Also known as
- Ironworker Apprentice
- Ironworker – Metal Building Systems Erector
- Ornamental Ironworker
- Reinforcing Ironworker
- Structural Steel Erector
- Metal Fabricator
- Plater
- Platework Fitter
- Shipfitter
- Shipfitter Apprentice
- Steel Fabricator
- Structural Steel Fitter
Your duties | Work conditions | Essential Skills | Apprenticeship | Certification | Where to study | Salary ranges | Building your career | Job prospects
Are you strong and physically fit? Do you enjoy travelling and working outdoors? Are you comfortable with heights? Can you work in a team? Would you like to work with precision tools? Then Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter could be the career for you!
What the work is like
Ironworkers fabricate, erect, hoist, install, repair and service structural ironwork, precast concrete, concrete reinforcing materials, curtain walls, ornamental iron and other metals used in the construction of buildings, bridges, highways, dams and other structures and equipment.
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters fabricate, assemble, fit and install steel or other metal components for buildings, bridges, tanks, towers, boilers, pressure vessels and other similar structures and products.
They are employed by construction ironwork contractors.
Ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters work mostly in the Heavy Industrial, Institutional and Commercial, and Civil Engineering construction sectors. To learn more about the construction sectors, check out Inside the industry.
Your duties
As an Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter, your duties may include the following:
- installing and repairing the metal structures that form the steel skeleton of buildings, bridges and towers
- putting steel bars in concrete to reinforce concrete structures
- installing structural and architectural concrete components for buildings, bridges, towers and other structures
- welding or bolting steel in place
- installing ornamental and structural metalwork such as metal stairways, railings and power doors
- signalling crane operators to lift and move steel
- installing both scaffolding and lifting equipment
- reading and interpreting blueprints
Work conditions
The standard work week for ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next.
As an Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter, you will usually work outdoors on construction sites, and with a team of other construction professionals. You may have to travel from job to job, and could be away from home for long periods of time. The work is physically demanding – you may have to work on scaffolding at great heights and will often work with heavy equipment and materials.
As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters are trained to work safely and wear special equipment to protect themselves from injury.
Essential Skills
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified nine Essential Skills that are necessary to succeed in the workplace. These skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and apply to most construction careers. Best of all, you can learn and improve on these skills in school, on the job and during your everyday life.
The most important Essential Skills for ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters are the following:
- Document Use – reading and interpreting documents to extract information
- Numeracy – working with numbers to perform calculations
- Problem Solving – coming up with solutions to challenges
- Working with Others – interacting with co-workers to get the job done
Click here to see how these skills are applied on the job. You can also click here to learn more about Essential Skills.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is one way of starting out in the construction industry. It involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter, called a journeyperson.
As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 70% of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship until you reach the full rate.
Entering an apprenticeship program
Requirements for ironworker/structural metal fabricator and fitter apprenticeship programs vary across Canada. In most provinces and territories, you must be at least 16 years old and have a Grade 10 education or equivalent to enter an ironworking/structural metal fabricator and fitter apprenticeship program. It is recommended that you have up to Grade 12 math.
Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as an Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter.
For more information, check out the Apprenticeship section.
Program length
Apprenticeship training programs for ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters vary across Canada, but generally involve three 12-month periods, including at least 4,500 hours of on-the-job training, one 10-week block and two seven-week blocks of technical training, and a final certificate exam.
Related work experience or completion of an ironworker/structural metal fabricator and fitter program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship.
Certification
Certification is required in Alberta and Quebec. It is available but voluntary in all other provinces. In territories where certification is not available, it may be possible to study as an apprentice through your local labour organization. Check out Related links to find out who to contact. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended. Certification tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional. It also helps you get jobs.
To be certified as an Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter, you usually need to complete a three-year apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the required on-the-job training, technical training and exams, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate.
You may be eligible for certification in some provinces and territories if you have more than three years of on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses in ironworking/structural metal fabricating and fitting.
As a certified Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter you may attempt the Interprovincial Exam to qualify for the Interprovincial Standards’ Red Seal. With a Red Seal, you can work as an Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter anywhere in Canada.
To keep your skills current, you have to keep up with new technological developments by reading and talking with other ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters.
Where to study in Canada
In addition to the Canadian schools listed below, many employer and labour organizations offer training. For more information, check out Related links.
|
Alberta British Columbia Manitoba |
Ontario Quebec Saskatchewan |
Specialty programs
In addition to the schools listed above, NorQuest College offers a transitional program for new Canadians with experience as ironworkers/structural metal fabricators and fitters.
Salary ranges
Ironworker/Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter hourly wages vary depending on the contract, the company, collective agreements, and local and national economic conditions. Typical hourly wage ranges for ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters (based on national or regional averages) are as follows:
Junior apprentices
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$15-$22 |
Based on national averages, junior apprentices can earn annual salaries ranging from $31,000 to $48,000 per year, not including overtime.
Journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$22-$30 |
Based on national averages, journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $46,000 to $62,000 per year, not including overtime.
Highly experienced journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$30-$35 |
Based on national averages, highly experienced journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $62,000 to $73,000 per year, not including overtime.
Construction work can involve overtime, so your total annual salary will vary depending on the number of overtime hours you work.
In addition to the hourly rate, many construction workers receive statutory holiday and vacation pay. Depending on the contract, you may also receive benefits such as group insurance for health, dental, and vision care, as well as retirement packages and training benefits up to 30% of your hourly rate. If you are self-employed, it is up to you to arrange your own benefits.
Building your career
With experience and additional training, you can move into more senior positions, including supervisory roles such as foreman or construction superintendent.
As with most careers in the construction industry, your skills are portable. If you want to move, you can take your skills with you.
Job prospects
Construction careers across Canada are booming! To learn about the forecast for ironworkers and structural metal fabricators and fitters, check out Job prospects. There you’ll find information on their expected demand by province for the next nine years.
The Construction Sector Council accepts no responsibility or liability connected with the use or reproduction of the information contained on this website. It is provided “as is” and is intended for informational use only without warranty, express or implied.
