Boilermakers fabricate, assemble, and maintain the pressure vessels, boilers, heat exchangers, and storage tanks that power Canada's industrial facilities, power plants, and refineries.
Erecting large boiler and steam drum sections using heavy rigging and hydraulic jacking. You're aligning components to tight tolerances, securing connections, and ensuring everything meets ASME code before welding begins.
Performing weld inspections on pressure vessel components. You're documenting all welds for non-destructive examination (NDE), working with NDT technicians, and ensuring every joint meets ASME Section VIII code requirements.
During a major refinery turnaround, you're dismantling, repairing, and replacing internal components of distillation columns and vessels. You're performing hot work in hazardous areas, following strict permit procedures, and coordinating with other trades.
Replacing corroded or damaged tubes in shell-and-tube heat exchangers. You're removing old tubing, installing new tubing to precise specifications, and performing pressure testing to verify integrity before the system returns to service.
Inside a pulp mill recovery boiler, you're performing tube replacement, inspecting internal refractory, and conducting repairs during planned shutdowns. This work requires understanding the extreme conditions inside these vessels.
Fabricating large-diameter atmospheric storage tanks for water or chemical storage. You're plate rolling, welding tank shells and bottoms, performing hydrostatic testing, and ensuring the vessel meets code for safe operation.
Boilers, steam drums, heat recovery. Premier technical work.
Turnaround work — best-paid boilermaker work in Canada.
Recovery boilers, digesters, industrial vessels.
Above-ground storage tanks for oil, water, chemicals.
Ceramic thermal linings in furnaces and boilers.
Lead crews on capital projects and turnarounds.
Basic welding, plate layout, cutting tools, safety with pressure vessels. ~$24–$28/hr
ASME code welding, vessel fabrication, rigging. ~$32–$42/hr
Complex vessel work, turnaround experience, Red Seal prep 428A. ~$44–$52/hr
Red Seal certified. Full independence. $44–$65/hr
Manage boilermaker crews on capital or turnaround projects. $60–$78/hr
Senior project leadership or ABSA inspection career. $80k–$140k+
Workplace hazardous materials information system. Day one.
MandatoryBasic emergency response certification.
RecommendedPressure vessel welding requires CWB-certified procedures.
MandatoryEntering pressure vessels is core boilermaker work.
MandatoryTall vessels and towers require elevated work certification.
MandatoryMandatory for refinery and oil & gas sites.
MandatoryASME Section VIII — the primary code governing pressure vessel fabrication.
SMAW/FCAW/GTAW/SAW processes, weld symbols, WPS/PQR procedures.
Carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless, P-numbers, preheat and PWHT requirements.
Vessel drawings, weld maps, nozzle orientations, bill of materials.
Load calculations, multi-point lifts, vessel erection, hydraulic jacking.
Radiographic, ultrasonic, magnetic particle — work alongside NDE technicians.
Read the Study Guide for a focused summary of everything tested on your exams, then lock in your knowledge with timed Practice Exams by apprenticeship year.