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There has been quite an influx of welding related threads over the past 1-2 years. Must have something to do with the free schooling offered in many cities...
There's a local welding shop around where I live. The cars in the parking lot look pretty beat up. I wouldn't want to work there. I know some welders make good money, but they usually work in the field, in the oil industry, etc. In terms of production welding, those guys are competing against robots these days, unless it's small quantity work. Not something I would encourage, but not a bad skill to pick up.
Most of the welding jobs I've seen around here pay peanuts. I'm not a welder by trade, but it is a skill I utilize from time to time. It's worth a couple extra bucks an hour in the right place, but trying to earn a living as a welder... No thanks.
Why exactly did you pick welding? Have you ever welded anything before? Does the thought of inhaling metal fumes all day have a certain romantic appeal?
I'm interested in learning a trade on the side so I've done some research into welding. Community college might get your feet wet but it seems that if you ask anyone working in a fabrication shop, experience really is the better teacher i.e. grunt work as a low paid apprentice. A "decent" living I suppose is relative, but I've read plenty of complaints from experienced welders appalled at the amount of $10-$12/hr jobs being advertised. You might be hearing that there's a large skills gap in a trade like welding or that all the seasoned folk will be retiring soon, leaving many unfulfilled jobs, but at the same time many will say that these skilled-trade wages haven't increased since the 1960's.
I'm interested in learning a trade on the side so I've done some research into welding. Community college might get your feet wet but it seems that if you ask anyone working in a fabrication shop, experience really is the better teacher i.e. grunt work as a low paid apprentice. A "decent" living I suppose is relative, but I've read plenty of complaints from experienced welders appalled at the amount of $10-$12/hr jobs being advertised. You might be hearing that there's a large skills gap in a trade like welding or that all the seasoned folk will be retiring soon, leaving many unfulfilled jobs, but at the same time many will say that these skilled-trade wages haven't increased since the 1960's.
This is why it's rather comical to listen to these businesses whine about the shortage of quality skilled labor in this country. Basically, they are running out of people to exploit. They are faced with the frightening prospect of having to pay a dignified wage to their workers, who have invested their lives mastering these skills. Of the humanity!
The companies that pay well are not whining about a shortage of workers, because the workers flock to them. Yes, there will probably be a shortage on the grand scheme, but if the free market has it's way, these companies will start paying better, and people will start investing the time and energy learning the skills necessary to do the work. Currently, people are not lining up at the community college to learn how to do a $12/hr job, and rightly so. If companies needed these workers so bad, they wouldn't be paying such an insulting wage.
One troubling reality in the trades is the poor quality of the candidates who do take up the challenge of learning these occupations. Basically, the folks who couldn't make it anywhere else. You're not going to get quality out of these types no matter how many semesters of vocational schooling you put them through. We need smarted people in the trades. Plenty of sharp baby boomers entered the trades because they paid well in their day. Oh how things have changed!
There are good jobs out there in most trades though. Look for companies that cater towards items the rich might by. Look for infrastructure related jobs, or anything that deals with the military. Anything related to the government comes with the clause that no illegals can be used in the production of the work. Yes, they enforce this. The "good jobs" are really going to start opening up once the baby boomers call it quits. They aren't going to try to work into their late 60's like their white collar counterparts will. Physically, their bodies may not let them.
I'm interested in learning a trade on the side so I've done some research into welding. Community college might get your feet wet but it seems that if you ask anyone working in a fabrication shop, experience really is the better teacher i.e. grunt work as a low paid apprentice. A "decent" living I suppose is relative, but I've read plenty of complaints from experienced welders appalled at the amount of $10-$12/hr jobs being advertised. You might be hearing that there's a large skills gap in a trade like welding or that all the seasoned folk will be retiring soon, leaving many unfulfilled jobs, but at the same time many will say that these skilled-trade wages haven't increased since the 1960's.
welding is not a terrible trade, I know several that make money but they are out in the field all day, and a few of them travel with the union. As far as working in a fabrication shop, I doubt there is much money in it. You see if you grow up around any kind of farm (which there are less every day) than you learn to weld early, when you are in need of a job then it is not too hard to go out and get the certifications to work in a fab shop.
the ones that make money get the advanced certifications, and work either union jobs where they contract almost exclusively with the government, or they get their own welding truck and contract with companies that need contract welders to fix things in the field.
I'm unemployed so was able to land some local job training in welding. Unfortunately TIG was the only class left open so it seems a lot like walking before I learn to crawl, but I have nothing to lose. OP, I read an article about a guy who changed careers from construction to welding at 51. After a year of classes and certificates he got a job at Deere-Hitachi for $18/hr. And this was just from vocational training through Goodwill, so there might be something similar in your city if not at a community college. If you're young there's always the Navy. You can learn welding through them which would prepare you for an offshore career which is where the real money is at anyway. I would join but I think my girlfriend would kill me
Check your local union. Unions offer an apprentice program to people they think will succeed at it. A union welder can make
a very decent wage if you stick with them and get placed. Things are different now than the past few decades. Tradespeople have a higher chance of making more money than the glut of generic degreed college grads that have flooded the workforce, the first few years of their respective careers.
Welding can be extremely lucrative. Both my cousins make over 100k. Ones been doing it about 6 years, the other for over 20.
I went to a welding school, and my first year out I made 53k. I had a good permanent job. Granted I worked about 56 hours a week. I also had full benefits, awesome health, dental, and life insurance, along with a matching 401k...
We can't find pipe welders to save the life of us (I was a pipe welder) and right now the guys we hire will make around 100k (it's contract work however, often with travel)
I started out pipe welding and just moved my way up, and now work in management. I make far more now than I did welding.
Welding can be tiring, but I know plenty of guys that have done it 20-30 years and enjoy it.. It's self satisfying when you become a good welder to make a very good weld that passes x-rays. Also, when you're the guy they come and get when they need extremely critical welds made on piping, pressure vessels, storage tanks, etc.
You need to have a certification before you go into any kind of trade. There's plenty of guys out there that claim to be "tradesmen" when they aren't even licensed or certified to do the specific work and so there's no way to stand out amongst a sea of laborers. Not saying I support all that but it's the nature of the game. Next step is to get some experience, somehow. Trades are not immune to the "must have experience" thing. Then, you might have a shot of getting a job. I wouldn't bother with unions. They only care about themselves and any opportunities a union gets goes to family members or connections only. They have to protect themselves, after all.
I understand that over head stick welders are in demand .
That was some time ago , mostly for mines in Nevada I think.
There are some women that seem to get a good handle on the job for some reason.
People pass in and out of that profession all the time , largely depends on you situation.
Deep water welders are in demand too but that means diving of course. and these only work at it a few years and can't do it any more because of the pressures and alternative air mixtures they breathe but there is big money in it I hear.
I MIG ,stick,TIG,gas ,forge weld, most every thing including plastic aluminum most steels, and stainless and nonferrous metals .
Welding gives you a leg up on some jobs especially in the repair industry working on pipe and caterpillars and other earth moving equipment .
If you've a shop and 220volt power available it's nice to have your own welding equipment going.
Otherwise all you have is training in some school.
Some ski areas that have their own snow making, keep a full time welder on staff ,but usually these jobs demand more than one skill, usually several.
Certification give one a leg up on those that weld but are not certified ,so push for the cert.
I believe TIG welding is the most fun of them all having the broadest range of materials you can bond.
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