Ironworker Apprenticeship in Kentucky

Wages, programs & career outlook

Ironworkers erect the structural steel, rebar, and precast concrete that form the skeletons of buildings, bridges, and stadiums. The work is high, physical, and schedule-driven — big crews setting thousands of tons of steel on a tight sequence.

KY Median Salary
$65,210/yr
+10% vs. national
National Median
$59,280/yr
KY Employment
130
Ironworkers employed
KY Sponsors
5
Registered programs
Training Term
3.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
4.6%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
1,500
Nationally, per yr

Ironworker Apprenticeship in Kentucky: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered ironworker apprenticeship in Kentucky combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 3.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Kentucky pay vs. national

Median ironworker wages in Kentucky are $65,210/year, +10% above the national median of $59,280. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Kentucky has 5 registered apprenticeship sponsors for ironworker listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.6% job growth for ironworkers nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 1,500 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Kentucky-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Kentucky Wage Spread

Annual wages for Ironworkers in Kentucky across all experience levels.

10th pct
$48,210
Median
$65,210
90th pct
$73,820
Middle 50% of workers earn $53,380$68,640

Current Ironworker Apprenticeship Openings in Kentucky

No ironworker apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Kentucky. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Ironworker Apprenticeship Sponsors in Kentucky

5 ironworker-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Kentucky. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current ironworker apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
ASHLAND IRONWORKERS, J.A.T. T.F. Ashland Boyd County
Ironworkers Local 44 Hebron Boone County
Iron Workers Local 70 JATC Louisville Jefferson County
WEST WIND REINFORCING, LLC Mayfield
PADUCAH IRONWORKERS LOCAL 782 JATF Paducah Mccracken County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Ironworker openings

Filter by occupation code 47-2171 and state KY for the most relevant results.

Ironworker Apprenticeship in Kentucky

The 5 Ironworker-related registered sponsors in Kentucky mean apprenticeship programs exist but aren't abundant. Building relationships with local contractors and trade unions is often more effective than waiting for formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Ironworker salary in Kentucky?
The BLS reports a median wage of $65,210/yr for Ironworkers in Kentucky (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
What is the length of an Ironworker apprenticeship program?
Most Ironworker apprenticeships run 3 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Ironworkers?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Ironworkers, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find an Ironworker apprenticeship in Kentucky?
Our directory surfaces 5 Ironworker-related registered sponsors in Kentucky. Start with your local trade union hall, joint apprenticeship committee (JAC), or state apprenticeship agency. You can also search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP.
Do Ironworker apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Kentucky, a first-year Ironworker apprentice might earn around $32,605/yr (roughly half the $65,210 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 3-year program.

Ironworker in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Kentucky

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.