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How to Become a Welder in Six Steps

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welder

Just like any other profession, becoming a welder takes time, work, and dedication. It also requires a willingness to continuously grow in your knowledge base to master the skills that provide a foundation for this career. Once you have developed a well-rounded skill set, the next phase is to go through a six-step process to become a professional welder.

 

How to Become a Welder in 6 Steps

#1 Do your research on the various types of welding jobs

Before you decide to become a professional welder, you should know what welding is all about because the job can be very demanding. Welders are professionals trained in using heat to put together different types of metals or repair or build all sorts of goods and products. 

There are several types of welding you can specialize in, like arc welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, hyperbaric welding, or oxyacetylene welding. Do the groundwork at finding out which tasks and responsibilities these types of welding jobs require. This way, you can align the welding job with your strengths and weaknesses.

 

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#2 Invest in yourself and take welding courses

Once you’ve figured out which type of welding career you want to go for, the next step is to research the educational requirements for that specialization. Most welding courses require a GED or a high school diploma. If your high school offers welding courses, you might as well take those along with math courses that complement welding, like geometry, since welding involves measuring dimensions.

 

#3 Go further and earn your welding certificate

After finishing high school and getting that diploma, further your education and enroll in welding certificate programs or community college. Welding certificate programs usually take six months to two years. These courses will help build your general knowledge of welder duties and responsibilities. Some welders would go a step higher and pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Welding.

 

#4 Get as much hands-on experience you can get

After getting accreditation as a welder, begin hands-on training through an apprenticeship. You can shadow and complete supervised work to learn more about the specific type of welding you want to pursue, as well as the schedule and responsibilities of a welder. In time, when you have completed the apprenticeship, you can either stay with the company you’ve had training in (if allowed) or take the experience and apply to a new welding position.

 

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#5 Get an AWS Certified Welder certification

Although not all welding jobs require certifications, some do. You will also be required to pass a skills test to be licensed as a welder in some areas. It is best to obtain a certificate from the American Welding Society or a similar organization to get things started for you as a pro welder. To attain the AWS certification, you will take an exam. It consists of a written portion and an examination of your welding performance and skill.

 

#6 Begin job hunting

Now that you have the necessary certifications, training, and experience, start job hunting. Look for welding positions through job postings online that match your level of experience and your current skills. Be sure to add the skillset you have in the type of welding jobs you are most proficient in and have been training for.

 

If you follow these six steps, you will be steps closer to landing your first job as a pro welder. Remember, though, that learning never stops. Keep upskilling and moving forward. Expand your skill sets, knowledge base, and certifications. In any professional career, there is always something higher to aim for. Keep improving.

3 Powerful Tips for Welding Safety

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welding safety
  • Wear Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment
  • Hierarchy of Controls, Safety Pyramid for welders
  • Avoid the Top 4 Common Welding Safety hazards

Welding is very much a challenging yet rewarding job. It’s a craft that has been there since the Bronze age some 2000 years B.C. and will continue to be a growing field in the years to come. In fact, the U.S. will need some 372,664 welding professionals by 2026 so starting a career in welding is actually always a great idea. While welding is indeed a great career, it also comes with risks and that’s why here, we give you 3 powerful tips for welding safety. Whether you’ve been in the field for several years now or just new to the craft, these tips might just save your life. 

There isn’t any other way to stress how important safety is when it comes to welding. One can never be too careful. But just to state some facts, Liggett Law Groups states that 500,000 welders are injured in accidents per year. This number can be very concerning but just proves that safety is always a top priority in the field and that accidents can happen anytime. 

3 Power Tips for Welding Safety that can Save Your Life

Wear Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment

Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment were made for a crucial part of welding safety. Being a welder means being exposed to hazards like fumes and gases, extreme heat, electric shock, and fire and explosion. Not only that, materials and energy released in welding can cause serious burns, blindness, and respiratory damage in some cases. 

A welder must always dress for the occasion whatever the job is. This means a welder should always come to work with a welding helmet, welding gloves, welding jackets, welding boots, and respirators. For a list of protective clothing and equipment, read our blog on “Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment.” To get to know more about welding leathers for maximum protection read, “Leather Welding Clothing and Accessories every Welder Must Have.”

welding safety

Take note of the Safety Pyramid for welders, Hierarchy of Controls

There is a Safety Pyramid welders should be familiar with. If this is your first time hearing or reading about, then make sure you remember this. NIOSH has this pyramid called the Hierarchy of Controls which has a list all welders should know to minimize danger when welding or doing any manual work. This is listed in five categories. 

Elimination 

This is basically what it literally means. Elimination means removing any hazard from your workspace as briefly discussed. The important thing is to make it a habit.

Substitution 

Substitution, in this case, would mean to change whatever equipment, tool, or project you have to remove any hazard. For example, using a less reactive material for a certain job. 

Engineering Controls

This means isolating people from hazards. It’s bad enough that you have unwanted objects around. Make sure people are away from your workspace and have a safe distance all the time. 

Administrative Controls

What this means is that one should have a set of rules and should change workflow to improve safety. If a system doesn’t work, it has to change. If the rules aren’t really being followed, there has to be something done about it. 

PPE

As mentioned, Personal Protective equipment is always a must and should never be removed anytime while on the job. 

Avoid the Top 4 Common Welding Safety Hazards

While there is so much to look out for while welding, here are the top 4 common welding safety hazards and how to avoid and control them. 

Fumes and Gases

Overexposure to welding fumes and gases can cause health problems like cancer, respiratory illnesses, and some impaired speech and movement. This can be controlled by working in a place where there is adequate ventilation and exhaust to keep the fumes and gases away from the breathing zone. An approved respirator can also help. 

Physical Hazards

Physical Hazards are always present anytime on the job. These can cause cuts, burns, eye damage, or damage to the toes or fingers. With welding clothing and protective equipment, these can be avoided. 

Electric Shock

As a welder, you are always exposed to electricity and the possibility of electrocution. This can cause not only serious injury but also death. This can be minimized by inspecting your electric holder and welding equipment all the time before starting any job. A lockout and tag out procedure during repairs done by qualified repair technicians can also ensure that nothing malfunctions. 

Fire and Explosion

While electrocution can be a serious hazard, you also deal with fire and explosion. This is due to flammable materials that may be around the working area. This can be prevented by always making sure your workplace is clutter-free and that you make it a habit to remove anything around before you start working. Make sure you have a Class ABC fire extinguisher while welding and that the gauge is full. If there are flammable materials around, use a welding blanket to cover them just to make sure.  

 

Welding Tips for Beginners

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welding tips

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Welding Tips for Beginners

welding tips

If you’re here that means you have decided to try your hand at welding. Congratulations! You are in for an adventure. Before we go to specifics, know that to get better at welding, hands-on experience is definitely essential. It’s the only way you learn and improve fast. Here we give you the basics of what you need to know to get started - welding tips for beginners - to make sure you adjust quickly and effectively.

Not a lot of people realize that a career in welding, altho risky, can be very fulfilling and rewarding. It gives you travel opportunities, allows you to earn what doctors and even lawyers earn, it’s always in demand and you don’t need a college degree to be a welder. If you’re having second thoughts about taking this route in life, don’t. A career in welding is one of the best choices you will make for yourself. With that, let’s move on to the five welding tips for beginners. 

types of welding

5 Welding Tips for Beginners

Welding Tip #1 Know the Fundamentals of welding

Before you go on and actually do anything hands-on, read and learn more about the fundamentals. Get to know some terms, the most common types of welding processes, and any other fundamentals there are. Assuming you haven’t done that yet, here’s a quick rundown of the most important things you should know. 

The process of welding is quite simple. It’s joining two pieces of metal by heating them to its melting point. Once these pieces of metal are melted, they combine in a weld pool and are finally joined together when the molten liquid solidifies. 

A filler, a third source of metal, is used together with the two base metals which adds to its total mass. These filler metals could be electrodes, continuously fed wire, or filler rods. This depends on the type of welding process being done. 

The key to welding is to creating a puddle where you can melt the filler material.  If you stay in one place for too long, it burns a hole in your base metal or you could end up getting your welder stuck. So, if you are going to do any beginner practice at all, it should be to practice leading that puddle without trying to join any metal together. 

It’s the speed you travel and the distance you have between the rod and base that’s important. If it’s too close the rod can stick, if it’s too far it can splatter and disconnect the arc. 

Welding Tip #2 Decide what welding process you’d like to learn first

Reading more about the fundamentals of welding, you’d know a bit more about the different methods or types of welding. There’s TIG welding, MIG welding, Stick Welding, and Flux Cored Arc welding.  

One thing you have to know as early as now is that there is no one method or process of welding that works for all applications. So, think of what kind of projects you want to work on and decide what process you want to master. 

Welding Tip #3 Buy some tools and take care of them

A beginner should have some tools to get started. As someone who is just starting to make it all happen, here are some of the basic tools you should have:

  • Measuring tools – calipers, tape measure, metal T squares, marking tool
  • Welding clamps
  • Welding magnets
  • Sheet Metal Gauge
  • Electrode
  • Wire and Electrode Feed
  • Angle Grinder
  • Metal Brush

A tip. Electrodes or filler metals (welding rods) are one of those you really have to take extra care for. Most methods like in TIG welding, for example, rely on the cleanliness of the surface material and the purity of the rod. Also, make sure you calibrate electrode size and amperage before welding. Take care of your tools and they will take care of you. 

Welding Tip #4 Get yourself some welding protective clothing and equipment

You’ve got the fundamentals, you’ve got the goal. Now you’re a bit ready to do some observing or maybe even some more hands-on practice. But even before you can do that, make sure you have your own welding protective clothing and equipment because safety is still a priority. 

If you go shopping for your own gear, you’d find that there’s a lot to choose from. You have welding jackets, gloves, sleeves, aprons, chaps, leggings, coveralls, safety boots, welding helmet, safety glasses, respirators, ear muffs, and even welding blankets. For each of these, there are thousands of brands and thousands of different styles. All it takes is for you to know each of them and read more about how to choose the best ones.

Read:
Welding Protective Clothing and Equipment
How to Choose the Right Welding Jacket
Welding Sleeves: A Complete Buying Guide
3 Factors to Consider in Buying the Best Welding Gloves
What to Know About a Welding Apron
How do I Choose the Right Welding Blanket

Once you’ve done a bit of research, one thing more you should remember in protecting yourself, NEVER look directly at a welding arc even for just a second or a split second for that matter. This can damage your eyes and could stop you from even doing any welding even before you’ve started. 

Welding Tip #5 Find a welding mentor and Practice!

Sure there are welding schools our courses where you can learn a ton of stuff which you can’t learn anywhere else. Once you educate yourself, you need to have a welding mentor who can help you improve. One who wouldn’t just tell you your work is good when really it isn’t. Find one who has years of experience and who isn’t afraid to tell you what you’re doing wrong. 

If they aren’t really so much into teaching, find someone you can observe and mirror. That way, you learn tricks you wouldn’t find in books or any other material. Actual welding is still the best way to learn so you have to make sure you learn from the best. 

Lastly, practice. All the reading, all the observing won’t really do you good if you won’t practice. It takes time to learn a method, and it takes time to actually know the right way to do it. So, start now and don’t waste time. Build your career as a welder and you won’t be sorry. It may be risky, but it’s also lucrative, fun, and can provide endless opportunities. Good luck!

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