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Interview with a ...
Journey-level ironworker

Interviewed by Ryan Farrell | July 2024

Aaron Lussier

What do you do?

As a journey-level ironworker, I work on a variety of large projects involving iron and steel. There are different types of ironworking, depending on the job.

For example, I may do ornamental ironwork that covers areas such as railing and fencing, structural ironworking to erect and connect large iron beams, and welding to connect and secure ironwork. Other projects include rigging, which requires moving heavy loads and operating or directing machinery, and rebar, which is the reinforcement aspect of ironwork and helps keep concrete strong.

How did you become interested in this occupation?

I lost my job in another field due to drug addiction. Once I got into recovery, I met someone who was willing to help me, and he happened to be an ironworker. He told me about his career and the ironworkers apprenticeship program. I went to the union training facility and was hired the next day.

I didn’t grow up wanting to be an ironworker, and I got a late start in the apprenticeship program. I was older than most other apprentices, but I was at a place in my life where I wanted to provide. I needed something to stabilize my life and provide structure. This happened to be the right path.

How is ironworker training organized?

It’s a 4-year apprenticeship program. It really dialed me in to being a successful ironworker. I went from not knowing anything about the trade to learning so much, and all in a 4-year window. It’s incredible, a great program.

The program has a semester system for classes at the union hall and training in the field. Apprentices are paid while in class and in the field.

What do classes cover?

Classes cover the groundwork of the trade. This includes instruction on welding; blueprint reading; and other topics, such as rigging. Welding certification is required for the job, and classes help prepare us for the certification test.

Safety training is also required, and we receive OSHA [U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration] certification as part of the apprenticeship.

And the on-the-job training?

In on-the-job training, you're put to work. It involves a lot of watching and asking questions. I was paired with an experienced ironworker. If he was looking at blueprints for a job, I would be looking over his shoulder. You start with basic tasks, such as gathering tools, drilling holes, marking beams, and setting up the work area.

As you learn more and the supervisor sees your capabilities, you get assigned more complex tasks. But you have to earn their trust.

Tell me about your favorite project.

It was the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge [in Washington, D.C.]. We did a lot of connecting work. It’s what you think of when you imagine an ironworker: out on a beam, signaling a crane to bring in a piece, placing it just where it needs to be, and connecting each piece.

I worked on the bridge for 3 or 4 years—most of my apprenticeship. We had 30 to 40 ironworkers out there working two shifts. We were out on the water, so we’d have to take a boat out to where we were working.

What skills does someone need to be an ironworker?

Some math skills are important: basic algebra and adding and subtracting fractions. Also, communication skills are important, both verbal and nonverbal. We work on construction sites that are normally loud, so you need to be able to speak clearly or have some line-of-sight communication.

You also need a willingness to do physically taxing work that can be dirty, and you need to be somewhat strong because there’s a lot of lifting involved. It’s also helpful to have common sense related to staying safe. 

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Working around other tradespeople’s schedules can be logistically challenging. One trade may be either behind or ahead of another, and you can’t complete your work until they do. You do something else, and then jump back to your original assignment. It’s a lot of back and forth.

What do you like best?

I enjoy the building aspect of ironworking: seeing how something is going to fit or come together. I have moments of doubt between the beginning of a project and the end, when the job doesn’t seem like it’s going to work. But eventually it does, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Projects often seem like they’re never going to end or there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Then you see it happen piece by piece, day by day. It’s pretty amazing. It’s rewarding. There’s pride and satisfaction that come with starting something and finishing it. That’s true even with daily tasks.

Any plans for the future?

My goal now is to be the best journey-level worker I can be. I enjoy what I do now, and I want to gain more experience and then put that experience to work. I want to remain teachable and keep an open mind. The career paths are open from there. One day, I may become a safety coordinator or work in the union office. Other options are to become a supervisor or superintendent.

What advice do you have for someone interested in this occupation?

Don’t let age determine when you start again or try something new. You don’t need prior experience or a degree. The apprenticeship will train you. Our union is an open door, and you don’t need to know an existing member to join. I recommend just showing up.

And, like in any job, show up on time and show up every day. Put your best foot forward, and do the best that you can. That goes a long way toward having a successful career.