It’s often at least relatively easy for industrial welding contractors to find work. Most professional and technical fields are extremely competitive now. However, it takes time to become a welder, and these skills are very specialized. People can pick up some home renovation and improvement skills relatively casually, but they won’t be able to learn to weld in the same way. When people hear welding explained, they’ll sometimes find it intimidating.
Welding involves a lot of heat and pressure, so there are risks involved. Professional welders have to wear welding helmets, safety goggles, and face shields. They have to protect themselves from the sparks and the effects of hot metal. Welders can also be exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation. It’s possible for them to be hit by flying debris. Welders who have had enough safety training should usually be fine as long as they wear the right safety equipment.
The individuals who are thinking about learning how to weld will usually want to know what welders make a year. These professionals will typically earn $40,000 annually. The usual welding degree salary shouldn’t be lower than $30,000 dollars every year. Professionals who work in welding equipment sales can also be successful.
The infamous photo did not even show up in the yearbook.
What a waste.
After convincing either the teacher or some of the other students in the class to help her complete most of the other assignments for her, the only girl in class donned the necessary safety equipment and completed the arc welding assignment so that the yearbook photographer could get a picture. The example bead turned out well enough to keep her grade an A in the class.
The picture, however, did not make the yearbook.
Arc Welding Techniques Are Used in a Variety of Areas
Arc welding makes use of electricity and a diminishing rod to create the circuit that creates the arc. Different kinds of rods work at different temperatures and also has some fill in that can be used to strengthen the joining bead.
Although most people think of machine shop services when they think of arc welding, these skills can also be used craftsmen and craftswomen to create popular pieces of art work.
Custom designed metal pieces can be turned into house signs that beautifully display a street address of large metal sculptures that are seen in gardens across America.
Precision machine repair shops can use welding techniques to repair or rebuilt missing parts. Custom repairs allow many companies to extend the use of equipment that they depend on without having to spend money for complete replacement.
Welding and Machine Work Are Needed Skills
While some high school students fill their schedules with classes that will lead to to a four year college degree and years of college loan payments, others spend part of their high school days learning a marketable trade. High school industrial arts classes teach everything from arc welding to small engine repair.
Some of these trades are so anxious to get a hold of talented students that they visit high school classes to recruit. If selected these future welders and machine workers may even be given the tools they will need and a full ride scholarship at a trade school. The only follow up requirement is that the those students then come work for the company that provided the training. These promised jobs are well paid and come with excellent benefits, including opportunities for continued training.
Not Just a Career for Males Any More
Many trade schools and machine shops work toward recruiting both male and female employees. In fact, at a time when a big disparity exists between what is paid for a man and what is paid for a woman, the trade fields seem to be doing a better job of closing the gap. In fact, the American Welding Society president in 2013 was a woman by the name of Nancy Cole. She told a group of young high school women in a time when many trade schools are short of candidates, this is a perfect time to enter the field. The pay for beginning workers in this field is at least twice what the minimum wage is. “Since there’s a shortage of skilled workers and the pay is good, welding is a marvelous opportunity for young women,” Cole said.
Good workers are always in demand and this seems to be especially true in the fields of welding and machine tooling.