 |
Click for audio text
Quick Navigation:
Job Description | Duties | Working Conditions
Educational Requirements | Outlook | Salary
Related Clusters:
Architecture and Construction
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 structural steel workers are paid trainees who learn to construct iron and steel frameworks for buildings and bridges. They learn to weld and rivet steel structures. They work under the supervision of experienced structural steel workers and attend formal classes to learn their job.
Duties: Apprentices in structural and ornamental steel operations perform many of the same tasks and usually work in the same type of setting. They may work together on the same projects at times. The work of a structural steel worker deals with basic building while an ornamental worker does more of what might be called finishing work. Working under the guidance and supervision of an experienced structural steel worker, apprentices may perform some or all of the following:
- Erect the steel framework on bridges, buildings, and similar structures
- Install steel floor decking
- Install vault doors and their frames
- Install decorative iron work on such things as balconies, gates, and doorways
- Install metal stairways, catwalks, iron ladders, and similar structures
Working Conditions: Structural steel workers usually work outdoors in all kinds of weather; however, those who work on elevated construction sites do not work when it is wet, icy, or extremely windy. Due to the danger of falls, structural steel workers wear safety belts and hard hats. The job requires lifting and/or carrying heavy weights.
Educational Requirements: Applicants for an apprenticeship as a structural steel worker 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.
Outlook: The estimated number of structural steel workers in Tennessee is 1,340. It is projected there will be an increase of 19 percent in this occupation through the year 2012 with 50 job openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.
| 10% | 25% | Median- 50% | 75% | 90% | |
| TN Annual | $23,580 | $29,550 | $37,070 | $43,520 | $48,360 |
| US Annual | $22,760 | $29,350 | $40,480 | $56,320 | $72,340 |
*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