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Job Description: An apprenticeship is a formal method of training in a skilled occupation or trade. For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with business, visit the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services (OATELS) website. OATELS is the Federal program that administers the National Registered Apprenticeship System (NRAS). It is a consolidation of the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and the new responsibilities of the employer and labor liaison dedicated to building a workforce for the 21st century.
Apprentice steamfitters are paid trainees who learn to install, repair, and maintain high pressure pipes. Through classroom instruction and work under the supervision of experienced steamfitters, they learn to measure, cut, thread, and install high pressure pipes, valves, gauges, and other related fixtures. Although plumbing, pipefitting, and steamfitting may be considered a single trade at times, workers usually specialize in one of the three areas.
Duties: Working under the guidance and supervision of an experienced steamfitter, apprentices may perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read blueprints to determine the tools required for the job
- Assemble the tools and bring them to the job site
- Understand the principles of high and low pressure systems, as well as plumbing and pressure capacities of piping materials
- Use a variety of hand tools, pipe cutters, pipe-threading machines, and pipe-bending machines
- Dig trenches and erect scaffolding
- Work on underground pipes that carry water, waste, and gases to and from buildings of all kinds
Working Conditions: Steamfitters work both inside and outside in all weather conditions. They may work in buildings and trenches, on roofs and ladders, from scaffolding and inside tanks. Hazards may include exposure to chemicals, gases, fumes, and loud noises. The job requires frequent lifting and carrying of heavy objects weighing 50 pounds or more.
Educational Requirements: Applicants for an apprenticeship must complete high school or the equivalent (G.E.D.) and pass an aptitude test to qualify for the program. An applicant must be between the ages of 18 and 25, and be a member of a labor union. Experience gained through vocational courses, military training, or work experience may be used to obtain advanced placement in the apprenticeship program. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Trade and Industrial Education Standards, Competency Profiles, and Resource Links online. For additional information on education and training in this field, visit the Plumbing - Heating - Cooling Contractors Association or the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry online.
Outlook: The estimated number of plumbers, steamfitters, and pipefitters in Tennessee is 8,590. It is projected there will be an increase of 20 percent in this occupation through the year 2012 with 370 openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.
| 10% | 25% | Median- 50% | 75% | 90% | |
| TN Annual | $18,400 | $20,280 | $22,610 | $26,410 | $31,230 |
| US Annual | $17,020 | $20,190 | $23,910 | $29,270 | $35,800 |
*Some salaries are listed at an hourly rate. Those that include a single dollar amount are considered hourly wage.
Wage and salary data provided by:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
- TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
- Bureau of Economic Analysis website
For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org
Last updated on: January 23, 2008