Other stationary plant and machine operators

How to become a steam engine and boiler operator

Official title: Steam engine and boiler operators

Also called: Boiler tender, Ship’s boiler operator, Stationary engineer, Steam engine operator, Stoker

Steam engine and boiler operators maintain and operate various types of steam engines, boilers, turbines and auxiliary equipment to provide power and other utility services for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings, at work sites and aboard ships or self-propelled vessels.

Main tasks

Operating, cleaning, lubricating and monitoring steam engines, boilers and auxiliary equipment such as pumps, compressors and air-conditioning equipment to supply and maintain steam and power for buildings, marine vessels or pneumatic tools
Analysing and recording instrument readings, troubleshooting and performing minor repairs to prevent equipment or system failure
Monitoring and inspecting performance of equipment for efficient operation and ensuring that boiler water, chemicals and fuel are maintained at required levels
Firing coal furnaces by hand or with stokers and gas- or oil-fed boilers, using automatic gas feeds or oil pumps
Testing boiler water quality or arranging for testing, adjusting and taking necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits
Monitoring ship’s engine, machinery and equipment indicators, recording variables and reporting abnormalities to the ship’s engineer officer on watch
Operating and maintaining off-loading liquid pumps and valves

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: HK$20,000 a month
About 387,500 people in 2025, and about 403,200 projected by 2028. (+4.1%)
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a steam engine and boiler operator?

Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a steam engine and boiler operator?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026