Boilermakers Seek Skilled Welders for Unique Work Opportunities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kansas City, KS (December 1, 2015) – The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers announced today its Construction Division has an increasing need for experienced welders nationwide due to expanded project opportunities. The union is seeking skilled professionals interested in life-enhancing work experiences.
Headquartered in Kansas City, KS, and with 49 construction lodges across the United States, the Boilermaker organization plays an integral part in supporting America’s industrial infrastructure. More than 30,000 skilled construction Boilermakers – men and women – engage in building, repairing and maintaining the nation’s power generation sector, oil refining, pulp and paper mills, steel mills and aluminum plants. The field offers a rewarding way of life and unique opportunities for individuals that wish to improve their futures.
“Being a Boilermaker is difficult, but very rewarding work,” explained Roger Erickson, Administrator for MOST, the training and safety arm of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. “We’re incredibly proud that safety is the top priority on our work sites, and while we are looking for experienced welders, we will work with each recruit to meet our qualifications and complete our required safety training courses.”
Through MOST, members receive extensive on-going safety, leadership and skills training that contributes to the organization’s highly productive and efficient workforce.
Union workers as a whole make higher wages and enjoy more benefits, such as health insurance and retirement programs, than their nonunion counterparts. According to the AFL-CIO, on average, union workers’ wages are 27 percent higher and unionized workers are 60 percent more likely to have employer-provided pensions.
Retired Boilermaker Peggy Welborn (Local 69, Little Rock, Ark.) says the opportunities and benefits can be life-changing. “(As a Boilermaker,) you’re going to be dirty and tired, but the rewards are worth it. I made a good life for my son, and after 34 years I still loved my job. Not many people can say that.”
In addition to the tangible benefits, being a union Boilermaker offers camaraderie and a sense of belonging. Jonathan Nevedal, a Boilermaker graduate apprentice and the 2015 National Apprenticeship Competition winner (Local 169, Detroit, Mich.), says with the assistance of veteran’s program Helmets to Hardhats he found the right path to do something that has a familiar feel to it. “I’m happy to be a union member. The brotherhood of the military is very similar to being a union member, especially with the Boilermakers.”
Experienced welders interested in becoming a Boilermaker should click here for more information and to register.