Steamfitter/Pipefitters lay out, assemble, fabricate, maintain, and repair piping systems carrying water, steam, chemicals, and fuel through heating, cooling, and lubricating systems.
Job Related Skills, Interests and Values
- Reading and interpreting blueprints and specifications to determine which pipes and tools to use; laying out and planning the sequence of tasks
- Making detailed sketches for pipe and equipment fabrication and installation, when necessary
- Using hand/power tools or machines to cut openings for pipes in walls, floors, and ceilings
- Measuring, cutting, threading, grooving, bending, soldering, assembling, and installing metal, plastic, and fibreglass pipes, valves, and fittings
- Welding, brazing, cementing, soldering, and threading joints to join pipes and fabricate sections of piping systems
- Working independently on careful and exacting work
What Preparation and Training Do You Need?
- Grade 10 is the legal minimum, but a high school diploma is often required
- Completion of a 9,000-hour apprenticeship, including a combination of on-the-job and in-school training
- Exam to obtain Certificate of Qualification
What's Your Future as a Steamfitter (307A)?
- Full-time work with overtime opportunities
- Work in and outdoors doing physically demanding tasks; frequent climbing and heavy lifting
- Risk of injury due from heavy equipment, power tools, and working at heights or in trenches
- Often hired by mechanical construction firms, pulp and paper companies, steel producers, electric power companies, vehicle manufacturers, residential developers, and metal companies
Wage Rate
Apprentice wage increases with skill and experience. Fully qualified workers earn an average of $41.58-$48.95 per hour.
Self-Rating
Steamfitter/Pipefitter (307A)
| Ask Yourself: | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Can you look at drawings and blueprints and visualize how things come together? Do you have good manual dexterity? | ||
| Do you enjoy working with your hands using a variety of hand and power tools? | ||
| Are you able to follow Health & Safety guidelines? | ||
| Can you lift 50lbs comfortably? | ||
| Do you enjoy learning about new technology and materials? | ||
| Would you enjoy interacting with site supervisors, customers, suppliers, co-workers and other tradespeople to get the job done? | ||
| Do you have excellent time-management skills? Are you an organized person? |
If you checked YES to the majority of these questions, a career as a Steamfitter/Pipefitter (307A) may be for you!
You might want to look at these similar trades as well;
- Plumber
- Welder
- Sprinkler & Fire Protection Installer
- Hoisting Engineer
Pressure systems welders use shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding and flux cored arc welding processes to weld metal plates, tubes, and other structures in boilers and other pressure systems. They cut pipes and tanks and assemble these pieces, and may have to repair defective welds in boilers and pressure systems.
Sprinkler System and Fire Protection Installers fabricate, install, test, maintain, and repair water, foam, carbon dioxide, and dry chemical sprinkler systems in buildings for fire protection purposes.
Hoisting Engineers are involved in the set up and operator of electric-powered cranes. There are three branches, which differ by the amount of weight a crane can lift. Branch 1 (339A) and Branch 2 (339C) are Mobile Crane Operators, while Branch 3 (339B) is for Tower Crane Operators.
Plumbers install, repair, and maintain pipes, fixtures, and other plumbing equipment used for water distribution, drainage, and waste disposal in new or existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.