If you are searching for a new career, one you may wish to consider is the field of welding. Welders are an essential part of the construction industry, using their skills and knowledge to connect metals or specific polymers using intense heat to establish a powerful bond. There are diverse specializations within the world of welding, making the job fitting for workers with various interests and backgrounds.
Welding welcomes new devotees even if you have spent considerable time working in a different job environment. It is, comparably, an easy transition field for those looking to learn a new craft. All you need is a good welding machine- and with lots of resources available for new welders, it’s quite easy to find a good tig or mig welder for sale. Whether you intend to dive into the profession full-time or supplement your income as a side job, welding can prove a lucrative career that you can begin relatively quickly with little experience.
What Traits Do I Need to Be a Successful Welder?
If you are considering entering the world of welding but aren’t sure if the profession is right for you, knowing if you possess the innate talents to excel at the job can heavily influence this decision. The best welders exhibit certain traits that help them rise above the competition and establish a positive reputation that ensures they have plenty of work and make an elevated salary.
SAFETY
To sustain a long career in welding, you should be able to understand and follow proper safety protocols. One downside to work is that it can sometimes be dangerous, and someone who likes to take shortcuts or ignore safety mandates may suffer the consequences. To avoid serious injury, a welder must understand the proper handling of equipment and the safest way to proceed, including wearing the necessary safety equipment properly.
TIME MANAGEMENT
Many welder projects are involved and have associated deadlines. To stay caught up, you need appropriate time management skills. This is the ability to find the best way to accomplish a task safely in less time and maintain a suitable pace to achieve the job while leaving a margin for error in case you make a mistake or have unexpected complications with the project.
ORGANIZATION
Some welding jobs are complex and require several tools and techniques to complete. A good welder has the organizational skills to not only keep needed equipment readily accessible but store equipment so they can quickly locate it as needed. Being able to orchestrate an efficient plan of action for the work itself is also a significant benefit. This skill goes hand in hand with time management as it reduces unnecessary downtime while locating necessary equipment.
APTITUDE
No matter how safe and organized you are, you must gain the knowledge and skill to perform the job correctly to establish new and long-term clients. A welder needs to be capable of pursuing new knowledge and techniques while having the ability to think logically about projects to solve problems and find better approaches to work. Learning any new skill takes time, but the best welders always look for new ways to improve their performance and technique to create a better product in less time.
Why is Welding Such a Good Career?
Here is a breakdown of why welding makes such a solid career choice:
High Demand
One of the best reasons to consider the welding field is that this career is in high demand, and projections indicate that the need for qualified welders will continue to grow. What this means for a welder is that new clients and work will always be available, creating an atmosphere of stability.
Finding work can be a source of stress, and many welders, especially those with skill and experience, have all the work they need. Even new entrants and apprentices can find a job fairly quickly, especially if they are versatile and willing to relocate as required.
Requires Little Prerequisite Education
Welding is a tradecraft, and one benefit of the high demand is that there is more than enough work to go around, even for those who are learning. Workers can be successful in the welding field even without a college degree, especially if they can enter an apprenticeship to learn the trade. However, some workers can learn enough through practice and research to find basic work.
It never hurts to pad your efforts with higher education. There are plenty of trade schools where you can learn proper welding techniques and acquire certification or attend a community college or university to earn a degree. These additional credentials can help you achieve a higher salary and add professionalism to your resume, which can help when seeking new clients and employers.
Excellent Salary Options
As with any high-demand field, welding can command a solid salary. While money isn’t everything, it certainly doesn’t hurt when considering a new career option. The average salary for welders is approximately $40K annually, with higher-end welders making considerably more. Some welding jobs can prove incredibly lucrative; some commercial underwater welders bank $300,000 a year!
Remember that you will likely have to build to the salary you desire with knowledge and experience. There is a lot of room for growth in this field, and your efforts will likely pay greater dividends if you pursue additional education and are open to various types of welding jobs, including:
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Industrial Maintenance
- Shipyard Work
- Ironwork
- On-shore and Off-shore Rig Welding
- Sheet Metal Work
- Pipefitting
- Military Welding
- Commercial Underwater Welding
Enjoyable, Exciting Work
Many jobs require performing the same duties repeatedly, which can become tedious. Welding, on the other hand, can be incredibly enjoyable, even soothing to some workers. There is an artistic quality to creating, repairing, or restoring goods that can instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in each project, which generally varies depending on the work and the welding type.
If you are open to traveling, many opportunities can see you exploring the world. Each job is a new and exciting venture that offers new challenges and varied experiences, unlike the monotony prevalent in many careers. In short, the job can be as exciting as you want, and you can go as far as your skill and desire will take you.
Suppose you want the safe monotony of performing the same task repeatedly. In that case, you can likely find that by specializing in a specific field or even a particular type of work within that spectrum. Welding is what you make it and what you let it be, so ultimately, the decision is up to you.
