Where are all the talented welders!!!???

[diamondfab]

Hey everybody, hope all is well. Just doing some venting. Over the past month i've hired 3 different welders with certs. All seem to weld fine on my pre hiring weld test but when they're out in the field the talent fades. Not to mention the whining and complaining of the cold and the mud. We work in Canada in the winter i hope its cold. have a small company of 5 solid welders that have been with me for 5 years but cant seem to get lucky with any new hires. Any business owners, supervisors noticed a trend lately of the lack of skilled welders. Post your comments this is driving me mental.

[aametalmaster]

YUP....SEE IT EVERYDAY...Bob

[eecervantes83]

Your either paying them to much, that its gone to their heads. (That's where the whining comes from) had a coworker last year. A machinist $25+hr. Had to have coffee and a cigarette every 1/2hr. Would complaint about everything. The foreman put him on probation & no smoking in the shop. Last I heard he's straight ad an arrow.
About the weld quality, if they ain't motivated to do quality. Welds. Have em grind the welds off and fix them. Make them aware. That below grade welds. Are not satisfactory. If this doesn't do it hire new help.
Also it sounds like your wrlders are working outside. As an employer give them a comfortable environment. ( thermal gloves, boots & overalls. Goes a long ways.

[Amc724]

First thought....

The pay is not attractive to the skilled guys.

It's winter time in Canada, all us skilled guys live in Texas.

[shovelon]

It's winter time in Canada, all us skilled guys live in Texas.

[diamondfab]

Working in the cold puts hair on your chest and in some cases on your back. My employees are pretty spoiled. The best of the best equipment and warm winter gear coming out the ying yang. I think some blame has to go to college welding programs and private trade schools. People get their tickets and think they're full rate welders. To me a cert from a school is your license to learn.

[jfk92]

..... a cert from a school is your license to learn.

I can't even begin to properly express how much I do NOT KNOW about welding......nor can I AGREE with you MORE on this statement...of ANY cert - regardless of profession.

Sounds like you are getting called upon to strap on that instructor gear and go produce an environment of better crew members which - is self benefiting at the end of the day after all. Guess you've also just learned (or been reminded) that you can't depend on others to produce to your expectations either.

[Doughboyracer]

Think back...

What did the guys that have been with you for 5+ years look like when they started? Time to give the newbie a bit more rope as they say...you may be pushing the good ones on prematurely.

[johny_1102]

I love the cold!

I live in Quebec,Canada and its a issue we see as well. I've been an Ironworker for 7 years now, fabrication and on site installation. But its not only a problem for welder/ironworkers its in all trades. Most guys I know take the season off.
We are obliged to be unionized to work construction here. So when you first join a union they send you a book with your worker rights which is fine but some guys take advantage of it, example if its +40c or above or -35c or below you can just go home. Its happened plenty of times we are less then a hand full of guys on site because of this.
For the quality in welds in my opinion, welding coupons to pass tests and welding on site are two different things. What we have done in the past is let our welders weld only during shop fabrication to see his workmanship, quality ect. for a period of time as a trial period before we even consider letting them weld on site certified or not.
So having dealt with the same problems you're having we are only 2 workers in the company right now. Better to let jobs go cause lack of man power then loss money on bad workmanship that can also ruin a company's rep.

[Dipsomaniac]

I blame companies like Miller that build new machines so advanced that even my pet dog's welding can look good. Far too many young welders have used these latest technologies to compensate for unskilled welding techniques.

[Rezeppa]

Not only Welding

It's not only welding. This trend goes on everywhere. I am in an odd age bracket of 22-25 I started welding and wrenching professionally when I was 16 so I have 8 years experience. I have seen so many guys come and go. No one wants to labor whether they are a welder, carpenter, bricklayer and so on. There is a overwhelming attitude of entitlement in the workplace nowadays. I am currently working for a smaller shotcrete / iron worker outfit in a rural area outside Detroit. I have noticed the Workforce in this small town is better than when I lived in the city bit not by much. In my opinion the problem is to much had been given away for free.

[willy]

It's not only welding. This trend goes on everywhere. I am in an odd age bracket of 22-25 I started welding and wrenching professionally when I was 16 so I have 8 years experience. I have seen so many guys come and go. No one wants to labor whether they are a welder, carpenter, bricklayer and so on. There is a overwhelming attitude of entitlement in the workplace nowadays. I am currently working for a smaller shotcrete / iron worker outfit in a rural area outside Detroit. I have noticed the Workforce in this small town is better than when I lived in the city bit not by much. In my opinion the problem is to much had been given away for free.

You hit the nail on the head - not just for the welding industry but for all. Entitlement - and giving everything away for free at the expense of others

Society and the government are turning people into a bunch of PU$$IES!

[FusionKing]

Society and the government are turning people into a bunch of PU$$IES!

I couldn't agree more

Talented help with any passion for the work is rare these days.
My son and I stay in business because we love what we do and aspire to excel in everything... but finding others to help us and hold their end up, simply seems unlikely these days.

[Meltedmetal]

Too much for free?

I think the issue is more complex than that. The people in Western Societies have had their value system skewed over the last 50+ years. We have been convinced that a paper framed on the wall is more valuable than 20 years of hands on experience in the real world. Why do we think an accountant with a pencil and a cheap computer is worth 100+ dollars an hour and an experienced welder should work (in many places) for less than 20?
The metal industry is particularly bad at valuing themselves in my opinion. Why does a plastic signal light housing retail for 130$ and a brake rotor sells often below 25$? Overall there is a lot more capital expense involved to produce the rotor than there is to produce the light and likely more labor and higher skilled as well. I am often surprised at how cheap we produce metal parts and how expensive plastic is. This is only one example you see many others every day.
I put the cause of this on too many lawyers in government and an education system that has developed a serious rot at its core. To put it simply, lawyers like to make laws(even where a little common sense would do) it is what they do, The educational system is advanced to the point where it is feeding on its self and has driven the public to believe that you can't safely pick your nose without an advanced degree in nose pickery and three government certifications with monthly inspections by inspectors with multiple doctorates in quantitative and qualitative theory and procedures of pickery.
Anyway I love a little rant with my morning coffee. Enjoy the season everyone(gotta stay politically correct).
Meltedmetal

[willy]

Another problem - gotta stir things up a little

Anyway I love a little rant with my morning coffee. Enjoy the season everyone(gotta stay politically correct).
Meltedmetal

Yep Merry CHRISTmas everyone..... (Me not being "politically correct")