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I've been getting an urge to see some different sights in my old age, while I still am physically able, and wondering about shipping myself and a mobile welding outfit to some place that is building up but lacks skilled tradespeople. "The Economist" magazine states that India has a howling need for skilled blue-collar workers, also some of the African countries that have oil or other hot-selling commodities, maybe China.
At the moment, this is just a notion, but with more info, who knows? Have any of you done anything of this nature? I know that big internationals and outfits like Aramco hire lots of welders and supply them with all the equipment, but I'm talking about being an independent operator with a truck, getting a variety of jobs. Of course, in any place with a shortage of welders there must be a need for instructors, but that requires good language skills and more patience than I have anymore.
Seems to me that the major hassles (besides getting paid in a timely manner, no different from here) probably include finding handy sources of welding consumables and supplies, of all the metal needed, and of the hardware items, fasteners, spraypaint, etc., etc., that a guy alway ends up having to chase down, rather a hassle even here!! I was PMing a member here about the supplies situation on the big island of Hawaii, Kona side (where my brother lives, and where I have also thought of taking a mobile rig). Of course, he said, "Well, you could always bring in enough extra inventory that you could become a supplier yourself," but if you prefer to be a welder/fabricator rather than a shopkeeper, that has limited appeal. The same thing applies to being an inspector; they are always in demand in these places, but I don't think I'd enjoy the work much.
Obviously, depending on locale, the real problems might be ones of thievery, organized crime and corruption, political unrest, cultural misunderstandings; you have to know the basics of the particular place before even considering whether the business model has a chance. I'd fly over and scope out anyplace before commiting myself. I'm not 100% new to this; I lived and worked overseas once before and had a great time (I was younger and handsomer
).
So does anyone have relevant overseas experience and observations?
At the moment, this is just a notion, but with more info, who knows? Have any of you done anything of this nature? I know that big internationals and outfits like Aramco hire lots of welders and supply them with all the equipment, but I'm talking about being an independent operator with a truck, getting a variety of jobs. Of course, in any place with a shortage of welders there must be a need for instructors, but that requires good language skills and more patience than I have anymore.
Seems to me that the major hassles (besides getting paid in a timely manner, no different from here) probably include finding handy sources of welding consumables and supplies, of all the metal needed, and of the hardware items, fasteners, spraypaint, etc., etc., that a guy alway ends up having to chase down, rather a hassle even here!! I was PMing a member here about the supplies situation on the big island of Hawaii, Kona side (where my brother lives, and where I have also thought of taking a mobile rig). Of course, he said, "Well, you could always bring in enough extra inventory that you could become a supplier yourself," but if you prefer to be a welder/fabricator rather than a shopkeeper, that has limited appeal. The same thing applies to being an inspector; they are always in demand in these places, but I don't think I'd enjoy the work much.
Obviously, depending on locale, the real problems might be ones of thievery, organized crime and corruption, political unrest, cultural misunderstandings; you have to know the basics of the particular place before even considering whether the business model has a chance. I'd fly over and scope out anyplace before commiting myself. I'm not 100% new to this; I lived and worked overseas once before and had a great time (I was younger and handsomer
).So does anyone have relevant overseas experience and observations?
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