Boilermaker Training Program
Program Overview: Boilermaker Training Program
The Boilermaker Training Program is a hands-on career program that prepares you for entry into union boilermaking through Registered Apprenticeship. The program is free to people who qualify and helps help meet the growing demand for skilled trades workers in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and the Upper Midwest region. You will receive training at Anoka Technical College and learn the skills employers need now. Minnesota Training Partnership will also provide helpful support, career coaching, and help connect you directly to the union. This program is designed to help you start a stable, family-sustaining career with opportunities for advancement in the skilled trades. Please note that to gain opportunities to work, Boilermakers often travel throughout Minnesota and out-of-state for extended periods.
Understanding the Career & Apprenticeship Pathway
What is a Boilermaker?
A boilermaker is a skilled tradesperson who builds, installs, maintains, and repairs large industrial equipment such as boilers, tanks, pressure vessels, and piping systems. These systems are used in power plants, manufacturing facilities, refineries, and other industrial environments. Boilermakers work with heavy steel components, read technical drawings, use specialized tools, and follow strict safety standards. Boilermakers often travel, sometimes long distances, for work opportunities. This career involves physically demanding, hands-on work, teamwork, and technical skill, and provides a pathway to stable, high-paying union employment through Registered Apprenticeship.
What is a Registered Apprenticeship Program?
A Registered Apprenticeship Program is a structured training program that combines paid, on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. Apprentices work for an employer while learning their trade and earning regular wage increases as they gain skills and experience. These programs are sponsored by unions and employers and lead to nationally recognized credentials. Registered Apprenticeship is a proven pathway to stable, high-paying careers in the skilled trades.
Program Partners
Staff at Minnesota Training Partnership lead this dynamic program. Additional program partners include:
- Boilermakers Local 647 (International Brotherhood of Boilermakers)
- Anoka Technical College
- Employers: Union signatory boilermaker contractors
These partners are eager to share their expertise, and are dedicated to your success, now and in the future.
Jobs & Career Outcomes
After completing the training portion of the program, you will be qualified to apply for entry into Registered Apprenticeship with Boilermakers Local 647.
Union boilermaker careers offer strong starting wages, excellent benefits, and continued, structured on-the-job training through Registered Apprenticeship. Apprentices earn while they learn and receive regular wage increases as they gain skills and experience. Over time, you can advance to higher-level roles with increased responsibility, pay, and long-term career stability in the skilled trades.
What You Will Learn
In this pre-apprenticeship program, you will receive hands-on training to prepare for a career as a union boilermaker. You will learn how to safely use tools and equipment, work with steel components, and understand basic welding, rigging, and industrial construction concepts. Training takes place in Anoka Technical College's professional classroom and lab environment, where you will build real, job-ready skills aligned with industry standards. You will also learn what employers expect on the job, including teamwork, communication, reliability, and professional behavior. Minnesota Training Partnership will provide career coaching, resume assistance, and direct connections to union contractors and Registered Apprenticeship programs to help you transition into employment.
Support for Busy Adult Learners
This program is free to eligible participants. You will receive personalized career coaching, resume assistance, and interview preparation from experienced staff. Minnesota Training Partnership will connect you with the opportunity to apply for Registered Apprenticeship with Boilermakers Local 647 after you complete hard skills training. Our staff are committed to helping you overcome barriers and succeed in your career. We continue to provide support even after you enter Registered
Apprenticeship to ensure your success in your new occupation..
Program Schedule & Location
Two training cohorts of this program will be available between Spring 2026 through Summer 2027.
Hard skills training will take place at Anoka Technical College. Each cohort will run for several weeks and will include hands-on pre-apprenticeship skills training, classroom instruction, and career readiness workshops. Classes will be held during daytime hours to allow participants to fully focus on learning and preparing for entry into Registered Apprenticeship with Boilermakers Local 647. Minnesota Training Partnership staff will provide ongoing support throughout the program. Specific dates and times will be posted as this information becomes available.
Program Eligibility
The Boilermaker Training Program serves Minnesota residents who are adults at least 18 years old, and not enrolled in any K-12 school, and who may face barriers to employment, and who need enhanced educational and supportive services to be successful in securing long-term family sustaining wages. Participants enrolling in this program must demonstrate readiness for success in advanced credentialed or post-secondary level training and their fitness for strenuous physical labor, often outdoors.
In addition, all participants must be authorized to work in the United States and shall be part of one or more of the following target populations:
- Individuals of color
- IIndividuals lacking stable housing
- Individuals who are, or have been, justice-involved
- Individuals with disabilities
- Individuals who have been unemployed for 26 or more of the past 52 weeks
- Individuals with limited English proficiency
- Individuals at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline
How to Apply
Interested individuals must first complete and return the following online inquiry form, available HERE
After we receive this form, we will contact you to discuss your interest, validate your eligibility, and conduct assessments to ensure this program is a good fit for you at this time. Then, we will discuss the enrollment process and schedule you for the orientation session.
Why Choose Minnesota Training Partnership?
Minnesota Training Partnership has a strong track record of helping people enter union construction careers through hands-on training opportunities, individualized coaching, and direct connections to Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Our Boilermaker Training Program is delivered in partnership with Boilermakers Local 647, ensuring that participants learn the exact skills contractors are seeking. We focus on preparing people for stable, family-sustaining union careers with clear pathways for advancement. Our staff provide personalized guidance and ongoing encouragement to help each participant succeed. When you train with Minnesota Training Partnership, you are joining a community committed to helping you build a future in the skilled trades with dignity, opportunity, and union support.
For More Information:
Individuals interested in applying for the Boilermaker Training Program should follow the directions in the above section titled "How to Apply."
Union, employer, and other community partners are invited to contact us here: INTEREST FORM