Boilermaking is one of the few trades where a ticket you earn after your apprenticeship can double what you’re worth. Understanding that early changes how you approach the four years.
Which award covers you
Boilermakers and fabricators generally sit under the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award (MA000010), in the engineering tradesperson stream. Apprentice rates are set as a proportion of the qualified engineering tradesperson rate and step up each year, with higher rates for Year 12 completion and for adult apprentices.
If you work on construction sites rather than in a workshop, you may fall under the construction award instead, and on large resources or infrastructure projects an enterprise agreement usually overrides both. Confirm which instrument applies to you on the Fair Work Pay Calculator before comparing your pay to any published figure.
What a boilermaking apprentice earns
| Stage | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice — stage 1 | $14.97 | $568.86 |
| Apprentice — stage 2 | $17.95 | $682.10 |
| Apprentice — stage 3 | $22.44 | $852.72 |
| Apprentice — stage 4 | $26.33 | $1,000.54 |
These are the general manufacturing stream rates for a full-time apprentice who started after 1 January 2014 and did not complete Year 12, including the tool allowance, as at 3 August 2026. Completing Year 12 and starting as an adult apprentice both lift these figures, so check your own on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.
Coded welding tickets are the real income lever
Your Certificate III gets you qualified. Welding qualifications to standards like AS/NZS 1554 or ASME IX get you paid. Pressure vessel, pipeline and structural coded welding all require testing against a specific procedure, and the certification is tied to that procedure, position and material.
Coded welders in pressure and pipeline work earn substantially above general fabrication rates, because the work carries consequences and the pool of qualified people is small. If there’s one thing to take from this page: plan for your tickets during your apprenticeship, not after it.
Shutdown work is where the big money sits
Mining, oil and gas, and heavy industry run planned shutdowns where plant is taken offline and repaired under extreme time pressure. Boilermakers are central to that work, and shutdown rates with the associated overtime and allowances are among the highest in the Australian trades.
The trade-off is real: rosters away from home, long shifts, and work that comes in bursts rather than steadily. Plenty of boilermakers structure whole careers around it, and plenty decide once is enough.
Boilermaker, welder or fabricator?
The titles overlap and get used loosely. Broadly, a boilermaker fabricates and assembles heavy steel structures and pressure equipment from plate and section, which involves substantial welding. A welder specialises in joining. A fabricator focuses on cutting, forming and assembly. Most people qualified in this space do all three, and the Certificate III covers the ground.
The health side is not optional reading
Welding fume is classified as a carcinogen. Fume extraction and appropriate respiratory protection are legal obligations on your employer, not conveniences. Stainless and galvanised work carry additional specific risks — hexavalent chromium and metal fume fever respectively. Arc eye, noise and hot work burns round it out. This trade rewards people who take exposure control seriously from year one.
Your qualification
The trade qualification is MEM31422 Certificate III in Engineering — Fabrication Trade, typically four years, covering welding, thermal cutting, structural fabrication, plate development and interpretation of engineering drawings.
How to check your exact rate
Use the Fair Work Pay Calculator with the correct award, your year, start date and adult apprentice status. Where an enterprise agreement applies, that document sets your pay instead. The Fair Work Ombudsman helpline is 13 13 94.
FAQ
Which award covers boilermaker apprentices?
Usually the Manufacturing Award (MA000010) for workshop work, or the construction award for on-site work. Enterprise agreements commonly override both on large projects.
What are coded welding tickets worth?
They’re the main earning differentiator in the trade. Pressure and pipeline coded welders earn well above general fabrication rates.
Is boilermaking the same as welding?
Not quite. Boilermaking covers fabrication and assembly of heavy steel and pressure equipment, with welding as a major component. Welding alone is narrower.
Is welding fume actually dangerous?
Yes — it’s classified as carcinogenic. Extraction and proper respiratory protection are your employer’s legal responsibility.
General information only — not financial or legal advice. Award rates change annually on 1 July. Check the official source and your state authority before acting.
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