Taking Advantage of the Welder Shortage
By now, we’re all aware that as the baby boomer generation retires and fewer young people enter the industrial trades, there will be a critical shortage of qualified welders.
By most estimates, the shortage will begin hitting full stride around 2010 and 2011. As disheartening as this might be for the economy and U.S. manufacturing, times have never looked better for skilled welders.
If you’re a novice welder, you may have an easier time finding a job at companies that normally hire only experienced welders.
If you’re an experienced welder, you’re knowledge will be in high demand and you might have your choice between jobs and job environments.
And if you’re an expert welder, your skill set could be in such short supply that you might have employers competing for your expertise.
So, the question is, what are you doing to position yourself to take advantage of the shortage? You’re already in good shape if you know how to weld, but if you increase your skills through additional training, you will truly be in the catbird seat when the full brunt of the welder shortage hits.
Do you have any plans to increase your skill set, or in some other way position yourself to benefit from the coming welder shortage? Please share your thoughts on this subject by posting a comment below.
Average (Not Rated)
January 15th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
i was working in a welding shop then work was trickleing in after a few months there. then i had to be let go. i’m still looking for work and would rather have another welding job, but since i’m still a “kid” people dont want to hire me, train me, etc. sure i could go get a job at a retail store, but thats not welding. and its really sad that to get a job in the trades no matter what it is (welding, plumbing, framing) these days you need at least 2+ years of work experience. what do you do if your fresh out of high school? no wonder why the trades are dying
January 15th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I agree. Anybody out of high school that is just spinning their wheels, I suggest you enter either the Navy or Air Force, and become an expert welder. The Navy will teach you underwater (wet) welding, (among other forms) and the Air Force will teach you aircraft quality welding. One can name their wage and/or salary when they get out. With the new inverter technology these days, an old timer like me is becoming an “antique.” It’s a very honorable and respected trade and living.
January 15th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
ya i considered doing the military thing, dont get me wrong i love the country, but going overseas is not on my to-do list. ha ha. I’m on the waiting list for an apprenticeship for the pipefitters union in Phoenix but even those contractors aren’t getting much work now….
January 15th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
You can find a welding job all over the US. If you are willing to move and Phoenix is a hot spot, contact SSC, Quincy Joist, Basic Metals, American Steel any of theses companies are hiring in that area, on the East coast Norfolk, Va. ILA (Longshorenen) Local 1970 is looking for good welders. Look at AWS, AISC web suits they are good starting points.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:04 am
It’s a catch twenty two, in order to get a job you need experience, to get experience you need a job. Almost all of the adds in the classifieds where I live ask for minimum 5 years experience as well as certifications. If your fresh out of school the first little while can be rough, you usually end up working in the bottom of the barrel shops to gain some experience.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:55 am
I am hopefully taking advantage of the shortage in my area. I presently teach some welding classes at a local high school. I don’t want to insult those of you out there by calling myself a true welder, so I am a teacher. I have had several students pass through my classes to go on to do some awesome things, I think, in the industry and then come back to talk to my kids. I am about to jump in and start a repair and fabrication business here in SE KS (mostly farm equip, corrals, fences, etc…) . Just bought a Trailblazer 302 and already have a MIG 250MP. Am I crazy? The only other fellow around that advertises his services is 57+, ready to retire and does not want to do portable welding. Likes his shop, which he has deserved. Is anybody else out there doing such a thing or is this a pipe dream. I’ll be 32 and have to get out of the politics of Education.
January 16th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
If you have a strong passion to be the best welder you can be and have some equipment to get started, I’m very sure you could make a living at your welding trade. I learned to weld about 35 years ago working at a farm. I realized that welding was something I enjoyed so I kept building things and repairing. About 30 years ago, I started working for the Minnesota DOT , in road maintenance. Soon I got married, and welding still remained a parttime income. I have accummulated just a whole shop full of Miller welding machines over the years and still do custom welding and portable welding in our area. I’m sure I could have made a lot more money if I had taken the chance and went full time welding. What I’m trying to tell S.L. is, if your dream is to be an excellent welder and you have the drive to go for it don’t let someone tell you that you can’t succeed at the very thing that turns your crank – especially if you are single! I’m 53 now, but if I had it to do over my welding business would be my main source of income, not the parttime job. Keep a positive attitude and shoot for the moon, even if you don’t get exactly what thought you wanted you will be way farther in the end and you will have enjoyed the whole ride. Keep on burning those rods!
January 16th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
One other thing that has caused a decline in demand for welders it the welding equipment manufactures. Yes, thats what I said.
Those little home wire feeders have killed the independent repair shops. Every Tom,Dick, and Harry can go to Lowes or HD and get a machine that will do most home and light equipment repairs for less than a days charge of a welder for hire.
I know these shops don’t normaly employ a large amount of people, but they do add up and are one sourse of on the job training for new welders.
This comment is useless, since it has already happened and the profit from these little “MIGs” is in the pocket and I can only see it progressing.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I HAVE BELONGED TO MILLWRIGHT UNION LOCAL# 2158 BETTENDORF,IOWA FOR 28 YRS. THEY OFFER 4YR.APPRENTICESHIP’S AND ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR EAGER,ENTHUSIASTIC PEOPLE WITH WELDING SKILLS WHO WANT TO ADVANCE THIER CAREER.
January 17th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
thanks for all the replies. Kenny Larson- thanks for the advice. i’m determined to be the best i can be and do what i want to do. I’m still looking for work while still on the waiting list…
January 18th, 2008 at 7:23 am
I also have a strong passion for welding, to be the best weldor I can be in all areas of the weld. The Miller machines are in the frount of the field. I ues P-456 cc/cv and the set up (Great).
January 18th, 2008 at 11:54 am
i am sick of hearing people are short of welders. i have gone to a welding school to learn how to weld. and cant find a welding job at all in my zip code . but all these places say thy are short of welders but wont hire . and i pass weld teat i take at those places and no calls back . then i will try again and thy say thy are short of welders again . i like whats up whit this . so i just think the short of welders is a lot to do whit the companys it self even try umions no call on that ther just sick of people of saying short of welders so
January 18th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Hey fellas my name is Brad and I support the military option mentioned above by some of the other responders. I decided to pursue my passion for welding through the Texas Army National Guard. I am assigned to Ellington Air Force base in Houston, TX as an aviation maintenance welder. Even though I went through a formal welding school through my local community college, I found it quite difficult to “get my foot in the door” and as they say “experience is everything”. So therefore I’m gaining the real world experience through the military training. I’m still pursuing my passion for medicine as a nursing student as well. So I suppose the point is that there are many options available in ones pursuance of welding and many avenues of approach as well i.e. military, civilian, unions, etc. Best of luck to all!
January 18th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Mooseye, I think that more people with little welders is a good thing for professional welders. Most of us who got a home machine are doing things that *WE* want to do *ourselves*–as a hobby or to get stuff done we would just not do otherwise. (I’d do more with wood if I didn’t have my machine.) Also, if we do a good job then it’s also possible for neighbors to want to get something made by a professional.
Another perspective on the question is that when the costs of the professional reach some level the demand can go off a cliff. Work doesn’t get done or goes to China …or illegals take the work (in the tax-free cash/barter black market economy). I hope that America can maintain a good level of skilled welders employed at good wages. I don’t want the jobs to go away. I don’t want the skill level to drop. I want us to be a creative *and* industrial nation.
January 20th, 2008 at 7:36 am
I’m a Brazilian boy (17year old) and a apprentice of weld of a big group (SYSTEM USIMINAS). Here, there is a Shortage of qualified welders, technicians and engineers on field of weld.
There are little schools with quality and courses in this field.
By now, what make success here is the course of Weld Inspector (WI) and iNspector of Rehearsals no destructive.
January 20th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Hay Guys, I just went back to work as a custom welding fabricator and repair man. What got me the job was my ability to cover all of the types of welding processes in the service market. Fritz is right about the “Home Welder”. But not all people can make repairs with these little buzz boxes. Most people still want a skilled welder to perform any major repairs. I have found in the last 10 years it has been a great help to learn more about welding and not to treat my job as just a “JOB”. My 14 year old son is taking welding clases in high school, a lot of schools don’t even offer it any more. As far as cost are concernd, it’s what the Market will bear. Welding shops in AZ. charge from $45 to $100 an hour. It’s $60 at our shop and people thank thats fare.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
charge the doctors what they charge us. Charge the business owners a lot more than they pay us; charge ‘em like they charge others. We do this stuff for profit, so never work for free unless you want to get a lot of phone calls from “friends” looking for someone to work for free. Keep prices fair and charge what the job is worth. Consider knowledge as you consider labor; the same goes for equipment and liability.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
A little background first; I am 56 years old. I am disabled vet 40% rated disability but I can easily weld in a shop. I was in construction for 14 years. I worked for Brown & Root for 9 Years. I was certified by brown and root on flux core (innershield), MIG, Stick, Pipe and Structural, as a first class welder. I even went offshore for B & R to put up oil rigs. I was also certified 1st class on submerged arc. I was (am) so good at my job(hate to seem to brag) that I was always singled out to do repairs on a weld that did not pass and my repair passed every time without exception. My reputation with the x-ray crews, mag. tests etc. was so good that I saw many times (only on non-x-ray tests) that the tester saw my numbers on the weld they did not test it they just put a green paint stripe on it. I know they could of got in trouble for it but thats just the way it was. I was tired of working for B&R because I was acting lead off foreman with another welder (a good friend). He was given the paid position. I had more time in service as well as I could kick his (edited) in welding and metallurgical knowledge. I was told it was because he was black and at that time (1985) they had to have so many black supervisors. Well he came to me and said he was not going to take it and I said Victor, take it. If you don,t they will find someone other black individual for the position. Since Vic and I were such good friends I was very happy for him but very angry at B&R so I volunteered for the next lay off. People were getting laid off all around me but I couldn't get laid off . I had to go to the corporate office which was on Clinton drive at that time to finally get myself laid off. I went to college studying Law enforcement, went to the academy and became a County Deputy. I worked 16 years a s a deputy and finally had to take a medical retirement due to my legs getting messed up. I have kept my skills honed by doing all kinds of cracker box welding here and there. on a limited part time basis. I want to buy a welding machine and try to start my own business doing small welding jobs by bidding on contract jobs. How and where do I learn to bid? That is my biggest problem!
January 23rd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I’m a pipe welder, 52 years old, been in the U.A. for 29 years. I currently work at a large university where I’m the Foreman of the Plumbing, Pipefitting and Steamfitting shop. I worked out of the Union Hall for many years until I hired into the university. If you like to weld and want to be a welder for a living, learn to weld pipe. It takes some skill, a good teacher and a lot of practice to get really good. Learn to stick weld both “up-hill†ASME and “down-hill†API. Learn to run a squirt gun standing at a positioner in a fab shop. Get your skills up to speed to do open root and hot pass TIG welding on stainless and chrome pipe. When you get to the point that you are getting called by name to go to work, you have arrived, you will make a very good living for yourself and family. I did and I have enjoyed the entire journey.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Sam- thats cool that you’ve had all that experience, and even better that you won’t let a disability slow you down. I have no idea how to go about the bidding process, I’d imagine you would need to figure consumables (gas, wire,nozzles, gloves, grindin wheels etc.), how long it would take per unit, then to make the difference in your electric bill, and how much you want to make per hour. Thats what i would try to figure. how? good question. ha ha.
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I do think there is a shortage of qualified welders, specially in the Food Grade welding business…. im a 28 year old guy , have been welding for 6 years in food processing plants. working mainly with stainless metal, just recently bought me a welding rig and started to work on my own, there is a lot of work for Sanitary welders… but i do want to get more experience in welding pipe, probably some oild field work… so latr on i can and will be able to do it all and do it well TIG STICK MIG stainless or carbon.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Robert, all good welders (not rod burners) take pride in everything they do, when I make a weld, it’s like signing my name, I want it perfect! So if your welding and or attitude is anything like your spelling and sentence structure, then its no wonder why no one will hire you! The first thing in any craft is having pride in your work, you learn that valuable lesson and you will go far!
January 24th, 2008 at 10:41 am
industry has to accept some responsiblity for bringing in more qualified welders.
one suggestion is to hire a person out of welding school that shows some potential and place him as a helper to the welders for tasks that aren’t critical to quality. as time goes on he can begin to get the skills required to do the job.
i know it can be a finacial burden for some small companies but lets face it larger companies can handle this expense.
another problem with welders getting a job is many are specialists. if a company is looking for TIG welders with experience someone who only has a little knowledge of it isn’t going to get the job. continuing education in the field is going to help.
private welding schools are also in trouble at least in my area and i think the state only has one tech school left with welding.
i have 2 workers here that spent a lot of money and 3 years in a private weld school and i wouldn’t let them weld anything that someones life depended on. they learned more here than the school taught them.
when i was hiring a while back many people from the school came to test and i found that i couldn’t hire any of them for even basic welding positions. in fact one of the instructors tested here and i found that a lot of his students were better than him. the schools aren’t preparing students with the skills needed for regional demands. they don’t have good equipment or even suffient materials to work with and the private schools are in it for profit.
a friend of mine is a state trade school plumbing teacher and when i asked him what his budget was for the year he said 2 grand.
i’m not sure i have the whole answer to solving the welder shortage issue but the time is coming soon for industry to step up to the plate and protect it’s own interests. companies like Electric Boat and Pratt & Whitney all had schools to supply demands for positions.
private schools and trade schools are for people that want to weld broken shovels and lawn mowers at home. they are failing to provide skills for industry.
January 24th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I have been in the welding and fabrication industry for 10yrs. But…Never certified.
Now I just started a year long welding class overseen by the AWS.
And after the end of the year we should recive 7 AWS certificates.
I already have the fab and welding know how but I will have the AWS certs for my resumes.
I am doing this at the age of47.
That is a great investment I believe.
Darrell
January 25th, 2008 at 1:33 am
its not really how old you are but ist how well you can weld i got my first welding job three months after i turned 18 because i showed my ex-boss how well i could weld and work. i am pretty well rounded in Tig Mig Gas and Arc i pretty good with carbon steel and getting good with stainless fast but welding just come naturally with me i have been welding since i was 13 in high school and i baught my own welder off some crack head when i was 15. i am now 19 and work in the sanitary welding industry im a purge welder and pipe fitter and im not over exadurating at all. if you think i could help you out or if you want some advice send me an E-mail at elduker29@aol.com
January 25th, 2008 at 8:21 am
I have to agree with all these posts. It can be difficult because there are so many other forces out there…the cheap chinese steel allows people to just replace chipper blades and snowplow blades. People are taught to just replace and buy new. We have to teach that you can hard face the blades and charge at a rate that is reasonable but allows for income. I agree that a weld is our signature. People are so into how things look. If it looks nice they think they got their monies worth…unfortunatley making things look nice takes time so there has to be balance between cost and reputation. I sometimes eat a little labor cost to make something look pretty but then like the other guy says…you’ll have a lot of customers if you work for free! Attitude, certifications, equipment, cheap replacement parts, etc. Welders can find themselves dealing with all kinds of factors and then you have the “I can weld also” people who sure can tell you everything there is about welding but when you hand them the stinger they have somewhere else to be. It all makes for interesting times and on some days you’re making money and then other days you’re wondering how you’ll make it through the rest of the month, but this comes with any job or business. What we all have in common is our desire to weld and no one process is better than the other, they all go to the final outcome and our personal satisfaction of producing something. Are welders in shortage…I think that people have forgotten that things can be fixed…we have this “buy it now”…”get it now”…mentality and I think that we need to educate people that things can be fixed. America loves to shop and the days of repair are not considered. I never heard my dad say he will get new…it was always He will get it fixed. Those words are like stricken from our vocabulary. Somehow we have to get that mentality back, so a man can look at his trailer with the broken light mounts and think…”For $20.00 I can get that fixed.” A reasonable price and everyone is happy.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
i don't really find theres a shortage of welders, don't get me wrong it's no trouble to find a job here in alberta, but there not screaming for welders like everyone says. i have about 7 years experance (b pressure,stainless,inconal bla bla bal). With welding you have to start at the bottom and work your way up, i worked in so many scabby shops for no money its not funny. Until you have your ticket you kind of got to take what you can get! but it's worth it if you stick with. (edited = Poor) welders are a dime a dozen it you do a good job, take pride in what you do and always try to improve the skys the limit.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Bernie,
I have to agree with you on what you said. I think this shortage, along with many other trades, such as nursing, doctors, plumbers, etc, is the direct cause of the times that we’re living in and how they are changes as the decades pass.
The most influential person in my life was my grandfather. A man who retired from the local copper smelting factory here in town after 37 years of very hard, back breaking, work. If something was broke, he would make his best effort in trying to fix it himself. In whatever it was, he fixed what he could, the best that he could, and it had his signature…. sometimes, more obvious than others. When he retired in ’77, I was 6 years old. I remember clearly what my days as a small child were comprised of, playing outside, watching cartoons, and when I could, follow my hero around the house, watching him build something, or work on my grandma’s ‘honey do’ list. I didn’t have a computer, play station, or internet. I ran the hell out of my bikes, skateboards, and watched countless times cars running over my footballs, or a stray baseball hit a neighbors window.
My point. Its simple. Kids this day and age have so much more that is hurtled at them and in turn is making them grow up much faster, without living and learning the real lessons in life. If they are not talking on their cell, playing a video game, or surfing on the internet, they are more concerned on their looks at the local mall. Kids this day and age are skipping the playing, running, biking and outing phase, all the physical things that make up a good blue collar worker. I feel if our younger generation had some more exposure to things other than the ones fore mentioned, we would see not the lack of blue collar force. I often wonder of what the childhoods consisted of the all the people involved in the development of the Saturn rockets that landed man on the moon. I wonder where the creativity came from the people whose concept of the space shuttle was turned into a reality. I can certainly bet that these people didn’t have the things our younger generation has at their fingertips.
I hope that our presidential candidates see the writing on the wall, and make appropriations to assist local governments to assemble and teach the crafts that made our country what it is today.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Hard work, dedication and the ability to be the best you can be is not only a great trait to have in life, but also in the welding and fabrication trade. Being proud of your work will always shine through when the finished product is shown.I agree that most schools do not prepare future welders for the realities of the trade,yet it is always up to the individual who is under the hood. I insist that experience is the number 1 thing that makes a welder/fabricator better at his trade. Constant training and the willingness to learn from the old school welders is needed.
January 30th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
we are having this problem in north dakota. my experience with kids out of welding school is they think they deserve $20.00 a hr. but only want to do $5.00 worth of work. if this is the work ethic of the next generation then we are in trouble. im 54 years old and when i started 33 years ago i listened when the older guys would show you something. thats how you learn. now you try to show somebody what they are doing wrong and they think your an idiot. because they went to school for six months they know it all. thats why unions have 4 year apprentiships.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:49 am
one thing to keep in mind, escpecially in the oil patch in alberta/sask. its not what you know its who you know. welding in this area is still a “boys” club. i’ve been welding 12+yrs and portable 2+yrs with all the usual tickets(small bore,i.p. and CWB smaw). it is tough to find regular work at times.some of the requirements that they ask for in the patch can be so sitespecific that its beyond comprehension for a little guy like me. many employers in this area still have the attitude that welders are a “dime a dozen”. boy are they wrong!until break up is over that might be partially true, but when it gets crazy busy around here the companies sure find who the real quality guys are. i’m talking about the ones who answer the phone at 3am,care about the quality of work,and the ones who dont expect $100/hr with a minimum 3hr charge for a 10min job.i’ve worked with younger guys than me that dont want to get dirty/break a sweat or freeze their #$%^& off when its 30 below for 2 weeks.if you can’t hack get out of the way for the guys willing to go above and beyond to make sure they are working tomorow and the next day.One little bit of advice for those who want to get into portable welding. make sure of your start-up costs(insurance,truck payments)etc.find a place to work that has work for now and the near future(so you can get a little money in the bank) and don’t be nieve like i was and only buy the big and the baddest equipment available. buy used if you can(keeps the monthly payments manageable when its slow) and last of all ENJOY what you do for a living.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Lets look at the facts: Qualified and commited welders are hard to find. Make no mistake, welding is a lifestyle. This lifestyle does not fit everybody. People need to have commitment when going into this field. Trust me, you can see who has made welding a career. Yes, you have to build your skills and reputation, it takes time. Yes, you have to work hard and get dirty. The rewards are worth it.
I work in the nuclear field, poor welding skills there are unacceptable. I have spent my career (26 years), both in the construction and maintenance of nuclear plants. I currently supervise and oversee the welding activities of both in-house welders and contractor welders. I am charged with welder qualification for refueling support, so I see various levels of welder skills. Every welding crafts (pipefitters, boilermakers, millwrights, etc.) are needed to support refueling maintenance activities. The welders coming in are tested; a percentage of those welders do fail to pass the tests. We try to get an idea of their training and experience to help them improve. We offer tips and some ideas on how to correct their mistakes. Why do we do this, because good qualified welders are hard to find. If a welder has potential, good coaching is needed to help them improve. I have seen the results of poor teaching, it shows; poor rod control, poor puddle identification, excessive undercut, incomplete fusion, etc. It is our resposibility as members of the welding industry to help the next generation of craftsmen.
February 8th, 2008 at 4:32 am
I have pushed the limit on my professional capability, as a welder and processes, and procedures, always trying to better myself and my performance. Ive been welding since I was 15, I had welding rop, 2 periods at the end of the day in high school, and would drive to Long Beach to work in my brother in laws fathers structual steel shop, Lockhart fab, Iam now 47 and live in Bullhead city, Topock, AZ. and own my own welding company, IronEagle Welding LLC. ,, my advice to the younger generation is this, hands on experience through hours of burning pounds after pounds of rod, something is bound to happen, also AWS Certification, Iam a proud member of the AWS and Ill never forget the first time I tested and passed , Sheilded metal arc welding , 3G, 4G, 7018 lowhydrogen, 1/8 in. 1/2 in. plates, Radiographed and accepted, it was the best thing Ive ever done D1.1 structural, since then Ive certified in 3 different processes, and 7 different procedures, all unlimited, smaw,fcaw,tig,pipe,chem petroleum pipe, alum,stainless, I look forward to the future and know I hold a place in the front lines on the mastery of this trade, seriously involved, Danny D. Anderson owner,operator IronEagle Welding LLC. Bullhead city Arizonia 928 542-8449 928 768-3786
February 8th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
To Julian S, that welder you bought off some crack head most likely did not belong to him. Theft is a huge problem with any one who ever has a serious welding business. I have alot of opinions on this subject, but I’ve never developed my typing skills.
There seems to be a large effort by the structural steel companies in CA to hire illegals or the children of such, to fill their desire hire cheap labor.
Canada has such a huge demand for fabricator/welders and yet the corporate mind set is that you skim savings by subpressing wages and going to China and other countries where wages are notoriously low and importing labor in mass. Welders/fabricator in general are not idiots and we need to be compensated for what we do. If you want people to move their families to an area that is expensive, cold and in the middle of serious growing pains you’ve got to pay them a good wage for them it to make it worth their while. What is wrong with welders prospering when there is a major shortage. You do get what you pay for.
I’ve moved to New Zealand to try and get away from an out of control illegal immigration problem in CA. New Zealand has the same problem of shortages of skilled welders but the strategy is the same, bring in cheap labor from Fiji, Sri Lanka, India and others, but at least the NZ government makes it more difficult than the U.S. Gov… The U.S. Gov. has not protected the american worker against unfair illegal labor. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
The advice that JSH gives to Robert is brilliant. You have to have pride in your work in order to do well in this industry and it’s more than just burning rod.
Does any one know what’s going on in the oil sands of canada? I’ve heard that the bigger companies are bringing welders in from China in mass.
Local 393 Plumbers and Steamfitters in San Jose (my home local) has done it right and has a state of the art joint journeyman /apprenticeship program. This a great way to get on the job and off the job (classroom) training and get paid a decent wage at the same time.
February 17th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Reading everyones commets it sounds like a most of you guys have stronger welding skills than I have. I just wanted to tell the ones that want to work for them selfs the best thing to do is to be honest and always do your best always strive to lmprove. I fabricate, repair and weld in a farming area I get more and more business each year. I have a Miller Trailblazer 302 with a spool gun best investment I ever made.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
In any trade, a true professional can see what is required in their area to make a decent living and live a good life. Welding is not a trade for anyone who doesn’t want to work hard or get dirty and burned. It takes a unique individual to feel the pain of fire burning them, say OUCH!, and then go right back to what they were working on. There is a fine line between determination and insanity! I love my career as a welder fabricator and I can’t imagine doing anything else for a living ,or hobby. You can’t get better by watching! HOOD DOWN!!
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:13 pm
For me point blank. Formal training is basicially the best thing a up and coming welder can have under their belt prior to getting or going to look for a job. With a strong foundation ya cant go wrong. Always remember the more you know the more marketable one is and to have extra credentials DONT HURT AT ALL.(certs etc) A lot of the problem is STUDENTS NOT APPLYING THEMSELVES TO THE UP-MOST OF THEIR ABILITY. Alot feel they know as much or more than the instructor. And if thats so why are you in school? Learn to pay attention and burn the rod so yall can take advantage of the POSITIONS IN WELDING THAT ARE AVAILABLE…HELLOOOOO.The best investment is in yourself.
So invest all you GOT.
welding 16yrs and yes still LEARNING and INVESTING it dont stop please Belive me.
”strive for perfection but be willing to accept excellence”
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I’ve owned my own welding business for 15 yrs. My Dad started it after he lost his leg in a farm accident. Him and I ran the shop for 10 yrs before I bought him out. Our customer base is growing faster than I can keep up.
The types of work changes from day to day. One minute were running 7018 overhead on a dump truck frame the next minute we need to get to the cheese factory to put in a food grade stainless steel line. We have 6 welders employed with us. They have been a pretty good team (minus personal problems and 1000 other job problems ha ha) I was talking to a couple of them and we agreed that we could get higher paying projects for the shop
If we were structural steel certified. They all have past my business in house welding tests but I would like to get them some state papers. We are in Wisconsin. Who would come to our business that would be qualified to test them and certify them. How Would I find this person?
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:52 am
I got into welding over 14 years ago, all due to my high school shop teacher. What a guy!! then went to tech school (college) and got a degree in welding technology. Again had great instructors and they made it a positive experience and tips to go get a job. Got a good and hard job right out school and worked my but off. Little did I know that working hard, listening, and have good co-workers (at the time) gave me the stepping stones to continue an honest career and some decent pay. As I kept working, and moving to different areas and jobs, the knowledge kept growing. I can say that I applied for a job about 7 years into the profession, that involved a lot of aluminum welding and they said that I had to much experience. I told them that I just wanted to get more knowledge and I didn’t mind the pay cut just to try something different for a little while. I don’t know??
Well, all this is leading up to the current times. I moved back home with my wife and was looking forward to finding a job with OK pay, it didn’t have to be anything fancy. (I had the thoughts in the back of my mind of starting my own welding business). I needed to take a job for a little while so I could finish paying for equipment. I can honestly say that I have never been treated like dirt until that job. I think that is becoming a major factor in the welding field and employers need to start taking a good look at this matter. I have talked with past co workers and they are finding out this same area of disheartening topic. It’s to bad, I know a lot of good welders, fitters, and fabricators these days.
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
While I don’t work in the welding industry specifically, the following comments apply to any job (no pun intended):
Having been in the business world for a number of years, and being in charge of a lot of hiring/firing (and sitting in on interviews), I can say authoritively that if you “think” you are qualified for a job, go through an interview/test, and don’t get the job, and the company re-posts the position a week or two later, there is a probably good reason. Your bad attitude probably came through.
Nobody is wants to hire a guy with an attitude. If that is all a company who places a Welder Wanted Ad gets for a response to their job at (qualified guys with an attitude), then they will simply re-post the job listing next week and hope for that one guy to come in who has a good attitude. If you keep going to the same job interview, and don’t get it, and they keep re-posting it, yes, there actually is a need, and no, they don’t want to hire you, probably for a good reason.
I can usually smell a bad attitude a mile away, and if they try to hide it, I can make it come out in a job interview within 15 minutes. I guarantee you that these welding shops are going through the same thing. They want good employees, not “know-it-alls”, problem people, etc. You can’t run a good shop (or any business) when you are constantly fighting your employees, dealing with problems, or firing employees, and having to pick up the slack in a project because you are a man (or more short). Employers want good employees, and are risk aversive to anyone who might be a problem. They learn quickly that they do not want to take a risk.
My only advice to people who are looking for work and can’t find it has gently been said by some of the more experienced guys here already:
Be humble in the interview, but talk about your experience and desire to learn.
Don’t ever speak badly about a past job experience. When asked why you are looking for work, talk about wanting to learn more, work for a more progressive company, move on in your career, etc. The moment the interviewer loosens you up in the interview (that would be me, by the way) and gets you to talk about what a jerk you last boss was, you will not get that job.
If your work experience covers a lot of different employers over a very short time, you are already looking like a bad employee. Make sure you have at least 2 solid years somewhere (even at a restuarant). It makes you look stable.
Work hard at every job you do, as past references can be the the final key to you getting a desirable new job. I have interviewed seemingly great guys, gotten two good references, and one bad one, and not hired the guy. Remember, employers are risk aversive. Might not be “fair”, but life isn’t.
There are exceptions to every rule, but the above is something to remember if you are having a hard time getting a job. If all else fails, move to an area that is hiring. If you aren’t willing to make change to chase a dream, you probably aren’t that motivated of a person in the first place.
If the above made you mad, you probably always will be at the world. If you agreed with it, you are probably employed and happy and controling your life through hard work.
Good Luck All,
Andrew
April 7th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Hey yall, my names Andrew, I’m 20 years old and work in a structural steel fab. shop here in Bakersfield, CA. I def noticed alot of NICE welding rigs being put up for sale in the local auto classifieds and just about every one I call on is a guy thats retiring so there is def. a shortage of welders..most of’em being pipe welders. A little bit about me…..went to work for Home Depot right outta HS at 17 (biggest mistake of my life next to credit cards) got fired from there and couldn’t find a job (believe me, I tried everywhere) Well I stumbled across this welder and asked him how he learned etc etc etc and he said told me about this local program that trains you in a trade…so I went and picked welding (smartest thing I ever did) and I love it. I went through the local college for about six months and got my certs for 3G and 4G Stick and 3/4G Flux core at the age of 18. I searched for a job for about a good 4-5 months of passing weld tests and not getting any call backs, this old timer at the place I work now(no longer works there, retired) gave me a shot. I did OK on the weld test, he made me a little nervous but I told him I was very anxious to learn everything I can about the trade and about my hard work ethic so he hired me. I started off at 12 bucks and hour a year ago and now I’m at 16.50/hr running dual-sheild with a DeltaFab 400 (great machine). I’m tryin my hardest to put together a rig but savin money is hard when gas prices are 3.50/gal and your truck gets 8mpg lol.
For the guy wanting to get started…..all I can say is man if you believe in yourself then all you gotta have is confidence, let your welds do the talkin for ya and you’ll start to get noticed, trust me.
I’m hopin to get a PRO 300D welder/generator for my birthday gift to me in August, best of luck to everyone tryin to get their foot in the door, I know its hard but keep your chin up!
May 6th, 2008 at 11:06 am
This is why I’m really fortunate to have welding classes in school. when the need hits I’ll be fresh out of school. that’s lucky on my part.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I am new to the field of welding. i start off by going to a school that i had to pay for… i didnt realize that i could have gotten free training and welding use from (EOC) equal opportunity something. if u want to get started and dont want to pay try to find this in your area. before graduating the school set me up with a temp job that was far away but paid $18hr so i did it for a week and they let me go because they realized they could afford to pay me, but i got my money. then there were 5 different local unions that came and spoke to the students about a career. after i graduated i got a job no thanks to the school. they didnt help me find it, i was fired after 3 months..it was my attitude that did it. i was trying to do my work and some kids i knew from the school been there longer were f-ing with me and i didnt appriciate it, but none the less i called the school up and the told me about this place not to far away. they hired me and i was there about a year and then i get fired again. they were hiring like crazy for a big contract they got and i had a little slip up, but it wasnt anything big. i had started the day early at 5 and wanted to leave early but unded up staying till 5 and what i was working on fell off my table and f-ed up a tig hoses and i was pissed and just wanted to leave and come back to fix it the next day. the day after that i got called in to explain and i appologized but they allready had my paycheck ready.
so i have no luck but i’m still trying to find that paycheck again. its a cruel world and we have to deal with a lot work going over seas, robitic welding.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
yeah,idid do the army thing for 8 yrs, and have been welding now for 9 1/2 yrs. i am loking inti starting my own business, and always look for ways to further educate my welding knowledge and ability. i recently took a 14 wk stick welding class were i am sending in my 3g (vertical up) test to get certified.
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:33 pm
It’s all about who you know, not how you good you can weld!
August 4th, 2008 at 11:29 am
To those young welding bound folks, I’ve got one piece of advice! Try not to scoff at starting in a welding/fab shop as a floor sweeper, grinder operator, stocker or just a tool fetcher!
Even though you may think you already have welding skills, starting in this capacity is quite a normal part of the process. Too many young people I interview want to start getting high scale on day one and want to be the boss after two weeks.
You may feel as though you are starting at the bottom of the barrel, and in fact you are, but if you bring good skills backed by a “complete understanding of welding processes” (which is becoming more and more important with the newer technologies), you will find most shops will advance you into a welding roll quite rapidly.
Remember, many of the “older” welders apprenticed under even older welders and have spent a lot of time pulling leads for and sweeping up after them.
Keep an “I want to learn everything you know” attitude not an “I already know everything” attitude. The best way to get no information from an experienced professional welder is to make it very clear you already know everything.
Every welder new to the field (regardless of the amount of schooling) has a lot to learn. Learn to keep the mouth shut and the eyes and ears open and you will go far, usually very quickly.
The industry IS looking for good workers not good talkers. If you want to be a professional talker go into politics not welding. Good luck in your search
September 13th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I live in Alberta and the demand here, unlike the rest of Canada is huge for welders. Shops will take guys in with no experience and train them right up to certification, paying for school and even paying your wages when you are in school. Here, you must go through the goverment apprenticeship and cerification process, but just starting out with no experience you are looking at $15-$18/hr. A guy who has been doing it for a 3 or 4 years, and has gone through the system gets anywhere from $30-$45/hr. this is for guys in the shop. if you have a welding rig and contract yourself out to the oilfield welding casing bowls, etc the money is crazy, the low end being around $85/hr before overtime. You can literally quit a job one day and walk into a better one the next, often having your chioce of 3 or 4 jobs. No one ever asks for references and sometimes guys dont even have a resume. Great to be in an oil driven economy i guess. Not suprisingly the companies here are trying to recruit welders here from places as far away as south america, the unions especially.
April 28th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
SURE WISH I COULD LOCATE A GOOD PAYING WELDING JOB IN HOUSTON TX IT SEEMS AS THOW THERE OUT THERE BUT YEAH! OH WELL KEEP MY CHIN UP HIGH AND JUST KEEP ON KEEPEN ON! OR MOVE. H TOWN
May 15th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
West Michigan seems to have an over-abundance of guys who have a welding machine in the back of their truck, as to starting your own business here? It would be tough. Even though most are not certified they still draw enough of the work away from those of us who are. As a fabrication shop we benefit from having all sorts of equipment like shears,press brakes,pipe benders,etc…. however the competition is still fierce… we have guys laid off who can and have built some very impressive projects. There is a job shop down the road less than a mile doing cut-rate work for less than we can even buy the steel, let alone any labor fee’s…. and we are not even in the local unions ,whose rates often run higher yet.
In todays market I would recomend keeping as many blue-prints, and documenting all your work with photo’s ( where legal) as possible. Makes for one heck of a resume when you pull out those glossy’s of a fancy polished stainless handrail you started with as raw schedule 40 pipe, or the stairway that wraps around with glass panels in a bronze anodized alum. rail. NOTE: SOME JOB SITES PROHIBIT PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO’S OF ANY SORT. (Like the tank turrent .50 cal adaptor plate I prototyped for a Defence contractor company years back.) Even though you may work for a named company, make sure the job-site rep knows who YOU are, by name. If your work stands out the chances of YOU getting another contract/job with that contractor is better yet. And last, but really should be first, ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST. You never know who is going to see your work and inquire about the individual who’s quality shows. In the tough market we face (here at least), I can honestly say these attributes have seriously helped, and should I need to look for more employment I have a photo quality resume documenting almost 25 years of various projects for any who still don’t know of my work here….. and to think it all began with a miller deltaweld 450 somewhere back in the 80′s
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 am
ive been a welder for 14 years and have had little trouble finding a welding job but nothing is more annoying than when you go for an interveiw and these places automatically let you know that “hey you know you welders are a dime a dozen” well heres a dime and find one or two in that dozen that actually have good welding capibility.yet here i am next to and work with a joker that i wouldnt trust thier welds to hold my hand yet they make the same or more than the better ones.i dunno mabye its just indiana
October 31st, 2009 at 6:05 am
A true welder is a craftmen.They are artists.Not someone who buys a welding machine zapps up a broken wheel on a lawn mower.What most people are not aware of in welding is a big time liability issue..A weld brakes an someone gets killed or injured you will be in court.If your going to weld for anyone make then sign a release so the attorneys don’t have you to blame.Yes when you have insurance it helps.So remember this when you want to weld something for someone..
December 24th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
i own a mobile heavy equipment repair business and specialize in weld repairs. with all the cut backs companys started letting their people do the repairs, because yes any monkey can weld, but to do it right and know you won’t get called back for a failure is what seprerates the men from the boys. when heavy equipment and machinery starts moving again, the amount of failures due to poor craftsmenship is gonna be off the charts. lets just hope no one gets hurt, until qualified individuals can get in there and get the job done right. the phones will start ringing again fellas. hang tuff, there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
November 26th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
Many of these business have been taken over by the “accountant types” or those with degrees, no real experience in the related fields. I recall once I applied for a job, the secretary or who ever it was ask about experience,,, I said something like,,, 10 or 20K tons, she says,, you know what you are doing then, well yes,,, we don’t want that,,, ha,,, about says it all.
November 26th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Its one of the things I admire about Miller and Hobart, they still have people in the biz that actually know something about it.