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5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Career in Welding

August 21, 2020

After high school, the question you have on your mind is, “what now?” While some have it all figured out, some have no idea what to do. Others have decided to get a career in medicine, law, the hospitality industry, teaching, construction, and more. But one that hasn’t really gotten that much attention is a career in welding. Most don’t realize that It’s lucrative, fun, and can provide endless opportunities. If that hasn’t crossed your mind, you might want to read on.

Welding is a job that involves the joining of metal materials with intense heat or gas using particular equipment and machines. It also involves a certain level of math and building skills to calculate dimensions and read blueprints. A welder is a skilled tradesman or tradeswoman trained for that specific job.

Why welding is a great career choice

There are different types of welding and each requires a different skill set. But whatever type of one gets into – TIG welding, MIG welding, or Stick welding – one thing is for sure, it’s a job that can really be challenging but really rewarding at the same time. Here’s why welding is a great career choice.

1. You can earn what doctors or lawyers earn

Welding is a trade job that requires a specific skill set as we’ve already established. Like doctors and lawyers, welders train and study to understand some theories and learn how to perform specific tasks or jobs. Most of all, they put their life on the line to work in hazardous conditions. According to Indeed, “welding jobs tend to pay well because of the skills and knowledge required and the unique work environment.” A welder’s salary varies and it depends on the industry, location, type of welding, and experience. If you want to get into the numbers, entry welders earn $40,000 a year which can increase to up to $100,000 or even $500,000 a year depending on experience in a good field. Indeed states that the top five welders who earn the most are pipe welders, aerospace welders, military support welders, underwater welders, and a certified welding supervisor.

2. Travel Opportunities

Now that you know a career in welding pays well, you might also want to know the vast travel opportunities it gives. Skilled welders are wanted and in demand in different countries all over the world. Remember, there aren’t any buildings, planes, boats, ships, or even cars without welders. Welders work under the sea, outer space, and everywhere else in between. Welding jobs that allow you travel would include industrial shutdowns, shipbuilding and repair, military support personnel, on-board ship maintenance and repair, pipe installation, motorsports, and underwater welding. If you don’t mind working in a different country and exploring different cultures while on the job, this is the ideal trade for you. You could become a “Road Warrior,” a welder who travels for a living.

3. Always in demand, the future looks great

Now you know it pays well and it brings you to places. This third reason would put your mind at ease. A career in welding will always be in demand. Companies will always hire welders as long as there’s a metal that needs to be joined to another metal to have something work right. So whether it’s 5, 10, 15 years from now, you know for sure you will always have a job. The future will always look great!

4. Endless Career paths, diverse opportunities

The welding industry presents diverse opportunities. There’s a range of endless types of projects from workshops that focus on a narrow range of fabricating to others that do so many kinds. The technique can be the same for whatever you weld, but the work environment and the job can be different. This is what makes this career more interesting. Being a welder means you have numerous choices of industries to work in. With additional training, you can work in different fields and find other career opportunities like maybe get into engineering, education, robotics, sales, inspection, and even project management. There are welding schools that can help welders get to where they want in their career some even offer it for free. You can even start your own business. The point is, endless possibilities!

5. You don’t need a college degree, it’s hands-on, and welding is a hell lot of fun!

You know by now that a career in welding does not really require a college degree. That in itself is a reason for you to consider it. All you need is a welding certificate that you can get in as little as nine months. After that, you can start earning a living. It wouldn’t take years unlike those who get into medicine and law. But like them, you get trained for a specific job that only you could do. With these five points, you now realize that a career in welding can definitely be lucrative, fun, and can provide endless opportunities. And while there are risks attached to it, remember that every job has that. A career in welding means you get to be hands-on and you get to earn a living while bringing yourself higher in that ladder to success. It’s stable, it’s in demand, it pays well, and it’s a hell lot of fun. What more could you ask for?