Boilermakers and Mechanics

Employers

Approximately 11,130 boilermakers work in the United States. Of that number, 21 percent work for building equipment contractors. Nearly the same percentage work in utility system construction and 13 percent work in nonresidential building construction. Others work in manufacturing; they are employed primarily in boiler manufacturing shops, iron and steel plants, petroleum refineries, chemical plants, and shipyards. Still others work for boiler repair firms, for railroads, and in navy shipyards and federal power facilities.

Starting Out

There are a limited number of apprenticeships available in boilermaking; only the best applicants are accepted, and there may be a waiting period before the apprenticeship starts. Sometimes workers begin as helpers in repair shops and enter formal apprenticeships later. These helper jobs are often advertised on employment Web sites and in newspapers. Vocational and technical schools and sometimes high schools with metal shop courses may also help their graduates locate such positions. Other good approaches are to apply directly to employers and to contact the local office of the state employment service.