Structural Steel Erector
Impact: Constructing the structural skeleton of buildings and infrastructure
Erect structural steelwork for commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects by lifting, aligning, and bolting steel columns, beams, and trusses to engineering drawings and tolerances. Operate cranes and MEWPs, install safety decking and edge protection, and ensure compliance with CDM regulations and steel construction standards. Work as part of a specialist erection gang on fast-track construction programmes.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- 80% Team / 20% Solo
- Client facing
- Rarely
- Impact visibility
- Very High
- Travel
- 20-50% national travel to major projects
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 48-60 hours/week
- Stress level
- High
At a glance
- Median salary
- $62,000
- Entry-level
- $38,000 - $50,000
- Senior
- $82,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 6% (infrastructure investment and commercial construction sustaining demand)
- Demand
- Growing
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- High -- 70-115% growth from trainee to erection supervisor or steel contractor
- Typical student debt
- $1,000 - $4,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Structural steel erection (SCI P376)
- Crane slinging and signalling
- MEWP operation (IPAF)
- Bolted connection torquing
- Safety decking installation
- CDM and working at height compliance
Soft skills
- Safety discipline
- Team communication
- Physical fitness
- Spatial awareness
- Precision
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Certificate or Vocational Training
- Licensing
- Yes
- Years to mid-career
- 3-5 years
- Years to senior
- 7-10 years
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Ironworker
- Rigger
Where you can go from here
- Erection Supervisor
- Steel Fabricator
Typical progression
- Trainee Erector
- Steel Erector
- Leading Hand
- Erection Supervisor
- Steel Contractor
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 10% -- robotic steel erection is in development but not commercially viable for complex structures
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Growing
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 7/10
- Meaning
- 7.2/10
- Work-life balance
- 5.5/10
- Prestige
- 5.8/10
- Social perception
- Moderate