Who is taking boilermaker apprentices, what each programme asks for, how to apply online, and the pay figure nobody puts in the advert.
A boilermaker apprenticeship in South Africa takes about three years, anywhere from 27 months to 4 years depending on the programme. The employers taking apprentices this year mostly want Grade 12 with maths and science, or N-level engineering subjects instead, and you finish with a trade test.
What none of them tell you is the pay. We checked six programmes and the regulator, and not one publishes a stipend. The only apprentice pay data we could find averages R6,420 a month, and it comes from just five job adverts.
| Programme | Where | What you need | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transnet | Durban | Age 18 to 35. N2 or N3 to N6 engineering subjects, or NCV level 4, or technical Grade 12 | 3 to 4 years |
| Steinmüller Africa | Mpumalanga power stations | 35 or younger and unemployed. Grade 12 with maths or technical maths and physical or technical science at 50%. No experience needed. | At least 36 months |
| Howden, Chart Industries | Booysens, Gauteng, two posts | Technical matric with maths and science, or N3 with trade subjects. Medical, police clearance and psychometric test. | 4 years |
| Northlink College | College, places you with an employer | NQF level 1 with maths and science, or Grade 9 plus a foundational learning certificate, or Grade 12 with maths and science | 3 years |
| Resolution Circle | Training provider, flexible intake | Open to school leavers, artisan aides and semi-skilled boilermakers | 27 to 36 months |
| AITF | Trade test centre, assigns you a mentor | Not listed on its page | 3 years |
Sources: Transnet 2026/2027 advert (closed 9 December 2025). Steinmüller Africa 2026 advert, September 2026. Howden advert, 1 April 2026. Northlink, Resolution Circle and AITF programme pages.
Two details are easy to miss. Steinmüller wants you to live within 50km of one of eight Mpumalanga power stations, or move to Bethal at your own cost, and it provides no accommodation or transport. Transnet's 2026/2027 intake has already closed, so watch for the next one.
There is no pay column, because none of these programmes publishes one.
None of the six programmes above publishes a stipend. Steinmüller's advert says outright that pay is not specified, and Transnet's amount is not publicly disclosed.
The regulator explains why there is no single number. merSETA sets apprentice pay in the metal trades as a percentage of the artisan minimum rate, agreed by the industry bargaining council for each level of the apprenticeship. It does not publish the rand amounts on its page.
The only real figure we found comes from Indeed.
| Apprentice trade | Average a month | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Boilermaker | R6,420, range R3,200 to R9,700 | 5 job adverts |
| Millwright | R6,400 | 7 job adverts |
| Diesel mechanic | R6,433 | 6 job adverts |
| Fitter | R6,475 | 4 job adverts |
Source: Indeed South Africa, apprentice pay estimated from past and present job adverts, read 22 September 2026.
Five adverts is too few to treat R6,420 as a rate you are owed. The four trades do land close together, though, and the big pay gaps between trades only open up after you qualify.
Ask for the amount, and when it increases, before you sign. Our millwright apprenticeship guide lists the contract questions worth asking, and they apply to boilermakers too.
Yes, for most of them. Five of the six programmes in the table take applications online.
| Programme | How to apply |
|---|---|
| Transnet | Transnet Talent Portal |
| Steinmüller Africa | Its official recruitment portal |
| Howden | Chart Industries careers portal. Applications can close as soon as posts are filled. |
| Northlink, Resolution Circle | Their own online application portals |
| AITF | Through its contact page or by phone |
Have these ready before you start. merSETA's contract rules ask for certified copies of your ID and your highest school certificate, and a medical certificate, which the employer pays for. If you are under 21, a parent or guardian has to co-sign the contract.
Yes. That is what an apprenticeship is for. Steinmüller states that no experience is needed, and Resolution Circle takes school leavers.
The catch with Steinmüller is the other way round, because it only takes people who are currently unemployed.
If you are the opposite case, already working with a boilermaker but with no papers, you may not need an apprenticeship at all. Resolution Circle offers a gap assessment for the experienced-worker route, and our guide to the trade test routes and the red seal shows whether it fits you.
You do not spend three years in a classroom. Northlink sets out how the time shifts towards the workplace as you go.
| Year | At the workplace | At college |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 50% | 50% |
| Year 2 | 70% | 30% |
| Final year | 80% | 20% |
Source: Northlink College boilermaker programme.
Along the way merSETA requires you to complete a four-subject N2 with the relevant trade theory. The apprenticeship ends with a trade test at an accredited centre, and passing it makes you a qualified artisan.
Once you pass your trade test, the pay moves into a different bracket altogether. Our full guide to boilermaker salaries by province and sector covers what qualified boilermakers earn, and why two of the big salary surveys disagree about it.
Build a free CV with your school results, N-level subjects and certificates. Employers search the Workforce Direct database when they need apprentices and artisans.
Intakes open and close through the year and stipends change with each intake. Check the employer's own advert before you apply.