Ironworker: Pros and Cons Is it a good fit for you?
Ironworking is a tough job that includes building and taking care of structures made of steel or iron, like tall buildings and bridges. It's a crucial job cause’ it helps create the things we use to move around and live our daily lives. But being an ironworker isn't for everyone because it has good and bad things about it. In this article, we'll talk about the good and bad things about being an ironworker, so you can decide if it's a job you could see yourself doing.
Pros & Cons Overview
Here's a simple summary of the advantages and disadvantages of working in the ironworking industry. We'll explain each of them more in the next sections.
Remember that these are just a few things to think about and may depend on the specific job you're doing.
Pros of Being an Ironworker
Ironworking ain’t for the weak and because of that, it lends itself to great rewards and sense of being that a lot of people love about it.
Here is a rundown of the pros of being an ironworker:
Great Pay: The average salary for an ironworker in the United States is around $58,550 per year.
According to Indeed, the average base salary is $24.70 per hour in the United States and $8,250 overtime per year.
Here is a link to CareerExplorer that provides more information on ironworkers’ salaries: https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/ironworker/salary/.
And here is a link to Indeed that provides more information on ironworkers’ salaries: https://www.indeed.com/career/ironworker/salaries.
Job Security: Ironworking is an important part of the construction industry and there is always a demand for skilled ironworkers. This means that ironworkers typically enjoy good job security and can expect to have steady employment.
Valuable Skills: Ironworkers work on different kinds of projects, like making bridges, tall buildings, metal roofs, and strengthening concrete structures. Because they work on many types of jobs, ironworkers are always learning new things and facing new challenges. They get to use their skills in different ways, making the job exciting and interesting.
This is incredibly important for career changes that you might not be anticipating. I can’t tell you how many times a skill I didn’t think would be worth anything ends up lending a hand.
Let's get Physical: They need to be strong, have a lot of endurance, and be able to move quickly. This means that ironworkers stay in good physical shape and get the health benefits that come with regular exercise.
If you like working with your hands, have a strong work ethic, and are looking for ways to capitalize off of that then this is the career for you.
Let's move on to the cons of being an Ironworker and you can see if it will work for you.
Cons of Being an Ironworker
So we know how awesome the job is. Now, lets dig into what some say are the cons about the job:
Physical Demands: Ironworking is a tough job that requires workers to be in good physical shape. They often have to lift heavy things, climb, and work in awkward positions, which can be dangerous if they don't follow safety rules.
Weather Conditions: Ironworkers usually work outside, no matter what the weather is like. They might have to work in extreme heat, cold, rain, or snow. This can be uncomfortable and make it more likely for them to get hurt.
Job Instability: Sometimes, when the economy is bad, construction projects can stop, and ironworkers might lose their jobs. Also, some projects might not happen at all, which can be bad for job security.
This is just for Ironworking. Meaning, you have skills so you can venture into a variety of other trades that will be begging to have you.
High Risk of Injury: Ironworking is one of the most dangerous jobs in the construction industry. Workers can fall, get electrocuted, or have other accidents. Ironworkers need to be careful and follow safety rules to prevent getting hurt.
Look, this job ain’t a walk in the park. Nothing should be. It's up to you what you think you can do and should consider everything in this article to see if this could be a fit for you.
Listen to what Ironworkers are saying
Part of the reason why we started interviewing people in the trades is to get a ground level view of the ins and outs of the job. Check these posts out around the inter web:
Is being an ironworker worth it? - Reddit
How is work/life balance? - Reddit
Iron worker or concrete laborer? - Reddit
Conclusion
All you need is a high school diploma to get started! I mean, where else can you make $100k/year with a high school diploma?
There are a lot of other options out there to do that if you're purely motivated by the money (can’t blame ya if you are). A common theme among the ironworkers I have met has been that they have a huge sense of pride about what they do.
Being able to drive by something and say “Ya I did that” is something that cannot be taken away from you.
If you are interested in the career, reach out to your local unions and see if they have a list that you could hop on to at least see if you can sneak in there. You might like what you find.
If you haven’t checked out the interview I did with Dillon (Ironworker in Idaho) check it HERE
