Nashville Welding | welding as a career

What is a Welder & Why Welding Can Be a Great Career

10.03.2017

What is a Welder & Why Welding Can Be a Great Career

By the time a person reaches high school, many have already considered a career path they may want to take once school is finished. While some may consider careers in medicine, teaching, construction, or the hospitality industry, many may overlook a career in welding. Welding, however, can be a lucrative career to think about, especially for those that may want to find a wide array of job opportunities or those who like to travel.                                                                           

It is important to work with a welder when you first start off to ensure that you understand the process, but it gives you an idea of what to expect for your welding career. Reaching out to welding businesses or individual welders in the local area can often lead a person to internships or other entry-level positions where they can learn the trade while building a stable career.

What is a Welder?

A welder is a skilled tradesman or tradeswoman who joins metal together and fills or repairs holes in metal through the use of intense heat or gas. They can work in many industries including industrial, manufacturing, and construction. Learn more about why welding can be a great career.

You Do Not Need a College Degree

Those who want to finish school quickly will be happy to know that welding is just a short trade program that you go through and doesn’t require excessive years of college. Some companies even offer welding school as part of the job and they will advance those who complete the course into better-paying positions within the company. Many careers working in shipyards or even offshore for companies in the U.S. offer training services for employees and it’s a great opportunity for those who want a steady job, but also for those who may want to take the trade with them and start their own welding business one day.

Choose a Career Path That Suits You

There are many routes in the welding profession. You can even work freelance on your own time if you choose. Some of the paths you can go into include, but are not limited to:

  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Robotics
  • Inspection
  • Project Management
  • Government
  • Motorsports
  • Underwater Welding

Welding is also a profession that can be shaped around the interests of the welder. If you’re interested in one area, welding may be needed. For example, if you enjoy watching auto racing, what better way to use your skills as a welder than to work on race cars? Welders work to not only maintain small parts of a car, but they work with the overall construction of race cars including body panels, rocker panels, and even the suspension.

Welding is an In-Demand Job

Welding is a profession that is always going to be needed as long as there is a piece of metal that needs to be joined to another piece in order for something to work correctly. Whether you’re searching in one industry or another, they will continue to have jobs in many sectors across the country.

Earn a Large Salary

Unlike some other trades that many people find to have low earning potential, welding comes with a large potential. You can earn as much, or even more, as a lawyer or doctor does. This is a fact that so many overlook when considering a career. Some of the top-ranking welders work in the military, underwater, or pipe welding sectors, earning as much as $100,000 to $200,000 per year. Sure, you will also find welding positions that start with a much lower salary, but as with any job out there, with hard work and dedication, there is always a way to work your way into a higher paying position.

You Get the Ability to Be Hands-On

Instead of sitting at a desk day-in and day-out, you get to get your hands dirty on the job every day. This means you don’t need to worry about time moving slowly or being bored while you’re working. This is an ever-changing career and one that will keep you busy each day once you are established in the welding field. You could be working on a rail car one day then moving to a pipeline or even off-shore the next. Whatever metal object needs to be welded, you will be called to handle the job efficiently and effectively.

The job outlook is promising. Many businesses are looking for skilled welders and you can consider it one of the more secure jobs available. Striving towards safety awards and bettering your skills can also be high on your list. Welding may not be the choice for everyone, but for those interested, it can be a lucrative, rewarding career to have. Essentially, welders build the world we live in.

 

Natalie Spira
Natalie Spira is Kloeckner's Acquisition Marketing Manager. Previously, she was the Founder and CEO of Fraction Marketing, a marketing agency providing fractional support to scaling startups with a focus on acquisition marketing and demand generation. Natalie holds a MBA from Tel Aviv University with concentrations in entrepreneurship and marketing and a BA in English from UCLA.
Nashville Welding | welding as a career
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