Job Opinions: Welding

[al3x]

THIS IS NOT A JOB POSTING!

This thread is dedicated to generating opinions about the Welding industry.

I myself am re-evaluating what i want to do for the next 10 yrs or so and i am looking for some general opinions, good and bad, about the Welding proffession.

Anything you got lets hear it!

Thanks alot

Alex

[Sharpie]

Good: Can be good money if you get into pipelines and shit.

Bad: It is bad for your health.

[Audio_Rookie]

good: there are respirators and face shields.


I just started my apprenticeship for Weatherford as a welder in there ampscot division (fabing pump jacks)

its repetitive where I am, same thing being made over and over, always flat welds, always same product.

On the plus side its a slack shop, good safety, and apprentice rate pretty good, but jman rate not so hot.

should be a good demand in 10 years or so.

I am thinking union is the way to go to make decent money, which is what i plan to do after im a second or third year.

days go by fast, but can be booring.

I would much rather be in a shop where there is more diversity in what your doing, welding pipes and building different stuff all the time would be a definite plus, alot more learning and alot more interesting.

Another good is there is almost never someone looking over my shoulder, if I need help, I go get him....he doesn't wait for me to fuck up.

I think its a great job if you can get into a shop that pays 30+ jman rate, and lets you work with overhead, vertical, and flat welds, and you build different stuff all the time. Along with doing mig, tig, and stick.

No tig where I am at, which is another down.

I am not a union lover, but in welding case, I think its the way to go..union...

[ca18det240sx]

Welding is a good trade. Can be bad for your health if you dont wear the safety gear. I myself am a first year apprentice (going to school at the end of april at SAIT).


I pretty much do the same boring thing every day, same as audio_rookie. Ynkow those bins that you see in front of new houses being constructed, the big ones? yah, thats me, i build those. I work for Centreline Manufacturing in Crossfield. Small shop, but putting me thru school so whatever.

Once i get my ticket, im thinking pipeline. I hear in Fort Mac. welders if they have their own truck and are journeymen, can make 180$/hr.

[msommers]

Guys with their own trucks in the oil patch are making 100-150/hr with gas and rods being paid for.

Respirators are key. I don't know how some welders go without it though. I worked around them for maybe a year's worth and I'm sure I took off 5 years of my life. Then you have the welders that are welding with one hand and smoking with the other:rofl:

[al3x]

ya im kinda worried about the whole repetition thing... i guess when your doin your apprenticeship your not gonna get the best of the best duties...

I have a small Mig at home for doin sum light car related stuff. IM deffinately no pro but i enjoy making custom stuff and puttin it together. I know journy's make a decent wage depending on what you do, esspecially if you have your own truck.. It would be really nice to be able to find sumwhere that deals with Mig, Stick, and Tig!!! cuz i wanna learn it all!

And forsure im lookin into respirators for even when im F*'n around with Mig right now.

As far as things to do with the trade, its pretty versitile is it not? Machine shops, pipeline... etc How hard would it be to find a place right now that would take on apprentices???

[ca18det240sx]

prolly pretty easy.

look around at all the shops.

[Sharpie]

Originally posted by al3x
ya im kinda worried about the whole repetition thing... i guess when your doin your apprenticeship your not gonna get the best of the best duties...

I have a small Mig at home for doin sum light car related stuff. IM deffinately no pro but i enjoy making custom stuff and puttin it together. I know journy's make a decent wage depending on what you do, esspecially if you have your own truck.. It would be really nice to be able to find sumwhere that deals with Mig, Stick, and Tig!!! cuz i wanna learn it all!

And forsure im lookin into respirators for even when im F*'n around with Mig right now.

As far as things to do with the trade, its pretty versitile is it not? Machine shops, pipeline... etc How hard would it be to find a place right now that would take on apprentices???
Last time I saw a sign for that welding place on shepards road that they were looking for welders. I will ask my uncle for the name of it and maybe you could give them a shout. Also have you thought about maybe getting into fitting? I know fitters can make up to $40/hr. Its something I am going to get into for a little bit next summer.

[ca18det240sx]

Youre probly thinking ROSTEL. Good place, my friends dad is the painter there.

[Audio_Rookie]

jobbank

always a bunch on there.

seems to be less and less jobs posted for wanting welders nowadays. Everyone from east is moving over. A guy that started working with me says he worked at trentonworks in nova scotia building railcars, and then they shut down and moved to mexico....so over 1000 welders were laid off and many came over here.

The average age of welders is getting mighty old though, most in our shop are 40+, a few are 60+.

[al3x]

Ya thats the concensus im gettin too... another 10 yrs or so and demand should be up!

Anyways im gonna be lookin around soonish and see whats out there. Thanks guys!

[Manhattan]

What's a welder? Whatever it is that they do, they always seem to have hot gf's...:dunno:

:hijack:

[Mike w]

Hey dude its good to see another person wanting to be a welder, im a second year at a shop called Enerflex, and have been welding for about 3 1/2 yrs. and dude i must say i love it. i think of all the other trades compared to it and welding is just the best at least for me anyway. True it does get repetitive but that only maters where your working, at enerflex your either a welder or a fitter. You get alot of practice with the mig (metel core, Flux Core)so you get really good at it. but at the same time its boring. but when worked at a farm almost everyday was something new and i loved it cuz u actually got to think for yourself and fabricate whatever you wanted. There are so many jobs open to welders raight now its reduclous, even try applying at my shop we got like 300 welders and tons of apprentices. its a good place to get ur apprentiship done. and if your hoping to weld pipe well your shit outa luck cuz thats serious shit and apprentices dont get to do that shit till you get ur b ticket. but you can always learn how its done and practice it. cuz if your wanting to make max ammounts of money b pressure welding and underwater welding are the way to go. but all in all its a good trade especially in this economy with albertas boom. get it while its hot!
...and yes....we do have hot girlfriends! cuz we got monayyyyy!!!