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Structural Iron or Steel Worker

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What Does it Take to Be a Structural Iron or Steel Worker?

Structural Iron or Steel Worker Example Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.

Life As a Structural Iron or Steel Worker: What Do They Do?

  • Insert sealing strips, wiring, insulating material, ladders, flanges, gauges, or valves, depending on types of structures being assembled.
  • Ride on girders or other structural steel members to position them or use rope to guide them into position.
  • Drive drift pins through rivet holes to align rivet holes in structural steel members with corresponding holes in previously placed members.
  • Assemble hoisting equipment or rigging, such as cables, pulleys, or hooks, to move heavy equipment or materials.
  • Hoist steel beams, girders, or columns into place, using cranes or signaling hoisting equipment operators to lift and position structural steel members.
  • Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.

Structural Iron or Steel Worker Needed Skills

Structural Iron and Steel Workers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Types of Structural Iron or Steel Worker Jobs

  • Steel Construction Worker
  • Tower Hand
  • Construction Ironworker
  • Iron Erector
  • Steel Erector

Structural Iron or Steel Worker Employment Estimates

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 70,200 jobs in the United States for Structural Iron or Steel Worker. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 9,000 new jobs for Structural Iron or Steel Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 8,700 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Structural Iron or Steel Worker are Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Louisiana. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Structural Iron and Steel Workers Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of a Structural Iron or Steel Worker ranges between $32,240 and $93,760.

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Structural Iron and Steel Workers who work in New Jersey, New York, or Illinois, make the highest salaries.

How much do Structural Iron and Steel Workers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $48,590
Alaska $71,080
Arizona $47,930
Arkansas $40,760
California $67,130
Colorado $52,620
Connecticut $68,550
Delaware $50,450
District of Columbia $58,650
Florida $43,880
Georgia $41,760
Hawaii $74,110
Idaho $39,230
Illinois $83,580
Indiana $56,830
Iowa $54,850
Kansas $42,810
Kentucky $46,640
Louisiana $50,690
Maine $50,570
Maryland $53,200
Massachusetts $76,810
Michigan $55,200
Minnesota $65,800
Mississippi $41,860
Missouri $55,770
Montana $49,600
Nebraska $40,320
Nevada $39,840
New Hampshire $45,880
New Jersey $86,340
New Mexico $51,860
New York $85,410
North Carolina $41,040
North Dakota $50,500
Ohio $59,900
Oklahoma $42,760
Oregon $70,540
Pennsylvania $60,100
Rhode Island $74,540
South Carolina $43,640
South Dakota $42,070
Tennessee $47,860
Texas $44,370
Utah $47,430
Vermont $47,570
Virginia $51,220
Washington $75,020
West Virginia $54,830
Wisconsin $58,470
Wyoming $56,760

What Tools do Structural Iron and Steel Workers Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Structural Iron and Steel Workers:

  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
  • Cost estimating software
  • Project scheduling software

Becoming a Structural Iron or Steel Worker

What education or degrees do I need to become a Structural Iron or Steel Worker?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Structural Iron or Steel Worker?

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Who Employs Structural Iron and Steel Workers?

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Career changers with experience as a Structural Iron or Steel Worker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: Margo Wright via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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