8. Removing and replacing pressured and
non-pressure components.
9. Interpreting blueprints.
10. Laying out components.
11. Erecting support steel beams,
columns, high/low pressure components.
12. Using various welding equipment and
process.
13. Aligning and fitting components.
Consider These Facts Carefully:
Work performed by boilermakers requires
high technical skill and dedication to top performance.
Field construction work is by nature an
outside job which means exposure to all types of weather conditions,
including extreme heat and cold.
Boilers, dams, power generation plants,
storage tanks, and pressure vessels are usually of mammoth size; therefore, a
major portion of boilermaker work is performed at great heights, often from
200 to 1000 feet above the ground.
Field construction and repair work is
contract work; so, when the contract is completed, the job is ended. You may
have to travel the territory of the local lodge and live away from home for
long periods of time.
The size of the materials, tools, and
equipment handled by boilermakers requires excellent physical strength and
stamina.
To become a journeyman boilermaker you
must complete a minimum 6000-hour apprenticeship program of on-the-job
training, usually taking four years.
To become a journeyman boilermaker, one
must complete forty-eight (48) self-study
lessons, on-the-job training modules, and classroom instructions (minimum of 144 hours a
year).
Is Boilermaking Really the Job For You?
Take a minute to
answer these questions. Your response to the statements below should help you
decide:
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1. Are you willing to do demanding and
strenuous physical work?
2. Are you NOT afraid of working at heights of 200 to
1000 feet above the ground?
3. Are you willing to travel and live away from home
for long periods of time to maintain employment?
4. Are you willing to work in all types of adverse
conditions?
5. Are you willing to make a commitment to four years
of on-the-job training?
6. Are you willing to complete the self-study lessons
and the on-the-job modules?
7. Do you understand that, based on employment
conditions, that you may be unemployed from time to time?
8. Are you dedicated to performing a job to the best of
your ability and in compliance with employer standards?
9. Are you willing to attend classroom instructions
when available in addition to your regular working hours?
10. Are you will to be drug tested and remain drug
free?
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*If you answered NO
to any of the questions then you may want to reconsider.
*If you have answered "yes"
to all ten questions, then you may be the kind of individual who could
complete the boilermaker apprenticeship program. Click on the map to find the
"coordinator" in your area for additional information.
Boilermakers National
Apprenticeship Program © Copyright 1998
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