Career outlook for welding and fabrication?

[Dunerunner]

But, that also requires a Commercial diving Certification in most cases.

 

[Modeler]

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

I had considered diving and underwater welding in the past, but I don't think I'm really cut out for the underwater part. Traveling may be a possibility in the future, we'll have to see where life leads.

 

[filsonhand]

Local 290 will probably be taking more on next year.the first 50 on the new list start Monday and there are around 150 behind them,there is a lot of demand right now...

 

[PDXSparky]

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

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

That's where I'm working as well. I've been there 5 + years solid and there's at least 10 years more work there. I'm planning on retiring there. I'm a member of IBEW local 48.

Local 290 will probably be taking more on next year.the first 50 on the new list start Monday and there are around 150 behind them,there is a lot of demand right now...

IBEW local 48 is taking apprentice applications now too. Journeymen make $38.05

 

[Cuthbert Allgood]

That's where I'm working as well. I've been there 5 + years solid and there's at least 10 years more work there. I'm planning on retiring there. I'm a member of IBEW local 48.


IBEW local 48 is taking apprentice applications now too. Journeymen make $38.05

Out of curiosity, how much are the union dues, and once the dues are taken out of a person's paycheck, what is the typical average hourly rate or net pay of a Journeyman?

 

[Modeler]

Out of curiosity, how much are the union dues, and once the dues are taken out of a person's paycheck, what is the typical average hourly rate or net pay of a Journeyman?

Whatever the dues, it's a pittance compared to the extra wages and benefits. My BIL was a non-union electrician for a few years and organized a year or so ago. He's making more money with better benefits and a more stable working environment.

In my current industry there are two major employers, one union and one non-union (I work for the union employer). Our monthly dues are $55 but my pay is roughly $1,000 per month more than my counterpart at the non-union shop. Money well spent!

 

[KalamaMark]

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.

Ya learn something new every day! I never heard of a Carpenter Welder before. Of course, I never heard of an Electrician Welder before either, until the IBEW hall couldn't fill all the calls for Electrician Welders building the Gypsum plant under the Longview/Rainier Bridge. The IBEW hall called the UA hall, and they called me and I worked out there for a bit. It was odd wearing an EC Electric hardhat!

 

[Modeler]

That's where I'm working as well. I've been there 5 + years solid and there's at least 10 years more work there. I'm planning on retiring there. I'm a member of IBEW local 48.


IBEW local 48 is taking apprentice applications now too. Journeymen make $38.05

Nice. My brother in law is Local 48 too and is working at Intel. My mom's husband has worked for Local 48 too but travels a lot as well; he's going to retire in a few years. I even did a yacht delivery this past spring for a Local 48 electrician.

I looked at the Local's website, it doesn't look like they're accepting apprenticeship applications right now.

 

[Stomper]

Ya learn something new every day! I never heard of a Carpenter Welder before. Of course, I never heard of an Electrician Welder before either, until the IBEW hall couldn't fill all the calls for Electrician Welders building the Gypsum plant under the Longview/Rainier Bridge. The IBEW hall called the UA hall, and they called me and I worked out there for a bit. It was odd wearing an EC Electric hardhat!

Yeah, start wearing an EC hardhat for too long and you'll start absent mindedly picking your nose and assume a dopey look on your face! Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk!!

 

[KalamaMark]

A plumber or fitter pays about $1.50 an hour in dues, and monthly dues of $20-40..somewhere in there. Base scale is somewhere around $35. I don't know for sure, I've been paid over scale for 15 years or so.

Your dues will come out of that hourly wage, but your medical for you and your family and your retirement all are above and beyond that.

We negotiate a 'total package' wage with our contractors, and then we as members decide how much we keep on the check, how much we will pay into our pensions, how much we will pay into our health and welfare fund, etc.

For instance, We Plumbers and Pipefitters went without a 'on the check' pay raise for several years, even though our negotiated 'total package' hourly dollar value went up several dollars. We voted to maintain our health and welfare coverage and put those additional dollars to cover increased health care premiums.

I second the notion that the dues burden upon the members is negligible.... It's the best money I spend each month.

 

[Stomper]

UA290 Current wage scales:

$15.89-$35.74= Apprentice wage range with 6mo. intervals over 5yrs.

$39.71= Journeyman

$45.92= Foreman

$52.13= General Foreman

$58.33= Senior General Foreman


Then there's full medical, dental, and vision, a pension, access to AWESOME continuing education every year (you get a check for almost $600 every year if you complete 24 classroom hours for that year), the ability to get state specialty licenses, scholarships for your kids, etc.

I'm not too crazy (at all) about the leftist crap they officially endorse, but there's WAY more moderate/conservative members than you would think there are, and I call out the "brothers/sisters" (individually) when I hear them spout political punditry like a stupid drones.

 

[trainsktg]

Out of curiosity, how much are the union dues, and once the dues are taken out of a person's paycheck, what is the typical average hourly rate or net pay of a Journeyman?

Base IBEW Journeyman pay is $38 mentioned above, but there is also about $17/hr paid in to pension and medical over and above that. If you are working overtime it really starts to add up. If you are really good at what you do, you can even negotiate your wages up from there. Total dues will run somewhere in the $250/month range if you are working 50 or 60 hours/wk.

In this area, UA pay is higher than IBEW pay.

Keith

 

[trainsktg]

It was odd wearing an EC Electric hardhat!

My commissioning crew at Rosendin on the first D1X was half fitters, half electricians, one of each per two-man team. I also negotiated that the electricians would receive the higher UA pay, since they were doing the same job.

Keith

 

[1990Turbo]

I am a macinist and love it. Its alot of fun running the cnc machines but its awesome to be able to run any machine in the shop cnc or manuals. And it is pretty fun work i think especially if you get to work in a job shop where you dont have to do the same thing everyday. machining is fairly easy on the body and depending where you work and what they do pay is decent. Hell after a couple years buy urself a couple machines and start a biz in your own garage.

 

[PDXSparky]

Out of curiosity, how much are the union dues, and once the dues are taken out of a person's paycheck, what is the typical average hourly rate or net pay of a Journeyman?

I take home a little over $1000 a week with a withholding of 3, does that help?

I looked at the Local's website, it doesn't look like they're accepting apprenticeship applications right now.

The notice was in the information I got in the mail about upcoming continuing ed classes.

 

[Colt Carbine]

If a person is wanting to become a welder, I highly suggest looking at applying to Local 290 Plumbers/Steamfitters Apprenticeship Program as a Steamfitter Apprentice.

The Local 290's Training Center Facility and Education is far superior to what a Community College has to offer. A Community College is not going to pay you while you learn the trade, while an Apprenticeship Program will with very limited expense on the Apprentice's part.

How do I know that our training is superior to a Community College, well I have heard from the mouths of many non-union Plumbers and Steamfiitters who have come through the program. There is no way a Community College can keep up with us financially. I challenge anybody that does not think we are the leading training facility in Oregon/SW Washington in the piping industry is take a tour of our facility and then go visit a Community College that offers the same training. You can come to your own conclusion rather than take my word.

Keep in mind that the demand is high (extremely high), which means we are seeing record numbers of those applying. Do not be discouraged if you do not make the cut the first time you apply.

It really helps to already have some construction experience, even if it is not in the piping industry.

You would be surprised how many people have come through our program, who have worked in the piping industry with a non-union contractor or already have a college education with a Associates or Bachelor Degrees.

You would be correct on the amount of Conservative minded members within the membership who do not drink the kool-aid spouted from above. At times in can be hard to talk politics with some of the members, while trying to change the minds/opinions of some of the Rank and File members. Liberalism is a mind-set/disease that is not easily cured.

I have been a Local 290 Member for almost 20 yrs. and I have been an Apprenticeship Training Instructor for the last 6 years. I went through Local 290's Plumber Apprenticeship Program. I am Licensed Journeyman Plumber and a Journeyman Pipefitter who is currently trying to get Oregon's required amount of process piping and welding/brazing hours to qualify to take Oregon's Class 5 Boiler/Pressure Vessel License Examination.

Apprenticeships



UA Local 290 Training Centers offer five-year apprenticeship programs for plumbers and steamfitters, consisting of on-the-job training, night school and related training. Local 290 currently maintains nine training centers within our jurisdiction. Apprentices train with a journeyman during the day, working for one of our contractors. Pay increases as program requirements are met.

Night school is two nights per week, for three hours each night. The term runs from the end of August to the beginning of June (108 hours/term and 216 hours/year). Required books are purchased at the Training Center at a 50% discount.

At the end of the tenth term completed successfully (8,000 training hours and 1,080 school hours) and upon completion and passing of the UA Local 290 exam, apprentices are referred to the Building Codes Division for State exams. Once all exams are successfully completed, the apprentice is re-rated to journeyman.


<broken link removed>

Apprentice Wages

Term​	Training Hrs​	School Hrs​	%​	Base Wage​	Total Package
1​			40%​	$15.88​	$28.16​
2​	800​	108​	50%​	$19.86​	$32.14​
3​	1600​	216​	55%​	$21.84​	$39.68​
4​	2400​	324​	60%​	$23.83​	$42.17​
5​	3200​	432​	65%​	$25.81​	$44.65​
6​	4000​	540​	70%​	$27.80​	$47.15​
7​	4800​	648​	75%​	$29.78​	$49.63​
8​	5600​	756​	80%​	$31.77​	$52.12​
9​	6400​	864​	85%​	$33.75​	$54.60​
10​	7200​	972​	90%​	$35.74​	$57.10​

 

[Colt Carbine]

Out of curiosity, how much are the union dues, and once the dues are taken out of a person's paycheck, what is the typical average hourly rate or net pay of a Journeyman?

Monthly membership dues are $28/month if I remember correctly and 2.5% working dues. Working dues come out of your paycheck, monthly dues do not. The dues are nothing compared to the higher wages, better benefits and the education/training facility available to the members.

I end up paying about $2000+/year for working dues. That might seem like a lot to some folks looking from the outside but as mentioned it is pittance. Good things in life do not come for free.

You will have absolutely no out-of-pocket expense for Retirement and/or Health Care Benefits. Now depending on the Health Care Plan you choose will dictate what your Co-Pay is and whether or not you have a Deductible or not.

When I work 40 hrs. per week, my net income is right around $950/week with 2 dependents for tax withholdings.

 

[Modeler]

I'd definitely be interested in the UA 290 apprenticeship program. The only problem (and this is my problem, not the program's) is that I would start out with a 50% pay cut and it doesn't look like I'd get back up to my current pay level for 3 years. Again, not the program's problem, I understand that you don't make much money when you first start out. I'd have to do some serious budget math to make sure I could pay the bills before starting the program.

One question: If you don't get the health insurance offered do you get the cash in lieu of health insurance? My health insurance is currently through my wife, and that could easily offset the wage drop.

 

[Colt Carbine]

I'd definitely be interested in the UA 290 apprenticeship program. The only problem (and this is my problem, not the program's) is that I would start out with a 50% pay cut and it doesn't look like I'd get back up to my current pay level for 3 years. Again, not the program's problem, I understand that you don't make much money when you first start out. I'd have to do some serious budget math to make sure I could pay the bills before starting the program.

One question: If you don't get the health insurance offered do you get the cash in lieu of health insurance? My health insurance is currently through my wife, and that could easily offset the wage drop.

I know where you are coming from on the reduction in wages. When I changed my career from a non-union Pipefitter making $16/hr, I took a pay cut down to $7.87/hr. to be a first year plumbing apprentice. It sucks to go backwards in income to obtain a higher wage in the end with a better career. Been there, done that. It is not easy but it can be done.

Do you have any bills that could be eliminated and/or reduced?

How much of your current lifestyle could you do without or put on hold?

Everybody does, it just a matter of badly do you want the career change. You need to really think about this one real hard; cell phone, internet connection, cable bill, pay-off credit cards and cut them up, the list is endless on how you could save yourself money. I am just throwing a few things out there, being I do not know you or what your lifestyle is like. Maybe you have already done some of this.

Do you buy your groceries on sale and stock up when they are, rather than pay full price for groceries. Groceries are a huge expense for anybody.

Think of all those who come to our program with a college education/degree, no job related to their degree and making payments on student loans for an education that is not getting them any financial gain.

You can do this but it will not be an easy transition.

As far as Health Care goes, NO you do not get cash in lieu of health insurance. Health Care benefits is something that is not attached to your paycheck because you do not pay for it. Money can not given for something that the contractor pays for, not you.

 

[Modeler]

I just heard back from the Apprenticeship Coordinator, sounds like the next open application period will be in April 2014.