Steel erector
Steel erectors assemble beams and girders that support the structure of buildings, stadiums, bridges and tunnels.
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£40,000 a year
- Typical hours40 to 48 a week
What you'll do
As a steel erector, you'll:
- follow instructions on engineering plans
- guide steel loads that are being lifted into position
- bolt or weld girders and steel sections together
- fix metal decking, safety rails and netting into place
- operate and work from mobile high access platforms
- dismantle steelwork on demolition jobs
Working environment
You could work on high rise buildings, on other structures or on a construction site.
Your working environment may be at height, physically demanding, outdoors in all weathers, noisy and cramped.
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of building and construction
- the ability to work well with others
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- physical fitness and endurance
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- physical skills like movement and coordination
- the ability to work well with your hands
- the ability to operate and control equipment
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a steel erector
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could take a construction or engineering course at college. This could help you to find a trainee job with a building company.
Courses include:
- construction skills
- skills for engineering
- construction operations
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a place on an Engineering Construction Erector Rigger Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
This takes around 3 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and off-site study.
Entry requirements
To get onto an apprenticeship, you'll find it useful to have:
- GCSEs grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, in English and maths
Direct application
You can apply directly for jobs if you have relevant experience, qualifications and industry safety cards in construction or engineering.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- be able to cope with working at height
Career path and progression
As an experienced steel erector, you could become a site safety supervisor, engineering construction technician or site manager.
You could also move into related areas, like:
- scaffolding
- plant or crane operations
- welding
- training
Career tips
You'll have an advantage if you've got a powered access licence to work with mobile elevated work platforms.
Registration
- you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleSteel fixer
- Job roleScaffolder
- Job roleConstruction labourer
- Job roleConstruction plant operator
- Job roleEngineering construction technician
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0