Do you enjoy working with your hands to build or fix items? Would you like to work with complex tools and flames and engage in ongoing learning and development? If so, you should consider a welding career.
A welder is trained to use heat to join together different types of metals to build or fix products. Common tasks include building and repairing housing, commercial structures, bridges, automobiles, ships, or aircraft.
Use this beginner’s guide to determine whether a welding career might be right for you.
Common Welder Responsibilities
- Read blueprints to determine the product length and dimensions.
- Follow safety regulations to responsibly use flames.
- Maintain the proper flame and metal temperature during the welding process.
- Ensure each completed project is durable and safe to use.
- Properly clean and store the welding equipment.
Steps to Build a Welding Career
Follow these steps to build a welding career:
Research welding career paths
Study different welding jobs to determine which tasks and responsibilities best align with your strengths and abilities. Next, find out which types of training and certifications and required. Then, evaluate which education and training you should pursue.
Typical welding career paths include:
- Metal inert gas (MIG) welding: Fusing stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum.
- Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding: Using tungsten inert gas to create high-quality fusions.
- Oxyacetylene welding: Using acetylene gas and oxygen to maintain or cut off metals.
- Hyperbaric welding: Working in a dry or wet environment to work on ships, pipelines, and oil platforms.
- Arc welding: Commonly used in manufacturing to weld together larger, thicker materials.
Engage in welding classes
Determine the educational requirements of your welding specialty. Since most welding careers require a high school diploma or GED, consider taking welding, geometry, and other mathematics classes.
Earn a welding certificate
Enroll in a welding certificate program or a community college. Most welding certificate programs last 6 months to 2 years and provide general knowledge of welding duties and responsibilities. Depending on your career path, you might consider earning a bachelor’s degree in welding.
Gain welding experience
Enroll in an apprenticeship for the type of welding you want to pursue. You can job shadow and complete supervised work to learn about a welder’s schedule and responsibilities. When your apprenticeship is complete, you might work full-time for the company or find a job elsewhere.
Find a welding job
Look for welding jobs that fit your certification, skills, and experience. Include this and other relevant information in your resume to help land interviews. Also, use the information from the job posting to detail your relevant skills and experience during an interview. Showing you fit the job qualifications encourages the hiring manager to extend a job offer.
Are You Ready to Start Your Welding Career?
Staff Right Solutions can provide you with career guidance and support and help you land a welding job. Visit our job board to apply for a role today.
