The Many Types Of Welders And What They Can Expect To Earn On The Job

The art of welding and soldering has been around over 100 years in one shape or another. The equipment used has gotten more sophisticated and so has the need for more perfect welds that are stronger and better. The education level needed to become a good welder has also increased but nearly anyone with the right determination can take the classes and enter the field. Here are some of the courses that an aspiring welder should take and the various jobs that one will find right now available across the country.

The Courses To Study In Order To Get The Best Welding Jobs

This can vary quite a bit depending on the type of welding that you're intending to do. If all you're going to do is weld around the home, make art, put together a few boat trailers, and make money on the side, a seven month course would do just fine to get you started.

There are actually hundreds of different fields in the welding niche and there are plenty of part time and full time jobs nearly everywhere. Farms all across the nation need welders that can travel to the farm and make repairs to broken farm machinery. If meeting lots of different people and traveling all the time is attractive to you, there is a strong need in the farm community for good welders.

The construction industry has two separate needs for welders. One is to repair the machinery and heavy equipment that is constantly needing work at various locations. The other is assembling huge skyscrapers that have steel frames that hold them together. Each would require a different type of welding to get started.

The oil industry is also heavily dependent on welders to set up and repair their vehicles, machinery, and pipelines that are scattered across many states. Some of these welds are very important and need special care since a cracked pipe could lead to disaster.

Even The Military Needs Competent Welders

Since most of their heavy equipment is made of steel, the military needs plenty of welders as well. Ships, tanks, trucks, airplanes, and armored vehicles all need on the spot repairs whether they are on training exercises or in real combat. The ability to work under pressure is essential there.

Each of these welding jobs may require a different welding process depending on different factors. You could become certified in one type and still need more education and training to do another type of welding. In addition to that, the different types of metals each require a different certification since all metals behave differently when melted.

What Kind Of Pay Range Can A Welder Expect?

A welder starting out without a lot of schooling or experience is most likely going to only make a little over $25,000 per year. Not bad, but not great either. The better jobs in the welding industry are not going to be the entry level production jobs.

Getting into electrical energy distribution welding pays more than $60,000 per year as does the natural gas and oil industry that has been booming for several decades. Also, the nuclear industry pays very well, but their numbers have been on the decline for over 10 years.

The best route to take, if welding looks like the dream job for you, is to take lots of classes in many different types of welding in order to become more versatile. There are always going to be jobs available for the right certification so the more classes you take the brighter your future will be and the higher your income will be as well.