Boilermaker

Boilermakers are the individuals responsible for manufacturing equipment, such as boilers, engines, vats, tanks and pressure vessels for power stations and petrochemical plants. They take the mechanical drawings of designed equipment and build it using sheets of metal. Part of their job is to repair these equipments if needed. Boilermakers generally work in the heavy engineering industry.

Due to the pressure that most of the equipment endure, Boilermakers have to be extremely skilled in their trade and be responsible as most of the equipment they build is used for containing poisonous gases or strong and harmful chemicals.

A Boilermaker qualification is for theoretical training and practical training certificates and a trade test set by the Department of Labour is required to qualify as an artisan.

Working hours tend to be irregular for Boilermakers, with some work being conducted not only during the week but also during the night or over the weekends.

Salary, in South Africa, ranges between R 23 000 to R 413 000, with the average being R 244 813. Most Boilermakers are contractors, which means that they earn their salary at an hourly rate.

Here are a few things you can expect from a career as a Boilermaker:

• Work is generally conducted on job sites and sometimes require the Boilermakers to work in confined and in some cases high aerial settings
• The work is physically demanding and requires strength to complete
• There could be a possibility for traveling for work and in some cases time duration could be anything from a week to several weeks
• Safety knowledge is extremely crucial and practiced regularly