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How to Become a Welder in Six Steps

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.

 

welder

#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.

 

welder

#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.

5 Best States for Welding Jobs in the US

welding jobs in the US

If you’re a welder, anywhere you go in the world would give you opportunities. But if you’re thinking of taking your career to the next level, we give you five of the best states for welding jobs in the US. 

 

According to Chron, the average base pay of welders in the United States is around $44,000 annually if a welder works full time. That’s just the national average. With specialty skills, welders can bring in $20,000 more. An article by The Wall Street Journal in 2014 featured a 24-year-old Texan welder who earned $140,000 right after graduating from Texas State Technical College. This just proves that working in the US can be quite luxurious for welders but it can also depend on the particular city you choose. 

 

5 Best States for Welding Jobs in the US

Texas

Texas is also known as the welding capital of the United States mainly because of the many jobs available. There are over 50,000 welders employed across Texas. Houston is a major city to explore with more than 18.000 welding jobs available. Beaumont-Port Arthur area is also an option. Not as many jobs offered but it only has a population of around 410,000 with only a few welders living in the area as compared to Houston with around 2.3 million residents. 

 

Welders earn an average of $39,000 a year with the bottom 10 percent who make $28,000 a year while the top 10 percent make $45,000. 

 

Wyoming

Wyoming is the 10th largest state by area and is also the least populous and second most sparsely populated state in the US. According to Senior Job Bank, welders are included in the Top 10 of the list of jobs relatively more common in Wyoming than elsewhere. 

 

In Wyoming, the national average a welder earns is $36,364 per year. That’s $17 an hour. Those in the bottom10 percent earn $27,000 while the highest 10 percent earns $48,000. 

 

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is known for major recreational attractions like skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, mountaineering, and other winter sports. It has a broad-based and growing economy with a GDP growth rate of 2.2% in 2018. It had the nation’s lowest poverty rate in 2013 according to the Census Bureau. 

 

The average salary for a welder in New Hampshire is $41,000 or $17 per hour. The bottom 10% earns $28,000 while the top percent make around $45,000. 

 

welding jobs in the US

Nevada

Nevada, also known as the Silver State, because of its importance to silver in history, and is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world. Its industrial outputs include tourism, minings, entertainment, printing and publishing, machinery, food processing, and electric equipment. 

 

Welders in Nevada earn around $45,000 a year or $17 per hour. The bottom 10 percent earn $28,000 while the top 10 percent earn more than $45,000.

 

Alaska

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Alaska has the highest average annual salary for welders at $71,570. Working here would mean you get double of what other welders in other mainland cities earn. While it’s the highest paying state for welding jobs, not a lot of job opportunities are open with just under one welding job per thousand.