How to become a Boilermaker
Official title: Boilermakers
Also called: Boilermaker, Boilermaker-welder, Marine boilermaker, Boilermaker apprentice, Industrial boilermaker, Maintenance boilermaker, Construction boilermaker, Pressure vessel boilermaker, Journeyman/woman boilermaker, Erection and repair boilermaker, Industrial construction boilermaker, Industrial heat exchanger boilermaker
Boilermakers fabricate, assemble, erect, test, maintain and repair boilers, vessels, tanks, towers, heat exchangers and other heavy-metal structures. They are employed in boiler fabrication, manufacturing, shipbuilding, construction, electric power generation and similar industrial establishments. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Read blueprints or specifications to plan sequence of operation
- Lay out plate, sheet steel or other heavy metal and mark bending and cutting lines on work piece using protractors, compasses and drawing instruments or templates
- Set up and operate heavy-metal working machines such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters and drill presses to cut, shape and form metal into parts or sections
- Fit and weld metal parts or sections together to fabricate boilers, vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, piping and other heavy-metal products
- Erect and install boilers and other heavy-metal products according to specifications using hand and power tools
- Repair and perform maintenance work on boilers and other heavy-metal products
- Direct activities of hoist or crane operators and other workers during fabrication, assembly, installation or repair of structures
- Test finished structures using a variety of methods
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in boilermaking is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification is compulsory in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces. Red Seal endorsement is also available, in all provinces, to qualified boilermakers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Red Seal trade. Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in boilermaking is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Red Seal endorsement is available. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $95,550 a year The middle half earn $85,586 to $101,537.
- About 2,800 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 3,100 are projected by 2033. (+10.7%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- Tool and die makers
- Sheet metal workers
- Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
- Ironworkers
- Welders and related machine operators
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Boilermaker?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in boilermaking is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification is compulsory in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces. Red Seal endorsement is also available, in all provinces, to qualified boilermakers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
How much does a Boilermaker earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $95,550 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $85,586 to $101,537.
Is a Boilermaker a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2033, from about 2,800 to about 3,100 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a Boilermaker?
Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Red Seal trade.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03