International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) Assessment Tests, Hiring Process & Interviews Online Preparation – 2025

What Is the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers?

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) is an elite membership of skilled craftsmen and women in the U.S. and Canada. They work in heavy industry, shipbuilding, manufacturing, railroads, cement, mining, and other related industries. Boilermakers construct and repair equipment from these industries, forge tools, and make consumer goods.

IBB was organized in 1880 and currently represents more than 50,000 skilled workers in more than 200 local lodges across North America. District lodges comprise groups of these local lodges and serve as an administrative, servicing, and coordinating body for each group. In addition to local lodges, IBB has transient lodges for those who like to travel and move from job to job.

Working with IBB

Boilermakers has openings for every skill level, including recent graduates and experienced professionals. Work ethic is essential to IBB, and they are happy to take the time to train anyone motivated to work with them. IBB even has programs that allow you to get paid for training.

Joining the union Boilermaker workforce comes with a variety of benefits. Some of these include:

• Top wages in your area
• Full coverage health insurance
• Retirement savings
• Per diem (depending on job site)
• Equipment provided
• Job training
• Certification testing
• Access to the Boilermakers national funds
• Dependent eligibility for Boilermaker scholarships
• Access to legal services
• Vacation trust

What Is IBB’s Recruitment Process?

Application Process

To begin the IBB hiring process, you must first fill out an online application for a specific local lodge you are interested in joining. You can also fill out a general application and have a recruiter contact you directly to determine your fit.

This form will ask a few basic demographic questions and questions about your work experience. At this time, you will also have the ability to upload a resume. Be sure that you are honest during this application process and answer all questions asked.

U.S. Boilermaker Pre-Apprenticeship Exam

If you are applying for a position in the U.S., you will need to go through an examination process after applying. The U.S. boilermaker pre-apprenticeship exam consists of several aptitude tests that will examine your ability to be a successful boilermaker.

The exact psychometric test you take will depend on your location. However, most applicants can expect to encounter topics such as:

• Mechanical Comprehension – IBB prides itself on providing the industry with workers who have quality technical skills in fabrication, metalwork, and welding, among other areas. Because the organization places such a high value on work quality, they need to find members who display technical excellence and work ethic.
  One of the areas you will need to test for is mechanical comprehension. In this portion of the aptitude test, applicants will answer science-related questions covering topics such as heat, electricity, energy, molecules, and friction. You will also come across mechanical diagrams, including gears, pressure gauges, and other topics that examine your mechanical knowledge relating to boilermaker tasks.
• Mathematics Concepts – In addition to mechanical comprehension, applicants can also expect to answer questions that cover many mathematical concepts and functions. Some of these topics include:
  • Measurement
  • Metric/imperial conversion
  • Algebra
  • Volume
  • Geometric objects
  • Fundamental arithmetic calculation
  • Equations
  • Inequalities
  • Numerical and spatial reasoning
  • Percentages
  • Graphing

  This section of the aptitude test will include a few practice questions with provided answer explanations so you can have a quick revie w of some of the concepts before taking the test.

• Reading Comprehension – Reading comprehension is also an essential aspect of working as a boilermaker. The pre-apprenticeship exam is designed with text passages and questions that examine your ability to read and understand information throughout the entire test.

Canadian Boilermaker Pre-Apprenticeship Exam

The Canadian boilermaker pre-apprenticeship exam is very similar to the U.S.-based exam. If you are applying for a position in Canada, you can expect your aptitude test to cover the same three primary areas:

• Science: The science portion of the exam will consist of 28 multiple-choice questions.
• Math: The math portion of the exam consists of 50 questions.
• English and Reading Comprehension: Unlike their U.S. counterparts, Canadian applicants can expect to take a separate reading comprehension exam that consists of 22 questions. This test will involve reading selected passages and using the information to draw conclusions and apply concepts. It would help if you also were prepared to summarize or recall the information given.

You will have three hours to complete this multiple-choice exam, and each applicant must score at least 70% on the exam to successfully pass the test.

How to Prepare for the IBB Assessment?

The Boilermakers Union sets high standards for its members. Only qualified journeymen are accepted into the apprenticeship program to continue to train and build up their skills.

No matter what country you are applying from, the best way to prepare yourself for the pre-apprenticeship exam is to take practice tests and review online materials such as study guides and helpful exam strategies.

Many of these online resources are free to use and will significantly increase your chances of doing well on the pre-apprenticeship exam. The pass threshold of the exam is very stringent. It is important to take advantage of all available resources to perform to the best of your ability during the exam.