Welding Career Opportunities ExPERIENTIAL LEARNING TECHNOLOGY Welding Career Opportunities Overview

Fabricator/Fitter Welder Definition: Works heavily with blueprints and is responsible for fabricating and tacking parts together. Hand off the parts to a production welder to weld, or will weld it themselves. Usually have responsibility dealing with cutting, drilling, and other fabrication processes. May use fasteners (bolts, rivets, screws, etc.) to put parts together. 3

Fabricator/Fitter Welder Salary: Mean annual salary: $36,600 Median annual income level: $34,800 National averages: -Level one – minimal experience in the field: $34,100 -Level two – two or more years of experience: $40,200 -Level three – (senior welders with over four years of experience): $46,500 A welder fabricator's salary can depend upon geographic location, the type of industry and experience in the field. 4

Fabricator/Fitter Welder Education: Requires specialized training through: ‐high school vocation-technical program ‐post-secondary diploma program at a trade school ‐associate's degree in welding from community or junior college 5

Production Welder Definition: Typically a production welder welds the same part over and over again. They usually work off of blueprints. Some production welders will have parts fitted by a fabricator or fitter before they weld or will have to fabricate or fit their own parts before welding. 6

Production Welder Salary: – The average salary of a production welder employed in the United States is about $37,000 per year. – A shipyard welder in Chicago can earn as much as $41,000 annually, but a spot welder averages about $23,000 per year. – Auto body welding specialists can earn up to $50,000 annually. 7

Production Welder Education: Requires only a high school diploma and a basic understanding of mathematics for measurements. Must have special knowledge of the machines and tools, including how to repair and maintain them. Requires blue print reading. Must have the ability to identify raw materials, understand the production process and quality control issues. 8

Custom & Maintenance Welder Definition: Similar to a Fabricator; however, works on custom style welding, not the same welding over and over. May work from blueprints, or may have to create their own shop drawings to work from. May do welding on equipment and machinery. Includes auto mechanics, auto body repair technicians, diesel mechanics, and industrial mechanics Will likely do custom welds. 9

Custom & Maintenance Welder Salary: – Mean annual salary: $37,370. – Average range: $23,940 - $53,690 10

Custom & Maintenance Welder Education: Requires specialized training from a high school vocation- technical program or a post-secondary diploma program at a trade school. Some welding opportunities require an associate's degree in welding from a community or junior college. 11

Millwrights Definition: Fabricate and maintain industrial machinery and equipment. Work heavily with blueprints. Install or teardown equipment in factories. Welding is only part of the job. Need to be good with math and precision measurements, along with moving around big, heavy machinery. 12

Millwrights Salary: Mean annual salary: $49,820 Average range: $31,110 - $72,500 13

Millwrights Education: High school diploma, GED, or equivalent. Applicants who have studied at a trade school with specific courses in industrial technology are more attractive to employers. Background in mechanical drawing and mathematics is a great start. 14

Pipe Welders Definition: Work with blueprints to layout and fit piping, and then weld the piping together Typically need to be certified and have special training Most piping systems are made of steel and stainless steel depending on their application 15

Pipe Welders Salary: Mean annual salary: $37,370 Average range: $23,940 - $53,690 Top three employment states for pipe welders: Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi. 16

Pipe Welders Education: High school diploma or GED with a minimum number of years related training and experience Applicants who have studied at a trade school with specific courses in the field are more attractive to employers. Typically requires serving apprenticeship following high school, learning the trade under the supervision of an experienced worker. 17

Construction & Installation Workers Definition: Types of jobs vary greatly, however one duty usually includes welding. Examples of possible required welding: Steel framing for buildings or rebar for road construction. Installation workers install equipment and machinery in a shop or factory, or on site of final location. 18

Construction & Installation Workers Salary: Mean annual salary for a welder: $37,370 Average range: $23,940 - $53,690 19

Construction & Installation Workers Education: High school diploma or GED with a minimum number of years related training Applicants who have studied at a trade school with specific courses in the field are more attractive to employers. 20

Welding Engineers Definition: Demonstrated education, experience, and knowledge in specialized fields of welding, brazing, cutting and materials joining. A broad field that covers careers from automotive and shipbuilding to nuclear power, aerospace and mining. Any joining of metals probably involves a welding engineer in the process. 21

Welding Engineers Salary: Average annual salary: $77,000 Average range: $60,000 - $113,000 22

Welding Engineers Education: Duties begin before production or construction welding and continues through the production process. Must have both high school and post-secondary education. Strong in general engineering, calculus-based structure. Courses include: ‐mathematics ‐physical metallurgy ‐physics ‐chemistry ‐engineering mechanics ‐thermodynamics and fluids ‐core engineering requirements 23

Inspectors/Quality Control Definition: Inspects co-workers’ fused metal work for meeting required standards and specifications. Inspections range from manufacturing cars to building materials. Must have experience in structural steel as well as welding. Must also be familiar with American Welding Society's codes to fill out inspection work forms. 24

Inspectors/Quality Control Salary: Depends heavily on experience. 1-4 years of experience: $40,000 - $60, years or more: up to $100,000 a year 25