I was surprised and excited that all my work and studying had paid off. It was an incredible feeling.
L-108’s Nathaniel Loyd, winner of the 2025 Boilermaker National Apprenticeship Competition.
Nathaniel Loyd from Local 108 (Birmingham, Alabama) started on his union journey at a Boilermaker Boot Camp. Four years later, he captured Apprentice of the Year at the 2025 National Apprenticeship Competition, sponsored by the Boilermaker National Apprenticeship Program. Loyd’s achievement reflects years of hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence in the trade.
Loyd first learned about the Boilermakers through a friend and fellow L-108 member Abbott Dempsey, who told him about the opportunities in the union and also about a Tennessee Boot Camp.
“Abbott was also first generation,” Loyd said. “He was going to attend the very first Boot Camp class, and that’s what got me interested in joining.”
That first boot camp led to four years of hands-on apprenticeship training, and that journey ultimately took Loyd to the National Competition. When his name was announced as the national winner, Loyd described the moment as both unexpected and deeply rewarding. “I was surprised and excited that all my work and studying had paid off,” he said. “It was an incredible feeling.”
Representing Local 108 and the Southeast Area was a point of pride for Loyd. He was very excited to represent his local and all the dedicated journeymen, apprentices and the L-108 apprenticeship program. “We have a strong tradition of skill and brotherhood.”
Throughout his journey to the title, Loyd credits the Boilermakers who helped him develop his craft during his apprenticeship years. Many Boilermakers mentored him and helped him along the way, journeymen and apprentices alike.
Scott Smith from Local 108 showed him how to rig. Butch Roberts and Joel Miller, both from Local 108, taught him how to tube weld on a waterwall. Chris Byrd from Local 37 (New Orleans) and Ruben Medina from Local 433 (Tampa, Florida) helped him understand and work in nuclear power plants.
“The Boilermakers is definitely a brotherhood more than anything, especially on the job,” Loyd said. “It seems like no matter where you're at, you know, you're still union—union Boilermakers. And it's always a good group of people.”
To prepare for the competition, Loyd devoted himself to both study and practice. “It was a lot of book work—OSHA, LMS—and a lot of hands-on training like welding, torch cutting, arc gouging and tube rolling,” he said.
The written tests proved to be the most challenging part for Loyd. He said the hardest part for both the regional and national competitions were “definitely the written tests, along with the tube rolling and cutting out, since I had never done that on a job before,” he said.
Known simply as “Loyd” among his peers, he said the competition taught him a lot about himself. “I learned that I prefer hands-on work rather than sitting in front of a computer,” he said. “I also realized how many different facets there are to boilermaking, including power plants, refineries, paper mills, steel mills and much more.”
Above all, Loyd credits his success to the people who supported him most, his family and his wife.
“I want to thank my family for instilling a hard work ethic and a willingness to learn,” he said. “And I’d love to thank my wife for being there every step of the way. Through every job and every competition, motivating me to do my best, always.”
Loyd’s victory stands as a testament to mentorship, perseverance and pride in the craft. As he continues his career, he embodies the Boilermaker spirit. He’s strong, skilled and committed to excellence.
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