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Boilermakers
Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries. Align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. Work involves use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles. Assist in testing assembled vessels. Direct cleaning of boilers and boiler furnaces. Inspect and repair boiler fittings, such as safety valves, regulators, automatic-control mechanisms, water columns, and auxiliary machines.
Other titles employers use
Boiler Installer · Boiler Mechanic · Boiler Repairman · Boiler Service Technician (Boiler Service Tech) · Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech) · Boilermaker · Boilermaker Mechanic · Boilermaker Pipe Fitter
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Conduct pressure tests on vessels, such as boilers.
- Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
- Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
- Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
- Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
- Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends to ensure leakproof joints.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Critical Thinking
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Control Precision
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.6 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.1 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.4 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 52%
- A certificate or some college 48%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Operating system software
- Word processing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Computer based training software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,790
- Job openings each year
- 250
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 8.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2,790 | 250 | 8.1% |
| Louisiana | 2,290 | 210 | 10.6% |
| Michigan | 1,180 | 90 | −9.9% |
| Florida | 960 | 90 | 5.5% |
| Virginia | 560 | 50 | 7.7% |
| Ohio | 490 | 40 | −9.3% |
| Illinois | 440 | 40 | 4.8% |
| New York | 420 | 0 | −4.5% |
| Indiana | 390 | 30 | — |
| Connecticut | 280 | 30 | 12.0% |
| New Jersey | 280 | 20 | −6.7% |
| Alabama | 230 | 20 | — |
| Tennessee | 230 | 20 | 9.5% |
| Georgia | 220 | 20 | 10.0% |
| Wisconsin | 200 | 20 | — |
| Mississippi | 190 | 20 | 18.8% |
| Washington | 190 | 20 | 18.8% |
| Maryland | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Arizona | 150 | 10 | 15.4% |
| Iowa | 130 | 10 | −7.1% |
| New Mexico | 120 | 10 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 120 | 10 | −7.7% |
| Montana | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| Arkansas | 90 | 10 | −10.0% |
| Nebraska | 90 | 10 | — |
| Nevada | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Minnesota | 80 | 10 | — |
| South Dakota | 70 | 10 | — |
| Wyoming | 60 | 10 | — |
| Alaska | 40 | 0 | — |
| Idaho | 40 | 0 | — |
| Colorado | 30 | 0 | — |
| Kentucky | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.