welding occupation?

[dylan558]

I'm thinking about going to welding school. So you guys think there's a demand for welders in today's work force?

[aametalmaster]

NE Ohio is screaming for welders that can pass a drug test and show up on time everyday..Bob

[cayager]

NE Ohio is screaming for welders that can pass a drug test and show up on time everyday..Bob

i have to laugh. i think this is pretty much the whole country!

[Sberry]

Why do they want to get rid of the best hands??? hahaha

[mbramble]

I just graduated from the local vo-tech's pipe welding course. Not that I am interested in pipe welding, I just wanted to learn how to weld and this is what was available and the VA paid for it.... Anyway, a couple days before I graduated, I went in early to pack up some of the junk from my locker. I sta down and talked to the day instructor (I was on nights) for awhile. One of his students (a pretty good welder, according to the instructor) asked if he would call a company hiring guy and put in a good word for him. He did and the company sent him to do a drug test. He failed, end of story. The guy complained that he passed his probation screening tests every month! Another guy in the class, basically homeless and not such a good welder, asked the instructor to call the company for him. After a bit of discussion, he did. The hiring guy complained about the last guy the instructor recommended and said to tell him that as long as he has 'whatever' (he would not say) in his system he would never get hired by anyone. He relented and set the other guy up for his drug screening. He took the test and passed so they set him up to come over and do a welding test. He passed that too and was hired. He's now making $33/hr plus per diem. He stopped in after working for 3 weeks to thank the instructor and told him he was on his way to buy a new pickup truck. So, the guy who didn't weld quite as good but could pass the pee test went from being basically homeless to bringing in around $2400 week after taxes. Life changing!! The better welder is still in class though I am not sure why unless he has taken to heart what he was told.

[MMW]

Just curious, you guys talking about a need for welders, what is the pay rate? I'm in north NJ & most job openings for welders aren't paying well in this area. Wages have been stagnant here for over a decade in the blue collar world. Most ads I see are for less than $20 an hour & that's if you have exceptional skills. Keep in mind this area has a high cost of living.

[aametalmaster]

Just curious, you guys talking about a need for welders, what is the pay rate? I'm in north NJ & most job openings for welders aren't paying well in this area.

Pretty much the same here. Top rates in a shop is 20 bucks and you need to have a bunch of skills to get that. I mean fitting and welding with more on the fitting. There are kids coming right of vo tech and welding schools that start for about 12 bucks and most of them only last weeks and can't cut the early wake up alarm. The sad part is most owe 12 grand to the school with the promise of good pay and the pay isn't great unless the kid has great skills. Granted the road guys make more but i don't want to speak for them as i only see what goes on in the shop. My buddy is an HR guy at a local trailer shop and he sees about 150 new guys a year. Most leave for whatever reason and some can't pass a pee test. We hired a guy last Monday and he is gone already...Bob

[MMW]

My thoughts are companies don't want to pay for quality employees & then they complain they can't find good workers. I keep hearing about shortages in all trades & then the hiring people tell me they can't find anyone for $12-14 an hour. Maybe if your real good you might get bumped up a couple dollars over the years. Not many people want to get into blue collar work if you can't get a good livable wage. Why would anyone want to eat smoke all day when they can go do something physically easier & cleaner for the same money?

In the corporate world the temps start at $20 an hour. If your good you get hired on fairly easily.

[aametalmaster]

One thing i like about my job is the job. Never had a bad day there. Plus a great bonus at years end and some medical debit cards to offset Obama care. And a brand new MM252 when i walked in...Bob

[kevin]

it seems like the world of welding really took a turn in the 2008 financial collapse. dont get me wrong, things have been falling apart way before this, but this down turn pushed it over the top. fabrication has been out sourced, what fabrication that is left may well be robotic welding, a horse of a different color. i am in new hampshire, the live free or die state, where industry was always welcomed, there are many welding jobs. just about all of them are for tig work. if you are good at tig, you are in a god position, but if you have mastered stick and flux core, i would suggest following the oil and gas dollars, also the ship yards. most ads for mig welders are no experience needed jobs, its tough out there, i have a friend who has a mountain of certs, he has done well in the nuclear industry, you need to be really good with tig for this. if i had to do it all over again, knowing what i know now, i would work in the best of ship yards, the bigger yards, i wont name names, i have been out of that area for too long of a time to speak accuratly about them now. good luck and keep us posted

[Sberry]

I always figured that if a guy could roll a fair joint he has the hand eye coordination to be a pretty good welder.

[Sberry]

I just graduated from the local vo-tech's pipe welding course. Not that I am interested in pipe welding, I just wanted to learn how to weld and this is what was available and the VA paid for it.

If you catch on quick a pipe course would be a good way to learn. I went to welding school in a com college. I wasn't in the top of my class, well I was but it really didn't have a lot to do with welding other than I could pass all position open butt test plates. I also did apprenticeship and parts, 2 years of a couple more trades. People that have been thru trade school teach better than those who don't, usually, and those that been to 1 learn better.
I got a long story with welding and some zig zag route. One regret which I had intended right out of the box was I didn't spin on a pipeline. It would have been a natural fit. There was enough local, the on.off dynamics would have been better than iron.
Welding is super fluid in the job market, as an auxiliary skill or primary occupation.
I installed signs, some passable guys but never ran in to one that could weld at a real high level, I am sure they are there and schools will help in places so much of the learnin is hand to mouth. Same for farming but they are getting better.

[coxey2]

western KY

Pretty much the same here. Top rates in a shop is 20 bucks and you need to have a bunch of skills to get that. I mean fitting and welding with more on the fitting. There are kids coming right of vo tech and welding schools that start for about 12 bucks and most of them only last weeks and can't cut the early wake up alarm. The sad part is most owe 12 grand to the school with the promise of good pay and the pay isn't great unless the kid has great skills. Granted the road guys make more but i don't want to speak for them as i only see what goes on in the shop. My buddy is an HR guy at a local trailer shop and he sees about 150 new guys a year. Most leave for whatever reason and some can't pass a pee test. We hired a guy last Monday and he is gone already...Bob

Factories here pay 13.00 and change and have a large turn over.

[coxey2]

western KY

Pretty much the same here. Top rates in a shop is 20 bucks and you need to have a bunch of skills to get that. I mean fitting and welding with more on the fitting. There are kids coming right of vo tech and welding schools that start for about 12 bucks and most of them only last weeks and can't cut the early wake up alarm. The sad part is most owe 12 grand to the school with the promise of good pay and the pay isn't great unless the kid has great skills. Granted the road guys make more but i don't want to speak for them as i only see what goes on in the shop. My buddy is an HR guy at a local trailer shop and he sees about 150 new guys a year. Most leave for whatever reason and some can't pass a pee test. We hired a guy last Monday and he is gone already...Bob

tst

[coxey2]

western KY

[QUOTE=aametalmaster;319743]Pretty much the same here. Top rates in a shop is 20 bucks and you need to have a bunch of skills to get that. I mean fitting and welding with more on the fitting. There are kids coming right of vo tech and welding schools that start for about 12 bucks and most of them only last weeks and can't cut the early wake up alarm. The sad part is most owe 12 grand to the school with the promise of good pay and the pay isn't great unless the kid has great skills. Granted the road guys make more but i don't want to speak for them as i only see what goes on in the shop. My buddy is an HR guy at a local trailer shop and he sees about 150 new guys a year. Most leave for whatever reason and some can't pass a pee test. We hired a guy last Monday and he is gone already...Bob[/QUOTE
Here in west KY factories pay 13.00 and change and use temp agencies too. sucks