Job Searching: Boiler Operating Experience

[evolvedbullet2]

I'm a college student at the moment and I'm looking into getting some experience with work leaning towards the operation of a boiler. I think it would be a good idea to get some experience just before I graduate.

Oddly enough, my college's resources doesn't provide internships for trainee boiler operators. Even the HVAC Apprenticeship program cannot help, if it could however, Id be stuck on a 1 1/2 year waiting list.

I live in the Milwaukee area in Wisconsin. I take the bus to my locations, or if there nearby, my bike. I got my sights on the Patrick Cudahy factory and the Ladish foundry. Though I'm not sure if either has internship programs, I don't know what to say on the phone/in-person on how to approach a question like that without sounding demanding or brush off as someone demanding.

I have a low pressure boiler's license and I'm working on getting my high pressure at the end of the year. I've ran a high pressure boiler, under the supervision of a professor, for about a year running at 155-230 psi on average. My intention is to stay with whomever can offer me experience till I find a job that requires years of experience or even have the company in question hire me (if I'm lucky!).

I go to MATC

Thanks folks.

 

[Jadow]

thanks for what?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Can you light the pilot on your hot water tank? Put that as boiler operating experience. It's kinda like a boiler. It makes water get really hot.

 

[notposting]

Wait? Are you going to college to be a boiler operator :hmm:

 

[chusteczka]

Are you doing this for a summer job or is this what you want to be doing after you graduate? You do not need a college degree to operate a boiler. A person could enlist in the navy if they just want to operate a boiler.

What are you going to school for?
Will you get a bachelors degree from the Milwaukee Area Technical College?

 

[Northern Lawn]

You boil eggs and stuff???

I know there is some skill involved, 2 minute egg, 5 minute egg 7 minutes egg.. when is it soft boiled right?

I never could get it right, it's always hard boiled with me

 

[evolvedbullet2]

I'm looking for places that have boilers, as in a low pressure boiler that heats a building; my search has ran up dry. What kind of buildings have boilers?

 

[BoomerD]

You're looking for work as a stationary engineer.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/stationary-engineers-and-boiler-operators.htm

http://www.iuoe.org/GreatJobs/StationaryEngineer/tabid/126/Default.aspx

http://www.iuoelocal317.org/training/training.html

 

[xSauronx]

I'm looking for places that have boilers, as in a low pressure boiler that heats a building; my search has ran up dry. What kind of buildings have boilers?

i know the medical center not far from here has a couple of huge boilers, not sure if thats typical for hospitals or not, but that place is pretty big.

drycleaning plants. large laundry operations?
/father owns a drycleaners, best i got

 

[evolvedbullet2]

"schools, hospitals, hotels, apartment buildings, shopping malls, airports, power plants, industrial and manufacturing plants, breweries, co-generation plants, petro-chemical plants, office and commercial buildings, government facilities and other workplaces"

Very nice! Thank you very much!

Dry cleaning places actually make sense. Very nice input. I'll look for these places around town immediately

 

[Red Squirrel]

Come to think of it, HVAC might be what you want. You'll work with boilers, AC units, air handlers etc...

 

[Raizinman]

I work with Industrial HVAC chillers and boilers. I’m a sub-contractor for companies like York, Carrier, Trane, McQuay and others. Places that have chillers and boilers are casinos, hospitals, colleges, power plants, large factories, large buildings and more. You need to be certified before you can work in any of these buildings. The best place to start out, in my opinion is to hire on with one of the above mentioned OEM companies. Spend some time working on various equipment, basically being an apprentice. These companies will send you to their appropriate schools and training and they will pay to get you certified. Hourly wages depending on whether union or not start around $28 and can go very high depending on experience and years of service. It’s a VERY good field to get into, as no matter what the state of the country (depression, recession, etc.) people always need heating and air conditioning. My business increases about 10% every year without even trying just due to new buildings and expanding territory. Good luck and perhaps I’ll see you one day as we do sometimes come to Wisconsin.