What You Need To Become A Boilermaker

Thinking of becoming a boilermaker? Here's what you need to know. Boilermakers are specialised artisans who mark off and fabricate structural steel and other metal stock to make or repair metal products and structures including boilers and pressure vessels.

Becoming a boilermaker is a riveting career choice and holds a lot of responsibility and duties. Here's all you need to know about becoming a boilermaker.

There are many boilermaker opportunities in South Africa.

Being a boilermaker requires constant physical activity. 

What do Boilermakers do?

Boilermakers are specialised artisans who mark off and fabricate structural steel and other metal stock to make or repair metal products and structures including boilers and pressure vessels.

What skills and abilities are required to become a Boilermaker? 

• Active Listening
• Time Management
• Equipment Selection
• Equipment Maintenance
• Quality Control Analysis
• Mathematics
• Critical Thinking
• Have the ability to Speak

What are the duties of a boilermaker?

• Develops layout and plans sequence of operations for fabricating and assembling structural metal products, applying trigonometry and knowledge of metal.
• Locates and marks bending and cutting lines onto work piece, allowing for stock thickness and machine and welding shrinkage.
• Hammers, chips, and grinds work piece to cut, bend, and straighten metal.
• Reheats work pieces to render them malleable, using hand torch or furnace.
• Positions, aligns, fits, and welds together parts, using jigs, welding torch and hand tools.

Where can I study to become a boilermaker?

TVET Colleges offer courses to become a boilermaker. Through these programmes, you can develop the skills you need and become qualified. 

The minimum entry requirements to study Boilermaking at a TVET College are:

• NC(V) Programme: a Grade 9 Certificate + college requirements set per programme.
• NATED Programme: Grade 9 for N1 admission; Grade 12 with a pass in Mathematics for N4 admission.

Visit the TVET Colleges website for more on South Africa's TVET Colleges.

What should I do if I want to become a Boilermaker?

• Contact Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges to enquire about the entrance requirements to do the Boilermaker course.
• Visit Boilermaker training centres and companies to gain more knowledge about the field and what it entails.
• Contact DHET Career Development Services to provide you with free quality career information, advice and counselling services on 086 999 0123 or e-mail: careerhelp@dhet.gov.za
• Go for an aptitude test to help understand if a career as a Boilermaker is for you.
• Attend Career Exhibitions in your area to liaise with higher learning institutions and obtain application forms.

If you want to become a boilermaker you need to register with an employer providing suitable training. Training consists of theoretical and practical work and will form part of your qualification.