Ed Quittkat's site was posted Oct.8, 2014. However he has asked that it not be linked.
What is an Iron worker? An iron worker is rigger,a welder,a connector,a reader of blueprints, a reinforcing specialist. We are how buildings, towers, bridges, dams and towers are erected by iron workers. We build your tilt-up buildings,cell towers, gas or chlorine plants,gas refinery's, bridges, skyscraper buildings. We rig, weld together anything above and below ground level, and we do it professionally to C.S.A AND W.S.B.C. standards and codes.
There are three main types of iron workers; reinforcing, structural,and ornamental. A reinforcing (re-bar) iron worker also known as a Rod buster works with reinforcing bars to make structures based on a certain design. A structural iron worker erects steel columns,joists,girders, trusses,beams,channels,and miscellaneous steel. A Ornamental iron worker erects curtain walls, stairways, handrails, railings, fences,platforms, entryways, and most finishing work. We all need to be able to work at heights throughout our work day. The road to becoming a journeyman iron worker is through apprenticeship training. Our apprenticeship training is well organized and supervised. Apprentices can earn while they learn to start out, then enter an apprenticeship course which is offered. Graduating apprentices attain journeyman status and receive full pay for the skills they have learned. As I have mentioned iron working has many sectors. Each sector involves challenging and difficult work,often on tall structures at high elevations. Iron workers must be willing to work as a team. They must be able to meet rigid standards and deadlines. They must have a good sense of balance and be alert to potential danger to themselves and others. Iron workers are often asked to perform physically demanding and dangerous jobs. They usually work outside in all types of weather, and some must work at great heights. As a result, workers must wear safety devices such as harnesses to reduce the risk of falling. Nearly all iron workers work full time. Those who work at heights do not work during wet,icy,or extremely windy conditions. Iron workers have one of the highest rates of injuries of all occupations. High risk for most, but a well trained iron worker becomes accustom to the conditions he/she may face in their work day. Once you have considered these aspects of the trade you may consider getting involved in our apprenticeship program. Usually the full program will take three to four years to complete, depending how many hours you have worked during these years. An average iron worker can usually attain one to two thousand hours a year. A starting wage will be approximate sixty percent of a journeyman iron workers rate of pay. In our technical training the new apprentice receive's training in all techniques involved in the trade of Iron working. Resources; Local 97; www.ironworkerslocal97.com B.C.I.T. [email protected] Here is a link to the School of Instructor Education's FaceBook page
https://www.facebook.com/VCCSchoolOfInstructorEducation NEW INSIGHTS:
New insights for me would be I have picked up a lot of new information on the trade. I see many educators’ layout materials and information differently within the trade. Some educators will give in-depth history while another will be looking into the future of the trade through apprenticeship or trying to get the reader to get interested in the trade. All seem to have an angle or starting point, one might start with history, while another starts with women in ironwork, or another just getting started. Some play strongly into apprenticeship giving a lot of information on the trade but not enough for the reader to say, “Who do I call”? TRENDS: Trends are looking for the right people to get involved in the trades. You’ve heard the saying we are looking for the best and the brightest; not so much in this trade. I would prefer to ask do you have what it takes to be an ironworker, interpreting blueprints, working at heights, the strength, stamina, agility and balance etc… We need intelligence for certain, but there is an undeniable trait that all good ironworkers have. Within our union locals there is now a check list for the individual to go through to ask themselves would I be cut out to fit into this trade? Skills are what I feel one can learn through training, abilities come with experience. WEB - CONFERENCE I Skyped with Ed on Tuesday. We discussed how hard it has been to balance our Instructor role and work towards completing our PIDP courses. We discussed our experience as instructors and our difficult students. It was good to connect with a fellow BCIT instructor, and I hope to meet again with him in the future to compare notes. One aspect I received out of our conference was that Ed was feeling just as over whelmed as myself. I’m learning a lot of new insight in teaching methods, and feel the importance of it will pay off in my future development as a instructor. |