Welding & Machine Trades Schools

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Welding careers in the aerospace industry

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

Sure, there’s always a need for skilled welders in automotive body shops and manufacturing companies, but what if you’ve set your sights a little higher? If you’re inspired by NASA’s Curiosity rover’s mission to Mars, a career as a welder in the aerospace industry could be a great fit.

A resilient industry

It’s hard to ignore the news reports about industries still suffering from the effects of the recession, but the aerospace sector seems to be rising above the gloom. According to a recent report, the U.S. aerospace industry is set to expand even amid the ongoing economic difficulties. Demand for aerospace products is likely to be driven by the military and commercial aviation sectors, meaning you could be looking at favorable prospects when you’re done with your welding training program at technical schools.

Regional hotspots

Of course, even jobs in industries that are showing promise, like the aerospace sector, aren’t found everywhere. If you’re serious about launching your welding career after you finish up at technical training schools, you might have to move to land that first gig.

The Pacific Northwest is a regional hotspot for the aviation and aerospace industries. With well-known names such as Boeing and professional organizations such as the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, this region could be a safer bet if you’ve got your heart set on a career in aerospace manufacturing.

Competitive salaries

Jobs in the aerospace sector demand the very best workers and attention to detail. After all, if you’re working on commercial jets or even spacecraft, there’s not much of a margin for error. Fortunately, if you’re at the top of your game, you could bring home a hefty paycheck as a welder in the aerospace industry. According to SimplyHired, the average salary for a welder in the aerospace sector is around $75,000.

What is it that appeals to you about working as a welder in the aerospace industry? Let us know in the comment space below.

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2 perks of becoming a welder

Thursday, September 27th, 2012

Sure, you could get a desk job in an office and stare at a computer from 9 to 5. Or, you can spend your days sending sparks flying while wearing cool shades or a mask as a professional welder.

Now, of course, those cool shades and helmet – with their protective lenses – are for your own good, and those sparks will not be flying all over the place. While safety is always a welder’s top priority, there’s no denying that this is a pretty exciting profession. Still need convincing before you enroll in technical schools and pursue welding training? Here are just two perks of becoming a welder:

You’ll have very useful skills

Once you complete your training, you’ll have knowledge and skills that more than a few industries have a need for. Just think about all the things welding make possible. Everything from skyscrapers to automobiles relies on welders to fuse girders and parts together. So maybe one year you’re applying your skills to a job in the manufacturing field and the next, you’re doing repair work. Either way, when you’re a welder, you’ve usually got the flexibility to move around.

You’ll be in high demand

Employers won’t be the only ones in need of your skills. As soon as friends, family and neighbors hear about the time you spent in technical training schools, you and your talents could become pretty popular. Maybe someone’s got a pipe in need of welding, or another person’s got a project that could use a little fusing. Either way, you could be just the right person for the job. You may even be inspired enough to consider starting a business to address other people’s welding needs.

So what do you think? Are there any other perks to completing a welding training program and entering this field that you can think of? If there are, let us know in the comment space below.

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Help build the future of industry as a pipe welder

Sunday, September 23rd, 2012

Many industries, from oil production to natural gas extraction, rely on complex machinery to help produce energy that keeps your car running, your home warm in the winter and a range of other everyday uses. If you’re thinking about signing up for a welding training program at technical schools, you might want to consider launching a career as a pipe welder in the manufacturing or energy production industries.

The work

Pipe welders use a range of techniques to join sections of manufactured pipes together to create fuel lines for the petroleum and gas industries, as well as fabricate industrial structures such as oil rigs. The primary method of welding used in this profession is shielded metal arc welding, which is also informally known as stick welding. Two sections of pipe are laid side-by-side, before a consumable electrode coated in flux is placed along the seam. The welder then uses a torch to pass an alternating current through the flux, resulting in the fusion of the two sections.

The pay

Due to the highly precise nature of pipe welding, salaries in this field can be highly competitive. According to PayScale, pipe welders can earn between $33,038 and $99,635 per year. If you end up working on an hourly basis after finishing up at technical training schools, you could earn between $14 and $25 an hour, with overtime rates as high as almost $50 an hour.

The outlook

Although demand for pipe welders isn’t quite at the national average of 14% for all occupations, instead sitting around 8%, that doesn’t mean aspiring pipe welders don’t have options. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that states such as Alaska, that are dependent on fuel production, will see an increased need for these professionals as the current generation of baby boomer welders retires.

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a pipe welder? Tell us why in the comment space below.

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Makes sparks with a career in welding

Thursday, September 6th, 2012

Make sparks with a career in welding

If you’re looking for a solid career in today’s uncertain economic conditions, you may want to think about signing up for a welding training program at technical schools. Not only has the need for skilled workers never been greater, welding could be an ideal fit for you. But what do welders do, and what’s the pay like?

The work

Welders specialize in the joining of metal parts in a variety of sectors, including construction, manufacturing and the aerospace industry. There are more than 100 different welding techniques that are suited to varying tasks – for example, the needs of automotive manufacturers are very different from those of companies that make airplanes, like Boeing. However, a core skill set is central to many welding jobs, and some of the more common techniques include arc, tungsten inert gas (TIG), metal inert gas (MIG), and stick welding.

The pay

If you choose to enroll at technical training schools to become a welder, you could be looking at a bright future. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, welders earned an average of $35,450 per year in 2010. This is a little higher than the average for all occupations, and about $5,000 more than other construction trades. The top 10 percent of welders earned more than $53,000 in 2010, so if you’ve got a knack for the work, the sky’s the limit.

The outlook

As America gets back on its feet in light of the continuing economic situation, demand for welders is expected to increase by around 15 percent through 2020, which is about the same as the average for all occupations. However, compared to the outlook for other construction trades, welding is looking a lot healthier – production occupations in the U.S. are only predicted to increase by around 4 percent.

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What can you do after a welding training program?

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

What can you do after a welding training program?

If you’ve always been good with your hands, maybe you’ve considered signing up for a welding training program at technical schools. Perhaps you know someone who works as a welder, or maybe welding is in your family. Regardless of what makes you want to learn the tricks of the trade, welding is a solid career move, especially in today’s uncertain economy. But what options are available to you when you’re done with your training program?

Auto body work

If you’ve ever seen jacked-up automobiles cruising down Main Street, then you know how seriously some people take their cars. For vehicle customization enthusiasts, welders are their best friends.

Auto body work can be lucrative, as the skills and techniques necessary to perform some of these tasks can be highly precise. Metal inert gas (MIG) and arc welding are two of the most common types of join used in auto body work, and it can be tricky to perform these welds without warping or burning through the metal. If you’re after a challenge and love cars, auto body work could be a great fit.

Production welding

Maybe you’ve heard about emerging industries such as natural gas drilling. Well, these technologies wouldn’t be possible without production welders. This type of work involves an assembly line-style process where welders work to produce manufactured components such as oil and gas pipelines.

Major government contractors such as Halliburton make extensive use of production welders at their facilities across the country. This work often involves basic joins in addition to more complex techniques such as heat treatment, numeric-controlled turning and milling, and induction brazing. As America gets back on its feet, the need for production welders is likely to increase – making it an ideal choice if job security is important to you.

Fabrication

One of the most common types of welding work is that of fabrication. In this line of work, fabricators create custom metal components for a variety of uses, including manufacturing. There are a variety of techniques for aspiring fabricators to master, such as cutting, bending, assembling, and the use of tools like oxy-fuel and plasma torches.

Once the basic parts have been created, welders then assemble them using standard joins and techniques. Welding and fabrication often go hand-in-hand, and it’s not uncommon for most welders to know at least some fabrication techniques. This field can also offer a competitive salary, as many welders and fabricators can read and interpret mechanical blueprints. Lots of companies are in need of skilled workers like fabricators, from small family-owned businesses to large corporations and manufacturers.

These are just a few of the opportunities that could await you when you’re done with your welding training program. Some companies blend several roles into one, depending on the needs of the project or product, while others prefer their welders to specialize in a single technique.

What do you hope to do after you finish your studies at technical training schools? Let us know in the comment space below.