International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers

• Load and unload materials.
• Rigging materials for movement.
• Directing crane operators
• Assembling/disassembling scaffolds and work platforms.
• Changing crane booms
• Inspecting and caring for rigging accessories and equipment.
• Burning and gouging.
• Removing and replacing pressured and non-pressure components.
• Interpreting blueprints.
• Laying out components.
• Erecting support steel beams, columns, high/low pressure components.
• Using various welding equipment and process.
• Aligning and fitting components.

The Boilermaker National Joint Apprenticeship Program was established to promote efficient and high quality field construction by skilled craftsmen in the boilermaker trade. The program provides an opportunity for a person to work through self-studies, on-the-job training, and participate in classroom instruction at the National Training Center located in Kansas City, KS or Local Training Centers throughout the United States.

Apprenticeship programs, sponsored jointly by labor and management on the local union level, supply employers with the highly skilled workers who apply the quality Boilermaker systems that keep America's buildings dry. Apprentices learn their craft by training on the job under proper supervision and by studying technical subjects related to the roofing trade.

Once apprentices have learned the practical and technical aspects of the work, they graduate to journeyman status. Boilermaker apprenticeship programs generally run for three years.

You earn while you learn the trade. Union journeymen Boilermakers wages and fringe benefits are negotiated on their behalf by the union through collective bargaining with signatory contractors. Some apprenticeship programs partner with community colleges to offer college credit for apprenticeship classes.

Wages vary according to the geographic location of the local union. The average starting wage for 1st year apprentices is 40 - 50% of the Journeyman's wage rate plus fringe benefits. Your earnings are adjusted annually to reflect your advancing skills and increasing knowledge of the trade.

Boilermakers and boilermaker mechanics make, install, and repair boilers, vats, and other large vessels that hold liquids and gases. Boilers supply steam to drive huge turbines in electric power plants and to provide heat and power in buildings, factories, and ships. Chemicals, oil, beer, and hundreds of other products are processed and stored in tanks and vats. Boilers and other high-pressure vessels are usually made in sections, by casting each piece out of molten iron or steel. Small boilers may be assembled in the manufacturing plant; larger boilers are usually assembled on site. Following blueprints for installing boilers and other vessels, boilermakers locate and mark reference points on the boiler foundation, using straightedges, squares, transits, and tape measures. Boilermakers attach rigging and signal crane operators to lift heavy frame and plate sections and other parts into place. They align sections, using plumb bobs, levels, wedges, and turnbuckles. Boilermakers use hammers, files, grinders, and cutting torches to remove irregular edges so edges fit properly. Then they bolt or weld edges together. Boilermakers align and attach water tubes, stacks, valves, gauges, and other parts and test complete vessels for leaks or other defects. Usually they assemble large vessels temporarily in a fabrication shop to insure a proper fit before final assembly on the permanent site.

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