Apprenticeship in Boilermakers Local 13

Deciding to become a field construction Boilermaker apprentice may be the single most important decision of your life. The following information will explain the job responsibilities, requirements, and challenges for a Boilermaker apprentice.

Boilermaker work demands a high degree of technical skill, constant attention to safety, 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.

Apprentices are a vital part of construction project teams that erect pressure vessel assemblies and fabricate metal plate. But today’s field construction Boilermaker apprentice is involved in more than just the construction of boilers. You could be involved in the installation of a giant superheater section in a large utility boiler, the erection of a 2,000,000-barrel water storage tank, the placement of a nuclear power plant reactor dome, the replacement of cyclones in a catalytic cracking unit in an oil refinery, or the construction of components at a hydroelectric power station.

Job Description

• Loading & unloading materials
• Rigging materials for movement
• Directing crane operations
• Assembling/Disassembling scaffolds & platforms
• Changing crane booms
• Inspecting and caring for rigging accessories & equipment
• Burning, gouging & welding
• Removing and replacing tubes
• Interpreting blueprints
• Laying out components
• Erecting support steel beams & columns
• Using various welding machines and welding processess
• Aligning & fitting components

Boilermaker Facts

• Work performed by Boilermakers requires high technical skill and a dedication to top performance.
• Field Construction work is by nature an outside job which means exposure to all types of weather conditions, heat & cold.
• Boilers, dams, power generation plants, storage tanks and pressure vessels are usually of mammoth size; therefore a major portion of the Boilermaker’s work is performed at great heights, often 200 to 1,000 feet above the ground.
• Field construction is contract work; so, when the contract is completed, your 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 majority of work (approx. 90%) involves confined space access, requiring safe work procedures for access, egress, escape & rescue.
• The size of materials, tools, and equipment handled by boilermakers requires excellent physical strength and stamina.

Basic Qualifications