Become a Welding Engineer

Melissa Steele, EducationGuys.com Writer --

Are you thinking about pursuing a career in engineering, the aerospace industry or even computers? A career as a welder can get you jobs in these industries and more. With welding skills you can get jobs in the exciting field of robotics or construction to name a few.

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A career in Welding can earn salaries ranging from $15 an hour all the way up to $100 and hour and beyond.

Welding is the universal way of permanently joining metal parts. In welding, heat is applied to metal pieces, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond. Welding is used to join beams when constructing buildings, bridges, and other structures. A welder's skills are used in building automobiles and ships, as well as in various manufacturing capacities. These specially trained workers perform manual welding, in which the work is done by the welder, or semiautomatic welding, in which the welder uses machinery to perform welding tasks.

To become a welder, you must complete high school and have some vocational training. Post secondary education is useful and helps to obtain better jobs. Having an aptitude for mathematics is important in a welding career. Welders need to know geometry and how to use compasses and protractors, and know angles. Basic math skills such as adding, subtraction and fractions are also important. Some welders become certified to obtain higher paying jobs in their field. The Certified Welder program is a performance-based program with no prerequisite courses or certifications required. Final certification will provide "transferable" credentials that you may take with you wherever you go. The Certified Welder ( http://www.aws.org ) program test to procedures used in the structural steel, petroleum pipelines, sheet metal and chemical refinery welding industries. There is a provision to test to a company-supplied or non-code welding specification Testing procedures are based on the standards and codes set by industry associations with which the employer may be affiliated. If the welding inspector at the examining institution determines that the worker has performed according to the employer's guidelines, the inspector will then certify that the welder being tested is able to work with a particular welding procedure.

Welding, soldering, and brazing workers need good eyesight, hand-eye coordination, and manual dexterity. They should be able to concentrate on detailed work for long periods and be able to bend, stoop, and work in awkward positions. In addition, welders increasingly need to be willing to receive training and perform tasks in other production jobs.

Welders can advance to more skilled welding jobs with additional training and experience. For example, they may become welding technicians, supervisors, inspectors, or instructors. Some experienced welders open their own repair shops.

Employment of welding, soldering, and brazing workers is expected to grow more slowly than average for all occupations over the 2004-14 period. Despite this, job prospects should be excellent as employers report difficulty finding enough qualified people. In addition, many openings are expected to arise as a large number of workers retire over the next decade.

The major factor affecting employment of welders is the health of the industries in which they work. The manufacturing sector, which employs the most welding, soldering, and brazing workers, is expected to continue to decline as more manufacturing moves overseas. Because almost every manufacturing industry uses welding at some stage of manufacturing or in the repair and maintenance of equipment, this overall decline will affect the demand for welders, although some industries will fare better than others. The construction industry is expected to have solid growth over the next decade and an increasing demand for welders. Government funding for shipbuilding as well as for infrastructure repairs and improvements are expected to generate additional welding jobs.

Median hourly earnings of welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders were $14.32 in May 2004.

Many welders belong to unions. Among these are the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers; the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America; the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting, Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada; and the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America.

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