Boilermaker CV: Example and template you can copy
A complete boilermaker CV example you can copy, plus a simple template and South African tips for listing your trade test/Red Seal, welding tickets, and site experience.
A strong boilermaker CV shows a foreman or HR person your trade status, tickets, safety readiness and real hands-on tasks in a few seconds. Below you'll find a full boilermaker CV example to copy, a fill-in-the-blanks template, and tips for listing your trade test, Red Seal, welding tickets and shutdown contracts.
Quick answer:
- Put your trade status (trade test date, Red Seal if you have it) near the top, under its own heading.
- List your tickets and safety training (working at heights, confined space, welding tickets) honestly, with dates.
- Under each job, name the items you worked on (chutes, hoppers, platforms) and what you did (marking off, cutting, fit-up, installation).
- Keep it to 1–2 pages, with clean headings and bullets.
What to include in a boilermaker CV (quick checklist)
Recruiters for fabrication shops, plants and mines look for the same things on every boilermaker CV. Make sure yours covers each of these:
- Trade status: apprenticeship completed, trade test date, Red Seal (if applicable), and your registration number if you have one.
- Core capability summary: fabrication, maintenance, shutdowns, welding support, pipe fitting support, structural work, plate work, vessels, chutes, hoppers.
- Tickets and safety: welding tickets or procedures you're competent in (only if true), working at heights, confined space, fire watch, rigging/slinging, and medical fitness (where relevant).
- Site experience: plants, mines or factories you've worked at, shutdown duration, shift work, permits, isolation awareness (LOTO) and QA exposure.
- Tools and processes: cutting, grinding, fitting, measuring, alignment, welding prep, assembly, installation, repair.
- References: ideally a supervisor or foreman who can confirm your workmanship and safety.
A few terms explained:
- Shutdown: when a plant or mine stops production so maintenance and repairs can be done quickly, often on long shifts.
- LOTO (lockout/tagout): isolating and locking off power or machines before work starts, so nobody gets hurt.
- QA (quality assurance): the checks that make sure work matches the drawings and standards.
- Fit-up: positioning and tacking parts in place, ready for welding.
Boilermaker CV example (copy-and-paste)
This is a complete boilermaker cv sample you can adapt whether you're an apprentice, a qualified artisan, or a contract shutdown worker.
Replace everything in square brackets with your own details. Delete any line that doesn't apply to you, rather than leaving it blank.
[Your Full Name]
[City, Province]
[Cell number]
[email@example.com]
Driver's licence: [Code] (optional)
[Willing to travel/relocate] (optional)
Boilermaker profile
[Qualified/Apprentice] Boilermaker with experience in [fabrication/maintenance/shutdown] environments, including [workshops/industrial sites/mines]. Competent in plate work, measuring and marking off, cutting and grinding, fitting and assembly, and supporting welding and QA requirements. Safety-focused, with exposure to permits, housekeeping standards, and working to drawings and job cards. Available for [shifts/shutdowns/contract/permanent] work and comfortable with physically demanding work and site rules.
Key skills
- Fabrication: marking off, measuring, cutting lists, assembly and fit-up
- Maintenance: repairs on chutes, hoppers, ducting, guards, platforms, handrails
- Steelwork: structural fabrication and installation, plate work, piping supports
- Tools: grinders, cutting equipment, magnetic drill, measuring tools (tape, square, vernier)
- Drawings: interpret basic fabrication drawings, isometrics (if applicable), job cards
- Quality: visual checks, dimensional checks, punch-list close-out support
- Safety: PPE compliance, housekeeping, basic permit awareness, hazard identification
- Teamwork: work with welders, fitters, riggers and supervisors; take instruction and report progress
Trade status, tickets and compliance
- Trade test: Boilermaker trade test completed [Month Year] at [Centre]
- Red Seal: Red Seal Boilermaker (Section 13) obtained [Month Year]
- Welding: [Your tickets or welding exposure]
- Safety training: [Working at Heights] · [Confined Space] · [Fire Watch] · [Rigging/Slinging]
- Medical fitness: [Date, if required for your work]
- Driver's licence: [Code B/C1/EC]
Work experience
Boilermaker / Boilermaker Assistant (Shutdown Contract) – [Company/Contractor Name], [Site/City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- Completed shutdown tasks including removal, repair and reinstatement of [chutes/ducting/screens/guards/platform sections] under supervision and according to job cards.
- Measured, marked off and cut plate and sections; performed grinding, bevel prep and fit-up for welding.
- Assisted with alignment and installation of fabricated items; checked levels, square and bolt-up condition.
- Maintained housekeeping and followed site safety rules, toolbox talks and permit requirements.
- Worked [day/night] shifts and met deadlines by reporting progress and flagging material or tool shortages early.
Boilermaker (Workshop Fabrication) – [Engineering/Fabrication Shop Name], [City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- Fabricated steel components from drawings, including [handrails, platforms, frames, hoppers, chutes], using measuring and marking techniques.
- Cut, drilled and prepared materials; assembled and tack-fitted components for welding; made sure joints and dimensions matched drawings.
- Used measuring tools to confirm dimensions; corrected misalignment before welding to reduce rework.
- Supported loading and dispatch by securing items and protecting finished surfaces where required.
Apprentice Boilermaker – [Employer/Training Organisation], [City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- Completed practical training in plate work, fabrication fundamentals, maintenance basics and safe tool use.
- Practised marking off, cutting, grinding and fit-up; learned to read drawings and work to tolerances.
- Took part in safety routines including PPE checks, hazard reporting and keeping a clean workstation.
Education
Boilermaker Trade Test / Qualification – [Institution], [Year]
N2/N3 – [Subjects], [College], [Year]
National Senior Certificate (Matric) – [School], [Year]
Projects
- Fabrication project: Built a [hopper/chute/handrail/platform] from drawings. Responsible for measuring, marking off, cutting, fit-up and final dimensional checks.
- Maintenance repair: Repaired [damaged chute/guarding/ducting] by removing worn sections, preparing plate, fit-up for welding, and assisting with reinstallation and bolt-up.
References
[Name Surname]
[Role, e.g. Foreman], [Company]
[Cell number]
Relationship: [e.g. My supervisor on site]
[Name Surname]
[Role], [Company]
[Cell number]
How to fill in the tricky parts:
- Welding line: list only what you truly have. If you have formal tickets, name them clearly. If not, write something honest like "SMAW (stick) basic competence; assisted with welding prep and fit-up; familiar with WPS use on site." (A WPS, or welding procedure specification, is the written instruction for how a weld must be done.)
- Red Seal line: if you don't have a Red Seal yet, delete this line. Don't write "No".
- N2/N3 and matric: include them if you have them. Leave them out if you don't.
- Projects: this section is optional but powerful, especially if your job titles were "assistant". It shows the actual work you can do.
Avoid this: Never claim to be coded or ticketed if you're not. Employers often check tickets and call references, and getting caught out can cost you the job even after an offer. Honest exposure ("assisted with fit-up and weld prep") is better than a false claim.
Template: Boilermaker CV structure (fill in the blanks)
If you'd rather start from a blank page, follow this order. It puts the things a foreman checks first (trade status and skills) near the top.
- Header: name, city, cell number, email, licence (optional), availability
- Profile (3–5 lines): trade level + environment + your strongest tasks
- Skills (8–12 bullets): fabrication, maintenance, tools, drawings, safety
- Trade status and tickets: trade test/Red Seal + relevant training
- Work experience: most recent first; 4–6 bullets per role
- Education: trade, N-level, matric
- Projects: 1–3 real examples of what you did
- References: 2 people who can confirm your work
Here's the same structure as a blank template you can copy:
[Your Full Name]
[City, Province]
[Cell number]
[email@example.com]
[Licence code] · [Availability]
Profile
[Trade level] Boilermaker with experience in [environment]. Strong in [task 1], [task 2] and [task 3]. Available for [type of work].
Key skills
- [Fabrication skill]
- [Maintenance skill]
- [Tools you use]
- [Drawings/job cards]
- [Safety skill]
Trade status and tickets
- Trade test: [Month Year], [Centre]
- [Ticket or training], [Date], expires [Date]
Work experience
[Job Title] – [Company], [Site/City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- [What you worked on and what you did]
- [Tools or process you used]
- [Safety or teamwork point]
Education
[Qualification] – [Institution], [Year]
Projects
- [Item you built or repaired, and your role]
References
[Name Surname]
[Role], [Company]
[Cell number]
How to list your trade test, Red Seal and welding tickets correctly
Hiring teams scan for proof and clarity. Make your trade status easy to spot and hard to misunderstand.
- Trade test: state the trade, month and year, and the centre (if you're comfortable). Example: "Boilermaker trade test completed: March 2024 (Olifantsfontein)."
- Red Seal boilermaker CV: if you have a Red Seal, list it on its own line under "Trade status" so it doesn't get lost in your education section.
- Welding tickets: only list formal tickets you actually hold. If you don't have tickets, describe your exposure honestly (fit-up, prep, basic process familiarity) without claiming coded status.
- Expiry dates: if a certificate expires, add the expiry date. It shows you're transparent and saves the recruiter a phone call.
Here's the difference between a weak and a strong trade status section:
Weak:
Qualified boilermaker. Have tickets. Safety trained.
Strong:
- Trade test: Boilermaker, completed [Month Year], [Centre]
- Working at Heights: [Month Year], expires [Month Year]
- Confined Space: [Month Year]
- Medical fitness: valid until [Month Year]
The strong version answers the recruiter's questions before they ask: which trade, when, and is it still valid? For more on listing training, see how to put certificates on your CV.
What to write under experience if you've only done shutdowns or short contracts
Short contracts are normal in the trades, and recruiters know it. The key is to show repeatable tasks, tools and site readiness, not just a list of dates.
- Group similar contracts: if you did several 2–4 week shutdowns, list them under one heading like "Shutdown Boilermaker (Contract)" and put the sites in bullets.
- Show the workflow: removal → repair/fabrication → fit-up → reinstallation → checks and handback.
- Add context: "worked day/night shift", "tight timelines", "permits and toolbox talks", "worked with rigging team".
Here's how grouped contracts can look on your CV:
Work experience
Shutdown Boilermaker (Contract) – Various contractors
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- [Site/Plant 1], [City] – [Number] weeks, [Month Year]
- [Site/Plant 2], [City] – [Number] weeks, [Month Year]
- Removed, repaired and reinstalled [chutes/liners/ducting] according to job cards.
- Prepared and fitted up plate for welding; checked alignment and bolt-up before handback.
- Worked day and night shifts under permit systems, toolbox talks and LOTO procedures.
- Worked closely with riggers and welders to finish tasks within the shutdown window.
Gaps between contracts are normal too. If you need help explaining a longer break, read how to explain a gap in your CV.
Boilermaker CV with little experience (apprentices and assistants)
If you're still an apprentice or have only worked as an assistant, you can still write a strong CV. Focus on what you've practised and the training you've done.
- Put training first: list your apprenticeship, N-levels and any safety courses near the top.
- Use the Projects section: describe practical tasks from your training, e.g. "Built a small hopper from drawings during apprenticeship."
- Be honest with your title: "Boilermaker Assistant" or "Apprentice Boilermaker" is fine. Recruiters value honest titles with clear tasks.
- Show you're site-ready: PPE habits, shift availability, a valid medical and a driver's licence all help.
For more ideas, see how to write a CV with no experience or, if you're applying for a trade programme, how to write a CV for a learnership.
Common mistakes that weaken a boilermaker CV
- Too vague: "Did boilermaker duties" doesn't help. Name the items you worked on (chutes, hoppers, platforms) and what you did (fit-up, alignment, repair).
- Overclaiming: don't say you're coded or ticketed unless you are. It can cost you the job when they verify.
- No trade status: your trade test or Red Seal must be easy to find, not hidden at the bottom.
- Unreadable layout: busy designs and long paragraphs get skipped. Use clean bullets and clear headings.
Weak bullet: "Responsible for boilermaking work on site."
Strong bullet: "Replaced worn chute liners during a 10-day shutdown: removed old plate, marked off and cut new plate, and fitted up for welding."
Tip: Many big employers use software to filter CVs before a person reads them. Use the same words as the job ad (for example "plate work", "shutdown", "fabrication") where they truly describe your work. Learn more in how to match CV keywords to a job ad.
Build and format your boilermaker CV on CV Hub
If you want a clean layout without fighting with formatting, CV Hub lets you create and update your details quickly.
- Create a free CV account.
- Choose a CV design that suits a practical trade profile.
- Already have an account? Log in to CV Hub and update your CV profile before you apply.
Example add-on: short cover note for boilermaker applications
If an application form or email asks for a short message, keep it direct. Say your trade level, your experience, your availability and your trade status.
Subject: Application: Boilermaker – [Your Name]
Hi [Name] / Dear Recruitment Team,
I'm a [qualified/apprentice] Boilermaker with experience in [shutdowns/workshop fabrication/maintenance].
My trade status is [trade test/Red Seal], and I'm comfortable with [fit-up, plate work, structural repairs].
I'm available from [date], willing to work shifts, and can provide references. My CV is attached.
Thank you for considering my application.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
[Cell number]
If you're sending your CV by email, see how to email a CV in South Africa. For a full letter, use our cover letter template.
Related CV example you can use as a guide
If you're comparing layouts and bullet styles, this trade-focused example shows how responsibilities can be written clearly: Electrician CV: Example and template you can copy.
You may also find the forklift operator CV example and the general worker CV example useful if you're applying for site or plant roles.
Final check before you send
- Your trade status (trade test/Red Seal) is visible within 5 seconds.
- Your last 1–2 roles have clear bullets with tools and tasks.
- Tickets and training are listed honestly, with dates and expiry dates where relevant.
- Your contact details are correct and professional (check your cell number twice).
- Your CV is 1–2 pages and saved as a PDF with your name in the file name.
If you get stuck with the builder or templates, read the CV Hub FAQ or contact CV Hub.
