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Structural & reinforcing

Ironworker

Walking steel at altitude for very good money.

Typical pay

$50k-$110k

How you get in

3-4 year paid apprenticeship

Outlook

Steady; tied to commercial construction cycles

Ironworkers erect and connect the structural steel and rebar that hold buildings and bridges together. Structural work is done at height on open steel, which is exactly why it pays what it does.

A day in the life

  1. 6:00aSafety meeting, check rigging and fall gear
  2. 6:30aRig the first pick, signal the crane
  3. 9:00aConnect beams — bolt up and plumb the steel
  4. 11:30aLunch on the deck
  5. 12:30pWeld and torque connections
  6. 3:30pSecure loose material before the wind picks up

How to get in

Union apprenticeship

Duration

3-4 years

Cost

$0 — paid while you train

Credential

Journeyman ironworker

  1. Apply to an Iron Workers local when applications open
  2. Pass the aptitude test, interview and physical requirements
  3. Work full time while attending classes; rotate through structural, reinforcing and rigging
  4. Finish with a journeyman card, pension and portable benefits

Rebar and non-union entry

Duration

1-3 years

Cost

$0

Credential

OSHA and rigging certifications

  1. Get hired tying rebar with a non-union contractor — the easiest entry point
  2. Learn rigging, signaling and layout
  3. Add welding and crane signal certifications
  4. Move to structural work or apply to a union local with experience

Certified welder into ironwork

Duration

1-2 years

Cost

$0-$5,000

Credential

AWS structural welding certification

  1. Get AWS certified in structural welding positions
  2. Enter as a welder on steel erection crews
  3. Learn connecting and rigging on the job
  4. Welder-connectors are among the highest-paid people on the site

What people love

  • · Excellent union pay and pension
  • · Paid apprenticeship with no debt
  • · Visible, permanent landmark work
  • · Travel work pays a substantial premium

What wears people down

  • · Working at height with genuine fall risk
  • · Weather exposure in every season
  • · Layoffs between projects are normal
  • · Hard on the body over a full career

From people doing it

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