Question for welders

[Trigger Mike]

My 11th grade son is taking a class on welding.   He surfs the internet and reads or sees videos of welders making tons of money.   He knows a guy in the community who stayed in hotels 2 hours away to weld.

 

Only that guy just quite and moved back home to his old job of heavy equipment operator. 

 

I'm thinking that welding jobs are either temporary or wear on you after a while. 

 

I told him to take welding and get a 4 year degree managing welders.  Not sure if that was good advice. 

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

“Welding” actually covers a wide variety of professions.

 

One can work in a local fab shop and make good money attaching pieces of metal for a variety of applications.  You’ll make decent money, and go home every night to your apartment and family.

 

The top end earners are those who’ve done two things.  First, they’re willing to travel to oil fields, construction sites, power plants, and other challenging environments, stay in hotels or man camps for weeks at a time, and work twelve hour days.  Second, they’ve learned special facets of welding such as pressure vessels, sanitary piping, exotic metals, and the like.

 

I spent ten years in large fossil fired power plants and worked with 25 year old journeyman welders who made $150,000/year without a college degree.  They were on the road six months a year working our plant outages.  Six months they were free to live their life unencumbered by work.

 

Tell your son to learn welding. Go to trade school or an apprenticeship and get his license.  Work a few years as a welder and take every opportunity to learn and apply the special skills. If he wants to move into leadership, or get a college degree in engineering, he’ll do so from a much better foundation than going straight to a 4-year degree.

 

And, he’ll make a lot more money because he’ll be that much more valuable.

[Buckshot Bob]

I definitely wouldn’t discourage a trade . If he was to go into welding I would definitely encourage him to look more into becoming a pipefitter/welder , I’ve known many fitter/welders that regularly made over six figures. I made a very good living as a Instrument man . I know electricians and millwrights that also earn a pretty good living . Many times the people who manage tradesmen are people who physically can’t do the job anymore. Especially with OT many of the tradesmen I knew made more than the people managing them and in many instances had more job security, if there is such a thing anymore. 
If he gets a trade generally there’s no debt like college, and if he decides it’s not for him he can still go to school 

[Chief Rick]

To make exceptional money as welder one has to really work and be willing to learn to do more than lay a bead.  As @Charlie Harley, #14153 says, you've got to specialize - nuclear welding, pressure vessels, underwater, etc.  You also have to travel. 

 

The welders, pipe fitters and ship fitters working along the MS/LA/FL Gulf Coast are making good money and most turn down overtime.  They have the ability to work seven days a week if they want to.

 

It's hot in the summertime.  It's cold in the wintertime.  It's wet when it rains.  They may be laying on their back in mud in the winter welding six inches from their face.  Some are in ship sections in the summer with just enough ventilation to keep the fumes clear and it's 110°F+, wearing full all the PPE.  Or they may be wearing a fall protection harness 110 feet off the ground using a mirror to weld behind an obstruction.

 

The welders making six figure salaries did not start out making that money.  They learned the trade and worked their way up.

[J-BAR #18287]

I know nothing about welding.

 

 I remember this YouTube video of Mike Rowe interviewing a remarkable young female welder:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfFDa4LY5mA

You could wind up with a pretty welder for a daughter-in-law!  

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Somewhere in the 60's society decided that to be successful and earn a good living you had to go to college! The vocational classes in High School disappeared and we now have a shortage of people who build, maintain, and fix things.

I took autoshop, drafting, and woodshop in HS. I got a job at an auto supply in their machine shop. Building engines, valve jobs etc. I worked part time and full time while I went to college to become an architect. My first drafting job paid $3.50/ hour. This was while I was making $11/hr at the auto supply in 1975.

Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, welders make good money as defined by what you think good money is. Great benefits and retirement plans.

There's a lot of people with college degrees who aren't working in the area of study and making far less than a tradesmen.

Final note. In 79 I was at the height of earnings for a machinist. Beginning my future in Architecture. I quit and focused on being an architect. My decision was a wise one. I still work on cars and woodworking is a hobby.

[Singin' Sue 71615]

5 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

“Welding” actually covers a wide variety of professions.

 

One can work in a local fab shop and make good money attaching pieces of metal for a variety of applications.  You’ll make decent money, and go home every night to your apartment and family.

 

The top end earners are those who’ve done two things.  First, they’re willing to travel to oil fields, construction sites, power plants, and other challenging environments, stay in hotels or man camps for weeks at a time, and work twelve hour days.  Second, they’ve learned special facets of welding such as pressure vessels, sanitary piping, exotic metals, and the like.

 

I spent ten years in large fossil fired power plants and worked with 25 year old journeyman welders who made $150,000/year without a college degree.  They were on the road six months a year working our plant outages.  Six months they were free to live their life unencumbered by work.

 

Tell your son to learn welding. Go to trade school or an apprenticeship and get his license.  Work a few years as a welder and take every opportunity to learn and apply the special skills. If he wants to move into leadership, or get a college degree in engineering, he’ll do so from a much better foundation than going straight to a 4-year degree.

 

And, he’ll make a lot more money because he’ll be that much more valuable.

The top end earners are those who’ve done two things.  First, they’re willing to travel to oil fields, construction sites, power plants, and other challenging environments, stay in hotels or man camps for weeks at a time, and work twelve hour days.  Second, they’ve learned special facets of welding such as pressure vessels, sanitary piping, exotic metals, and the like.

This^^^

My cousin was a master welder...years in the oilfield, travel.

Also have a freind who builds custom iron gates, doors, ect...as a side line, it keeps him busy, and has a base to make money after leaving the job he is in now.

 

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

Anybody can pick up a mig gun and be fairly proficient in very little time.  Welders make fair money in our shop (sheet metal using mig).  We have a few welders that also do TIG on aluminum and they get paid more.

 

If you want to be a welder and get paid good money, you need to learn more than the basics.  There is a whole lot more to welding than just picking up a torch.

 

I can MIG, I can stick weld and I can old school gas weld and braze.  Not pretty, but good enough for what I do.  I cannot, no matter how hard I have tried make a TIG gun function even partially properly, just beyond my coordination level apparently.  Not a problem, I am an engineer, not a welder and have very little occasion to weld except on prototypes and odd projects.

 

But, if you want to be a Welder (capital W), you need to learn everything you can and like has already been said, you kind of need to specialize.  Get certified welding pressure vessels, or underwater welding, or one of the many other specialties that will have employers looking for you rather than you having to look for a job.  There is a whole lot more to welding than just picking up a torch.

 

Just my 2 cents

[Texas Joker]

When he was a junior in high school my son told me he didn't want to go to college. Both my wife and I hold masters degrees, I told him it isn't my job to send him to college it's to raise a productive member of society and to get him a skill so he can support himself.

 

My son holds 6 welding certifications and at 24 along with the bank owns his own home for over a year. 

He works in a shop that wants to get him a cdl and has sent him for training in hydraulics. He has done production welding and temp work.

 

He has an AS in welding sciences from State Technical College of MO. Forbes has rated it #2 in the nation. 

 

Likely he will get tired of breathing vaporized metal some day, but the degree holds and life and work experience is worth it.

 

We NEED people who know how to build stuff.

[Tequila Shooter]

@Trigger Mike I just finished reading all the replies and I agree with them, but I’d like to offer you another choice to consider.  If your son was to join the Navy as SEABEE they have a rate called Steelworker (SW).  The post basic training school for that is in Gulfport, MS, I was stationed at the schoolhouse there for 3 years.  The students get trained, graded and become proficient in every aspect of welding.  Class is taught in a classroom setting, a welding simulator, and hands on in a shop environment. 

I’m not saying that it’s easy or glamorous, but the training that’s provided is solid and recognized throughout the industry. 

Best of luck with your decision.  

[Trailrider #896]

He might want to check with aerospace and nuclear companies and ask what sort of welders and their qualifications they utilize.  Ask if any of their welders can recommend schools, etc.  Be sure to tell them he is in 11th grade and planning for his future education. SpaceX must be using a bunch of welders to assemble their Starship and its booster, as they are primarily made of certain alloy stainless steel.  Lockheed-Martin developed friction stir welding (an automated process) but they must have had some real expert welders to develop the process.  Not sure how it will be done, but I'd bet somebody will need welders for jobs on the Moon!  Ought to pay pretty good when the day comes!

Best wishes for you and your son!

[Trigger Mike]

I mentioned the military and told him they train you really well.  He said no, to my dismay.  He needs the discipline the military teaches you.  

 

There is a nuclear power plant 40 minutes from here, so that is a really good idea.  They pay excellent from what I hear from those who work there.

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

7 minutes ago, Tequila Shooter said:

@Trigger Mike I just finished reading all the replies and I agree with them, but I’d like to offer you another choice to consider.  If your son was to join the Navy as SEABEE they have a rate called Steelworker (SW).  The post basic training school for that is in Gulfport, MS, I was stationed at the schoolhouse there for 3 years.  The students get trained, graded and become proficient in every aspect of welding.  Class is taught in a classroom setting, a welding simulator, and hands on in a shop environment. 

I’m not saying that it’s easy or glamorous, but the training that’s provided is solid and recognized throughout the industry. 

Best of luck with your decision.  

What TS said. I was about to chime in but he beat me to it. 
Not only do you not pay for training, you get paid to train!  Not to mention the pride of service. 

[JD Lud]

As far as being a weld supervisor or manager, there is a good chance a good welder or one that works overtime will out earn the manager.

[Buckshot Bob]

56 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

I mentioned the military and told him they train you really well.  He said no, to my dismay.  He needs the discipline the military teaches you.  

 

There is a nuclear power plant 40 minutes from here, so that is a really good idea.  They pay excellent from what I hear from those who work there.

Does the plant have their own trades ? If they do he may be able to get an apprenticeship. Although around here in Mi the trend seems to be to contract out as much as they possibly can .

If they do contract everything out find out what companies they use . I worked in a chemical plant but because of some of the classes I had taken I was certified to work in a nuclear plant . Any company working in that plant is going to have to have someone certified to work in a nuclear plant so it would be a way he could get some specialized training 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I just retired from driving a truck for a LARGE welding supply company. During my 30 years there, I saw probably hundreds of welders both in and out of the office. 98% of them live paycheck to paycheck, or close to it. Most of them are... not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I've come to the conclusion that long term inhalation of welding off gasses cause brain damage. Some of these guys are flat out stupid. 

As other posters have said, the guys who make the money specialize, or start their own company, and all that entails. Either way, the personal cost can be high. If he's willing to pay it, he can make money. If not, he's just going to be another low end cog in the machine of someone else.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

1 hour ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

he's just going to be another low end cog in the machine of someone else.

You say that like it is a bad thing.  If there were not people working at all levels of need, nothing would be getting done.  For every person earning high in the range for what they do, there are many more who are earning  lower on the list, and being happy to have the job.  Everybody can't hold out for a position in management, somebody has to sweep the floor and dump the trash.  Life is a pyramid scheme.  There is only one top spot, but there are many spots at many levels below that are as essential to the whole as the rich guy with the fancy car at the top.

 

I encourage anybody I have sway with to be the best/most that they can be.  Learn all they can learn and find something they like doing.. and then do it to the best of their capabilities.  If that means they are the third guy on an assembly line that puts the left wheels on a lawnmower as it goes by on the line that is awesome.  Somebody has to do it.  People who can do more will do more.  Bosses, Foremen, employers etc can usually see the ones who want to do more and are capable of doing more, and opportunities are made for those folks.  And, (speaking as a manager) I am also thankful for the ones who are quite good at what they do, and have no aspirations of moving up or taking on more.  They are the workhorses that get things done. 

 

Again, just my 2 cents...

 

 

[Muleshoe Bill SASS #67022]

Well.... I spent about 5 hours today burning steel and getting some panels fitted to weld up. I love the welding. I am not a welder by trade.  Welders work hard, they work long hours and have a very tough life.  To make money as a welder one needs to get not only the basic certifications, but some of the very advanced certs.  Welders who are divers can pretty much work 6 months out of the year and make 300K to 600K , many die young.  Land based welders in the oil fields, or working in ship yards can make good money but again they travel a lot.

 

If he is willing to work several years as an apprentice and journeyman to become a master welder, then he is in a good field.  If he gets the basic certs with some of the more localized advanced certs, he can buy a rig and work locally making a good living, but not at the 100K+ level most places. But he will be home at night.

 

Heck welding is a endeavor where you sort of pick your level of commitment and go with it.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

How do you weigh satisfaction vs wealth? Or the cost of sacrifice for a particular reward? 

It is really hard to make any exceptional wealth at anything without taking the risk of being an entrepreneur, or taking a job with extraordinary risk. And if wealth is the goal, turning skills into a successful business can take decades. First ten years of a career can largely be ruled out as one masters their skills. It goes without out saying there are exceptions. Just don't factor in "exceptionality" into the equation.

To make money at anything, in a way that is long term and lasting, you have to pay your dues and commit to the profession. Long term success is achieved by achieving set goals (not wishes in one's mind) through one's daily decisions, habits and practices. You have to keep yours eyes open for opportunity and take hold before opportunity gets away. You also need a long term plan, preparation for that plan, commitment to that plan, no half-assed execution of that plan, foresight, a back up plan, a "what if" plan, and an exit strategy. Just picking a trade based on some career day propaganda or internet chat room nonsense is not enough to make a career decision, cause the day will come (usually from age), or circumstances will arise (usually from a health related issue to them or a loved one), where the toil of manual work will be less appealing or financial and/or personal circumstances force a change.

The book of Proverbs says a lot about seeking wisdom and instruction. It is so true. It may not be mastering a trade, but just knowing enough and becoming business/sales/management minded. 16-17 years old, there's plenty of time for deciding what to do with one's life. What I do know is a lot can be said about a mature disposition, good judgement, people skills, and an eye for gauging others character. Being one that is able to listen, learn, and see opportunities and needs that arise are invaluable traits. Those traits will carry you far anywhere.

 

[Trigger Mike]

I told my son the advice mentioned here.  We will see if he follows it.  Right now he is at the age that knows everything. Much more than his idiot father.  

[Warden Callaway]

Our two sons went into military service right out of high school.  Oldest in the Navy.  Youngest in joined the Marines. It was good training.   And the benefits last a lifetime. 

 

Our youngest tried working at a half dozen jobs (including welding) until he discovered nursing.  He put himself through a two-year nursing program with help from G.I. bill. He continued to add to his certifications.  He can walk into any health facility and get a good job such is the demand.  He makes really good money and he and wife live well. He enjoys long hunting trips for big game.  He and wife have taken long vacations to Europe,  South America and Asia.  Recently bought a UTV and got a 10% price cut being a service veteran. And so on.

 

Older son has a job in a warehouse with no heating or air-conditioning. Now getting two Sundays off a month and mostly working 12 hour shifts. Lives in an apartment,  still making payments on a Ford Escape he bought used - the only thing he almost owns. He has not used any of his military service benefits. 

 

You can take a horse to water.  

[Trigger Mike]

Our children don't understand how hard it is to watch the things they do.  

 

Having said that, I am glad he wants to pursue the welding class.   I just know that he has the attention span of a few minutes and thus don't see him working 12 hours days welding.  A few hours a day, he'd be fine

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

3 hours ago, Trigger Mike said:

I told my son the advice mentioned here.  We will see if he follows it.  Right now he is at the age that knows everything. Much more than his idiot father.  

In ten years he will be amazed at how much you will have learned.

[Sedalia Dave]

One thing many trades people that make big money have in common is their total lack of financial common sense. I'll use oil field workers as an example.

 

When the industry is booming jobs are plentiful and the pay is awesome. You see those guys driving new fully loaded trucks, lots of expensive toys like ATVs, big screen TVs, RVs, boats and the like. They seem to have an endless supply of money and spend it like it will never end.

Then overnight the gravy train runs out of track and crashes into a bottomless pit. Guys are having fire sales as they can no longer afford the payments or need the cash to buy groceries.

 

This cycle repeats over and over every few years with all the same players. 

 

Make sure he learns how to put some of that money to work in a retirement account and he needs to have the will power to never touch it till its time to retire.

Short term emergencies is why you have a money set aside in a rainy day fund.

 

I have known way too may people that lived hand to mouth their whole lives. Didn't matter if they were making 20K a year or 20K a month they spent every dime they made without learning how to save for the lean times.

[Trigger Mike]

Totally agree.  I've seen that many times and am trying to teach him about money.  I'm not sure if he is learning it yet.  He just started a job bagging groceries so we will soon see.