Love welding as a hobby? Why not make it your full time job. There are many different positions out there that require welding skills, and most offer a challenging and exciting life long career.
Continue reading for some basic information on careers in welding and what it takes to secure a job in this exciting field.
Who makes an Ideal Welder?
When a company is hiring for a welder, what are they looking for? Welding is one of those skills that is both technical and sometimes even artistic. The ideal welder needs to possess physical ability, stamina and most importantly manual dexterity. A steady hand and some degree of ‘OCD’ also make for a good candidate.
Welding is also a challenging field in that even though you know the basics, welding processes do continue to evolve. New equipment and welding processes may be introduced, so you have to be prepared to adapt. A good welder isn’t afraid to learn and practice a new technique or method.
Physical Requirements
Welders may be hired to work at a shop, yard or work in the field at a jobsite. Some physical fitness is required regardless of where you’re assigned. As a professional welder you’ll likely spend most of your day, welding obviously. If you have difficulty standing, bending, or lifting heavy objects, this may not be the career for you.
In addition to physical stamina, a welder needs to have good hand-eye coordination and be attentive to details. Being able to visualize the final project based off of drawings or sketches is also beneficial.
Work Related Risks
There are several risks involved in the profession. These risks can and are mitigated with proper safety but the prospective candidate should still be aware of them.
For most processes, very high or even lethal levels of electricity are involved. Fortunately, most accidents occur on the secondary side of the machine (the actual welding circuit). Voltages on this side are somewhat lower but will still deliver a shock.
The welding arc will damage eyesight if viewed directly for extended periods. This is usually more of a concern for bystanders in the welding area (the welder should be using his welding helmet). Likewise other activities such as grinding produces sparks and flying debris that can be dangerous without proper eye protection.
Finally, the fumes generated during welding can be toxic and cause health problems (both short term and long term). Respirators can be worn under the welding helmet, but are cumbersome and expensive. Most welders either forgo using them or simply won’t have them provided.
What Will Your Day-to-Day Job be Like?
This may seem like an obvious question—you’ll weld! But where will you weld? Some welding jobs are done mostly in the same factory or shop. Many other positions will have you moving from job site to job site regularly.
Welders may work outdoors with construction crews or work at a metal fabrication shop. Much will depend on the industry you intend on going into. For example, welders in ship building can almost guarantee mostly outdoor work. Pipe fitting on the other hand could be a mix of indoor and outdoor work.
What welders don’t do is sit behind a desk all day (well maybe sometimes). Take for example a larger shop with several welders. While they may have a dedicated foreman tasked with administrative duties, often times its one of the existing welders in charge of ordering materials and consumables.
Getting sufficient steel, pipe or shielding gas for the shop becomes critical to avoid having several welders standing around. Other tasks may include reviewing drawings and sketches or assigning fabrication tasks to other welders.
Are Their Jobs Out There?
The welding industry grows by about six percent every year. This means there are always new jobs being added and right now there aren’t enough professional welders to fill all of these jobs.
The American Welding Society anticipates that there will be a shortage of around 400,000 welders by the year 2024. This means welders can fairly easily find employment, even those just entering the profession.
Welders can find positions in a number of different industries. Manufacturing and the automotive industry employ thousands of welders. Other industries where welding is in demand include pipe fitting, ship building, boilermaking, aircraft and the aerospace industry and the petrochemical industry.
Welding equipment manufacturers also hire welders to do product demonstrations and to help design new tools. For the truly adventurous, underwater welders command some of the highest pay in the field.
What Education Do You Need?
While you don’t need a college degree to pursue a career in welding, many fields will require a certification process. Some jobs actually offer on-the-job training that will help you prepare for these certification exams, while others may require you to be certified before you apply.
Being a trade, if you want a formal welding education your best bet is to go to a vocational school. These schools offer everything from basic welding to more advanced courses that focus on technical drawing and metallurgy. Industries with unions may also offer training and apprenticeships.
Often, you’ll need to complete several different certifications in order to move up to a better-paying job that requires more specialized skills. There are a number of different certifications out there, so you may want to evaluate your career goals before deciding on which ones to pursue. Automated or robotic welding systems may also require certification.
Welding may not be as fast paced as some other jobs, but it is a career where advancement will always be possible as long as you’re willing to learn new methods or switch into different industries.
Pay and Benefits
While welders are fairly well paid, salaries vary between regions and industries. For a basic welding job, you can expect to start at $30k-$40k per year. Salary varies based on the demand in your area, your certifications and experience. Unionized trades where welding is part of the job can make much more, if of course unions happen to be prevalent in your neck of the woods.
Specialized welding in the nuclear or petrochemical industries pays top dollar, especially for highly experienced welders who typically weld ‘x-ray’ quality joints in which each pass is radiographically x-rayed for faults. Underwater welders also do very well given the environment and inherent risks they take.
Most welding positions also provide medical benefits, paid vacation time, retirement options, and more. While freelance welding is an option, most welders are hired as part-time or full-time employees.
Overall Career Outlook
If you want to be a professional welder, there’s certainly plenty of opportunities with demand predicted to grow in the immediate future.
While you will want to invest in some training and certification programs, the cost is much lower than a four-year college degree. Salaries are competitive and in many cases even better than similar trades. Given the earnings potential and benefits that many welders are offered, its a fantastic profession to go in to.
Welding is an exciting and challenging career that isn’t for everyone but does reward those with the skills and ambition to pursue it. For those contemplating making a go of it, the best advice is practice, practice, practice. You too can then attain that ‘golden arm’ and the big fat paycheck that comes with it!