Career outlook for welding and fabrication?

[Modeler]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a career change. I've always loved building things, and have done a little welding at home. What is the long term career and pay outlook for welding and fabrication? Where is the best place to go for training? I see both of my local Community Colleges (Chemeketa and Linn-Benton) have welding and machining programs, are they quality programs?

Read More

 

[U201491]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a career change. I've always loved building things, and have done a little welding at home. What is the long term career and pay outlook for welding and fabrication? Where is the best place to go for training? I see both of my local Community Colleges (Chemeketa and Linn-Benton) have welding and machining programs, are they quality programs?

If you get Aircraft certified, you'll have it made.
Seems like everyone I knew that was airframe certified was always in demand.
Excellent pay also.

 

[John Gault]

Worked with guys who have been on the same job for 30 years as welders. Heavy fabrication. The job will outlive their bodies...... I was a welder for about 10 years myself. I like the process but outgrew the severity on my own body. Wear proper protection from the start ( filter, glasses, hearing protection) and reap the benefits as the years go by.

 

[PiratePast40]

I would look at welding as one more tool in my skills tool box. Boilermakers, pipefitters, and iron workers can all weld, but have other skills as well. it's important to have multiple skills so that they can be applied when needed, or more importantly, when one of the talents is not needed. It doesn't matter how good you are at a single skill if there isn't a current market for it. The construction trades are a great place to get training and experience. You can then look for longer term employment in heavy or light manufacturing as a fabricator.

 

[trainsktg]

I'd also recommend a trade and get as much ancillary training as you can to make yourself more marketable/desirable, especially in slower times. Good trade welders generally get a little more on the check than their non-welder counterparts.

Keith

 

[Modeler]

Learn while you earn right here:
http://www.northwestfirearms.com/off-topic/149736-employment-opportunity.html


Here too:
SAFE Boats Features and Benefits | What Makes It a SAFE Boat
Safe Boats is always looking for young, and energetic people to hire and train. Welding, electrical, electronics, painting, etc. etc.

Thanks for the links, but I should probably mention that I'm in my mid-30's with a wife, a home and a successful career in the Willamette Valley. Relocation isn't really an option right now

 

[PDXSparky]

I have a buddy who is doing the CNC machinist program at Chemeketa right now. It is a 2 year associate degree that is designed to make you employable as soon as you finish it. He's in his mid 50's and already has a degree is something academic, but he seems to be getting a lot out of the machinist program; enough that he has already bought himself a mill for his shop to do prototyping work.

 

[deann]

o.k. i have been a iron worker for 25 years good trade good pay,but hard on the body, and fab shop welders,low pay,good work.ship yard pay o.k. work so so, pipefitters good pay, but to hit and miss,try this on for size orbital welding!! other wise go to a fab shop and good luck. just remember the more skills you have and the more processes you can be proficient at ,the more youll have to offer,

 

[Stomper]

That's why I love my particular job.... Welding, brazing, electrical, motors, electronics, refrigeration, pipe-fitting, hydronics, boilers, chillers, furnaces, combustion analysis, computer networks and building automation/management systems, sheet metal/duct work, mechanics... All of it entails designing, installing, and troubleshooting. These are skills I've availed myself to gain over the last 23+ years.

There are so many makes, models, and applications out there that when I'm called in to fix something you have to wrap your brain around it fast to get it back online ASAP w/o damaging anything or killing/maiming yourself!

I'm almost ALWAYS buried with work, and ALWAYS in demand, and the pay/benefits are crazy-awesome. The best part is, my job can't be outsourced, automated, or done by "desperate immigrants" willing to work for next to nothing.

 

[Stomper]

Yeah, IMHO mid-30's is the threshold of a worker's "sweetspot" because TYPICALLY people have gotten past the "partying" stage of life, are more consistent, and old enough to have learned a few things, yet still able-bodied to work hard... Usually.

 

[Brutus57]

At age 30 something, yes, I think you could get a good job welding. A really good friend of mine who did volunteer welding on rr cars for a non profit I worked for did great in school, passed his finals but them realized at age 60 he couldn't see well enough anymore to do good welding of All types. So he's back to commercial journeyman electrician now that some construction/ modernization jobs have picked up. He said there were lots of welding jobs for him once he graduated. This was 2011.

Brutus out

 

[Caveman Jim]

Better learn how to weld robots, oh wait, they already have robots that build robots!!!
Seriously, there are jobs for welders in a good economy but as of late it ain't lookin too good. I do hope things will change after Bath House Barry is evicted from the WH...

 

[Cuthbert Allgood]

Deep Sea Welders get paid pretty damn well. I'm not sure of the job outlook or anything like that. Whatever you do, don't go to some stupid trade school. Go to a community college, or find somebody who is freakin' awesome at welding and become their Padawan.

 

[Modeler]

Yeah, IMHO mid-30's is the threshold of a worker's "sweetspot" because TYPICALLY people have gotten past the "partying" stage of life, are more consistent, and old enough to have learned a few things, yet still able-bodied to work hard... Usually.

Thanks Stomper, I've been thinking (and banking on) just that. I saw an article on Oregonlive where company presidents were lamenting "Millennials" and their lack of a good work ethic. I need to touch base with my next-door neighbor too, he manages a local welding shop.

Deep Sea Welders get paid pretty damn well. I'm not sure of the job outlook or anything like that. Whatever you do, don't go to some stupid trade school. Go to a community college, or find somebody who is freakin' awesome at welding and become their Padawan.

My plan is to apply to the Chemeketa Community College (in Salem) welding and machining program to start next Fall. It's first-come first-served if you meet the qualifications, and my existing AAS degrees should make me academically qualified.

 

[slingshot1943]

I'm retired from the carpenters union. I was working on Kodiak Island when the supt. fired two guys without thinking about them being his only carpenter welders. I needed some 12' form ties made so I taught myself to weld at $54 an hour one Sunday in 1984. My form ties held but when I took a welding class at Chemeketa a few years later I had to unlearn some stuff. Chemeketa had a really good welding lab class. After taking welding one and two and getting A's I found I didn't want a job welding all day long.

 

[ron]

I would look at welding as one more tool in my skills tool box. Boilermakers, pipefitters, and iron workers can all weld, but have other skills as well. it's important to have multiple skills so that they can be applied when needed, or more importantly, when one of the talents is not needed. It doesn't matter how good you are at a single skill if there isn't a current market for it. The construction trades are a great place to get training and experience. You can then look for longer term employment in heavy or light manufacturing as a fabricator.

UA Local Union 290 Pipe Fitters Apprentice training In big demand now because of the Intel build out at Ronler Acres, Hillsboro,
IBEW LU 48 Electricians

 

[Dunerunner]

If you train and get certified in stainless sanitary welding there are endless opportunities in the fabrication of Dairy, Medical, Food service and Brewing industries.

 

[Modeler]

UA Local Union 290 Pipe Fitters Apprentice training In big demand now because of the Intel build out at Ronler Acres, Hillsboro,
IBEW LU 48 Electricians

I have family working out there for the IBEW, I'll have to look into the UA program.

 

[sheepdip]

having welding skills is a great thing to put in your arsenal of assault on the job market, the more skills the better. GO get em.

 

[BAMCIS]

If you're willing to go on the road, there would be almost endless opportunities. The really big money is in underwater welding.