Wednesday 30 October 2013

7 Incredible Facts About a Career in Welding

Fact # 1 – Welding Does Not Require a College Degree

 

Welding is a career choice that does not require a college degree. Welders can get a certificate in as little as nine months to start earning a good living. Welders are judged by their skill level and most jobs require passing a hands-on welding test.

 

 

 

Fact # 2 – Welders Have Endless Career Paths to Choose From

Welding is a career that offers more choices of industries to work in and advancement opportunities than just about any other career choice. Welders are needed in almost every industry and those who want to advance their career have the ability to do so with additional schooling. Below are just a few examples of the fields in which Welders can find career opportunities: 

 

  • Inspection 
  • Engineering 
  • Robotics 
  • Education 
  • Project Management 
  • Sales 

Fact #3 - Unbelievable Out of This World Traveling Opportunities

Did you know that welding is done everywhere ranging from the bottom of the ocean to outer space and everywhere in between! As a welder there is no doubt that you will have the opportunity to travel! Traveling jobs typically pay the most and there is no shortage of openings. Welders who travel for a living are known as “Road Warriors”. The road warrior lifestyle is a culture and a way of life for many people. It is a small community of welders and craft professionals that literally live on the road, eat out every night and get paid very well to see the world. Some examples of traveling jobs in welding are:


Industrial Shutdowns Welders who work on industrial shut downs travel from place to place helping the industries that manufacture the products we buy keep their plants operating trouble free. Industrial shutdowns typically last from a few days to a few months. For most people doing this type of work, the traveling is done within about a 1000 mile radius of their home. Welders who work shutdowns typically spend six months out of the year on the road and the other six months taking time off. Not a bad deal is it?






Ship Building and Repair The ship building industry literally has communities built for welders to live because of their need for skilled welders. Shipyards are always hiring welders known as “independent contractors” to fill the job openings they have when fulfilling large contracts. The types of ships you can help build range from specialty research vessels to aircraft carriers. People who work in shipyards typically travel to the ports where the work is to be done. Shipyard jobs can last a few weeks to a few years depending on how many ships need to be built. The travel in this industry is worldwide. Some welders that specialize in ship construction and repair literally travel the globe yearly. One week you may be in the United States and the next in Japan. Working in the shipbuilding industry you never know where you will be a month from now.



  Military Support The military always needs welders to support troops. Military support jobs are typically run by contracting companies that specialize in building infrastructure and repairing military equipment. Some of the types of work that is done are building pipelines, repairing tanks and outfitting military vehicles. Welders who do this type of work can find themselves working as close as their home town all the way to places like Afghanistan and Guam.






 On-Board Ship Maintenance and Repair Life can literally be a cruise working to maintain and repair passenger ships. This type of work requires the welder to live on the ship while it travels the world. Ships always require welders to keep replacing pipes and doing repairs while the ship is out at sea. Working on a crusie ship means you can literally be in a new country every week. Welders who work on cruise ships not only get paid well but receive free room and board, chief prepared meals, access to all of the amenities and a lifestyle that most people only get to experience once in a lifetime, if at all.

 

 
Pipe Line Installation Pipe line welders travel where ever there are pipe lines being installed or repaired. This type of work often requires living in remote places like the territories of Canada and Alaska. Pipe line welders travel as long as the project requires it. In some cases the companies will fly the welder to and from their Country for holidays and vacations






 
Motor Sports We have all seen NASCAR and many other motor sports on TV but did you know that the racing teams hire welders to travel with the pit crews? Welding is a very important technology for any motorsport because everything metal is custom made. NASCAR racing teams literally build their cars from the ground up and there is a lot of welding and metal fabrication that goes in to it. Welders get to travel where ever the racing team takes them. It is an exciting career that many people would love be a part of.





 
Underwater Welding Welders can work at the bottoms of the world’s oceans. This is a highly specialized skill that can take you places that no one has ever been before. Underwater welders travel the world going from one job site to another. Some people stay in the United States while others jet set throughout the globe. There is always a demand for skilled under water welders that are willing to travel.



Fact # 4 - Skilled Welders Are Always in High Demand

Welding is one of the few career choices that is in high demand at all times. Since welders are needed in almost every industry, it gives them the flexibility to switch industries without changing careers. Let’s face the facts; most career choices have ups and downs. Welding on the other hand has endless opportunities that keep fueling the demand.

Fact # 5 -The Ability to Earn the Salary of a Doctor or Lawyer

Did you know a highly skilled welder can earn the salary of a doctor or a lawyer? Welding is one of the very few skills that can earn you a six figure income without a college degree. Highly skilled welders that are willing to travel and/or work in hazardous conditions can earn well over $100,000.00 a year! Here are some examples of welder salaries:
  • Traveling industrial pipe welders earn anywhere between $50,000.00 and $185,000.00 a year.
  • Under water welders can earn $100,000.00 to well over $200.000.00 a year.
  • Military support welders can start at $160,000.00 to more than $200,000.00 a year in the Middle East.
When it comes to welding, the salaries vary a lot. It all depends on how skilled you are and how far you are willing to travel. Local jobs typically don’t pay much or require a lot of skill. On the other hand if a student learns to weld pipe and is willing to travel then the salaries are almost too good to be true. As a welder your career is what you make of it. You can earn as little as $20,000.00 a year or you can take your career seriously and shot for the top. Welding is a career choice that rewards those who want to be the best and are willing to travel the world to earn top dollar.

Fact # 6 - Welding is the Ultimate Green Collar Career Choice







Green collar jobs are where the energy industry is going. There is a need for alternative energy sources but at the moment nobody knows what source of green energy will be the winner. The Union of Concerned Scientists had this to say about alternative energy sources.
“No single solution can meet our society's future energy needs. The answer lies instead in a family of diverse energy technologies that share a common thread: they do not deplete our natural resources or destroy our environment. Renewable energy technologies tap into natural cycles and systems, turning the ever-present energy around us into usable forms.”
As a welder it does not matter what energy sources will be the winner. Welders are going to be needed no matter what is built as long as it is made of metal. The safest bet for a green collar job is welding because no matter what technology is developed welding is a needed to make it a reality.










For information about an exciting career in Welding CLICK HERE

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