Welding Career Profiles

To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 9.0.124 or greater is installed.

Please login or register to make a comment!

Careers in Welding | 1 AmericAn Welding society Executive Director, Ray Shook Senior Associate Executive Director, Jeff Weber Marketin$ Communnications Director, Ross Hancock AmericAn Welding society foundAtion Executive Director, Sam Gentry Mana$er, Vicki Pinsky Corporate Director, Solutions Opportunity Squad, Monica Pfarr Director, Solutions Opportunity Squad, Connie Bowling Weld-ed regionAl centers Chattanooga State Technical College Honolulu Community College Lorain County Community College North Dakota College of Science Pennsylvania College of Technology Texas State Technical College The Ohio State University Yuba College the mcgrAW-hill compAnies Elana Shippen Janice Tuchman Francesca Messina Sue Pearsall Housley Carr J.T. Long Pat Toensmeier Providence Cicero Donald Cotchen Mark Kelly Robert Ivy James H. McGraw IV Careers in Welding I#D fma#d Welding Career Profiles 161718 4 2 6 8 fUn faCTs When did the earliest recorded welds occur?

What is a 4ume plume? Which 4amous comedian has a large antique car and motorcycle collection and regularly employs welders? resoUrCe gUide How to contact organizations that can help you get started in a welding career.

aCHieVing sUCCess Tips 4or counselors, teachers and parents to help students understand their options in the welding eld. aMaZing CHoiCes, aMaZing PaY The welding industry needs quali ed workers, and it pays well. Not only ... more. less.

does the welding eld o44er tremendous opportunities, it is also expected to experience a big shortage o4 skilled welding pro4essionals. a dYnaMiC indUsTrY WiTH a Big fUTUre There is almost no limit to what welding can do. From space stations and o44shore oil plat4orms to large sculptures, welding is an increasingly high-tech skill. YoUr Welding Career naVi sYsTeM How can students prepare 4or a career in the welding industry? How can they earn while they learn? CoMPUTers and roBoTs PlaY a Big role Advances in technology are contributing to the 4uture o4 welding. cCareers in Welding d was written and produced by The McGraw-Hill Companies under contract to the American Welding Society. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0703018. Any opinions, Ondings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the auth or(s) and do not necessarily rePect the views of the National Science Foundation. Copyright ©2009 by American Welding Society Foundation and National Center for Welding Education & Training (Weld-Ed) in both p rinted and electronic format. The AWS Foundation and Weld-Ed are not responsible for any statement made or opinion expressed herein. Data and information developed by the authors of speciOc articl es are for informational purposes only and are not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of the potential users. 9 Apprentice ironworker 9 AssociAte professor of welding 10 diver/UnderwAter welder 10 HUll tecHniciAn 11 MecHAnic 11 pipe welder 12 president 12 reseArcH engineer 13 robotic welder 13 welding tecHniciAn C-,1$,10 14 3 big f#t#r 6 W)0(-2+ -7 % (=2%1-' -2(9786= w-8, % robots and other automated systems that use power4ul lasers, electron beams and sometimes explosives to bond metals. The ability to work with computers and program so4tware is consequently vital to the success4ul operation o4 these systems. Don Howard, a welding special- ist at Concurrent Technologies Corp., an engineering rm in Johnstown, Pa., estimates that 20%-25% o4 U.S. welding is automated and predicts this trend will grow by about 20% in the next 4ew years. cA lot o4 very intelligent people are coming into the welding community, d says Howard. There is money to be made, he notes, but the industry also o44ers career paths. cWelding is not just about working on a manu4actur- ing line anymore. Once in the industry, people know they can nd a niche. d cThese are good times to be in welding, d says Patricio Mendez, director o4 the Canadian Center 4or Welding and Joining at the University o4 Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Mendez notes that students who like designing and build- ing with metal and are interested in elds such as materials engineering, robotics, lasers, computer programming and systems integration will nd plenty o4 career opportunities in welding. Many students are being introduced to the process with the help o4 virtual welding devices. Edison Welding Institute (EWI) o4 Columbus, Ohio, and Lincoln Electric o4 Cleveland, Ohio have devel- oped virtual welding devices that are designed to teach the basics o4 welding in classrooms. The EWI system uses sensors that duplicate the look and 4eel o4 weld- ing. Lincoln 9s system includes a torch with sensors and a welding mask with special lenses that create realistic images o4 welding applications. There are more than 80 welding processes. Most involve a skilled worker using a high-heat torch (2,800-plus degrees Fahrenheit), ller material that is usually in wire or stick 4orm (though some welds don 9t use llers) to perma- nently bond metal pieces. Welding can also be used to cut and dismantle objects o4 all sizes as well as 4or repairs. One common process is Gas Metal Arc Welding, or GMAW. In GMAW, an electrode, which is also the ller, is con- tinuously 4ed through the nozzle o4 an arc torch. When the welder activates the torch, several operations take place: The electrode begins 4eeding through the nozzle, a direct current is generated that creates an arc when it comes in con- tact with the workpiece and shielding gases are released around the nozzle to protect the weld 4rom atmospheric gases that could degrade its quality. The arc, whose move- ment the welder controls, consumes the electrode and lls in the weld joint, which creates the weld. Other widely used techniques like Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) are variations o4 the process. GTAW, 4or example, is a relatively low-heat method that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode. Its low-heat characteristic reduces distortion in thin metals, such as those used in aerospace. SMAW, also called cstick welding, d uses a fux-coated consumable electrode ( cfux d is a chemi- cal cleaning agent that removes oxidation 4rom the metals to be joined) and is pri- marily used 4or repair and steel welding. As the electrode burns, the fux disinte- grates, which releases a shielding gas that protects the weld 4rom degradation. In more advanced welding technolo- gies, lasers are combined with GMAW in a hybrid process to make what one expert calls cscalpel-like cuts d that are up to ½-inch deep, narrow and extremely precise. The GMAW part o4 the process then deposits the ller and melts it with a secondary heat source. The infuence o4 welding is so broad that many o4 the product designs and building techniques people take 4or granted would not be possible without it. With demand 4or skilled welders rising and the technology o4 welding becom- ing more advanced, especially where automation is concerned, students have a unique opportunity to learn a career that can be shaped around their interests. cThere are many aspects to welding, d Mendez says. cWhen people come in contact with it, they love it. d 3 Careers in Welding | 3 A clever Bronze-Age worker wAs thinking outside the box one day 5,500 years ago when he came up with an inspired idea. A great way o4 making things with the bronze alloys that were being developed then, he reasoned, would be to heat them until they started melting and pound them together with a hammer. By combining heat and pressure in this way, cra4tsmen could make just about anything that required a strong metal like bronze. This was the birth o4 welding, a pro- cess that has had a major impact on metalworking and product engin- eering ever since. Anything made o4 metal, no mat- ter how big or small, can be welded. Examples are everywhere, 4rom vehicles like cars, trucks and motorcycles to rail cars, ships, aircra4t, rockets and space stations. Construction is a huge market, and skyscrapers, bridges and highways would be impossible to build without welding, as would oil and natural-gas pipelines, o44shore oil plat4orms, giant wind turbines and solar panels. Weld- ers help install and maintain boilers, antipollution systems and other large structures, as well as piping 4or industri- al, commercial and residential 4acilities. Welding is even used by artists to create sculptures and decorative items. There is almost no limit to what weld- ing can do, especially since developments in the technology continually improve its accuracy, quality and versatility. Welding is, in 4act, an increasingly high-tech skill. Welders are being trained to operate by Pat Toensmeier A mission specialist working on t"e International Space Station performs extrave"icular activities, putting wel eing to work to connect power, eata an e cooling cables. Jay Eastman an engineer at t"e E eison Wel eing Institute operates a laser-wel e bon eing mac"ine. "There are many aspects to welding. When people come in contact with it, they love it." Staff Sgt. Nicole Lomax uses a gas metal arc (GMA) wel eing mac"ine to wel e a t-joint at Lacklan e Air Force Base, Texas. photo left courtesy of u.s. air force, photo top right courtesy of edison Welding, photo bottom right courtesy of nasa cno wAy! d That 9s what you 9ll say when you hear about the amazing variety o4 welding jobs that are out there and how much they pay. You like the idea o4 working out- doors? Traveling? Getting new skills and moving up in the world? There 9s a weld- ing job 4or you. The same is true i4 you want an indoors-only job close to home. Or i4 you like sales or teaching or science or even research. Or i4 you want to start your own company. The starting pay 4or most welding jobs is pretty basic, especially right out o4 high school. But, with more experi- ence, the potential to earn two or three times that amount is de nitely there. And making $100,000 or more isn 9t out o4 the question. But only i4 you are the best o4 the best 4the Tom Brady or Derek Jeter o4 welding 4and you are willing to work in some 4ar-o44 spots. Why is welding such a wide-open gig? It really comes down to this 4welding is part o4 just about everything you see and touch every day: the car you drive, the bridge you drive over, and the school or mall you drive to. Welding 9s also part o4 making airplanes, ships and all kinds o4 manu- 4actured products, 4rom lawn mowers to earthmoving equipment. And then there 9s energy. Welding, 4or instance, plays a huge role in building and maintaining o44shore oil rigs. The same goes 4or pipelines, powerplants and even those big wind turbines. There are real out-there jobs, too 4 the kind o4 jobs you may never think have a welding angle. Just ask Scott Shriver. Shriver 9s the chie4 4abricator 4or research and development at Hendrick Motorsports, the team behind NASCAR superstars like Je44 Gordan, Dale Earn- hardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. cI got started in welding growing up on a 4arm, d says Shriver. He helped his dad weld 4arm equipment cto keep things going. d Then, a4ter Shriver took some welding classes in high school, his instructor said he was great at it and should think about welding as a career. cI was into racing motorcycles, d Shriver says. cOne day a 4riend o4 mine said he wanted to race sprint cars 4dirt- track-style cars. I helped him build his rst car 4rom the chassis up. d From there, Shriver welded his way to the top o4 the racing business in just a 4ew years. Hendrick Motorsports, where Shriver works, does things old-school but with the latest technology. The company builds its cars 4rom the ground up, and Shriver 9s involved in how the cars are put together. Espe- cially the welds, which are key. cI personally get a 4eeling o4 satis4ac- tion 4rom doing something that not very Ama*i# Pa) many people can do, d says Art Cady, who is a master welder and Certi ed Welding Instructor (CWI), working at the Bechtel Corporation. He 9s been welding probably longer than you 9ve been alive, and he 9s seen the world while doing it. He 9s in Chile now and loving it. What 9s Cady worked on? He 9s got a long list. cCoal- red power boilers, nuclear powerplants, a nuclear-waste treatment plant, computer-chip manu- 4acturing plants, lique ed natural-gas plants, re neries, pipelines, gold and copper mines, the cooling system 4or a Cray supercomputer, o4 ce buildings, hospitals&I think that about covers it, d he says with a laugh. No doubt, Cady has charted his own course in li4e as a welder. So has Derek Arnold, an artist near Baltimore who uses his welding skills to turn old construction equipment (road-paving machines, stu44 like that) into huge sculptures that look and move like dinosaurs. He has also put together a car he says looks like a cross between cThe Flintstones d and cMad Max. d To help pay the bills, Arnold also does awesome specialty welding, making cool-looking metal 4ences, railings and 4urniture. (Curious? Take a look at his page at www.g'-01+(,$.c-+) . There are even jobs 4or welders who like to dive. Welding underwater is part o4 what a commercial diver does, says Allen Garber, who is the chie4 administrative o4 cer at the Commer- cial Diving Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. cCommercial divers have to nd it, clear it, inspect it and repair it or build it new d 4all in diving gear, says Garber. A lot o4 that involves welding. It 9s challenging work, 4or sure. OK, by now you know there is a wide range o4 jobs out there 4or welders. Ev- erything 4rom building dinosaur sculp- tures to building nuclear powerplants. To put it bluntly, though, a big part o4 the job satis4action is making money and a good living. So what does welding pay? It depends on the kind o4 welding you do, where you do it, how long you 9ve been doing it and how good you are at it. Starting just out o4 high school with only basic welding skills, you are looking at $10, $12 or $14 an hour. Underwater welding also pays well, but it depends on where you 9re working. Garber, 4rom the Commercial Diving Academy, says commercial divers doing cinland d work on bridges and power- plants mostly make $40,000 to $50,000 a year, but some make $60,000 or even $70,000 i4 they get a lot o4 overtime. Work co44shore d on an oil rig, though, and you probably will start out at $60,000, Garber says. A4ter a 4ew years, you could make $100,000 or more. cBut that 9s a di44erent type o4 career, d he says. On an oil rig, you usually work 12 hours on, 12 hours o44, every day 4or six weeks, then you come back to dry land 4or a week. It 9s not 4or everyone. Generally, cthe more types o4 weld- ing you master the more you can earn, d says Richard Sei4. He 9s the senior vice president o4 global marketing at Lincoln Electric, Cleveland, which makes all kinds o4 welding equipment and o44ers welding training. I4 you have math and science skills, going to college to become a welding engineer just about guarantees good pay 4more than $50,000 a year to start and thousands more a year a4ter that, Sei4 says. So where can welding take you in li4e? It 9s really up to you. 3 4 | Careers in Welding Careers in Welding | 5 Awesome Choices Weldin$ Jobs: JOB MEDIAN* SALARY IN U.S. Commercial diver $ 47,000 Weldin$ inspector $ 50,000 Weldin$ sales representative $ 50,000 Weldin$ tec%nician $ 55,000 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Plumber, pipe9tter or steam9tter $ 48,000 Structural metal worker $ 40,000 Welder, cutter, solderer and brazer $ 47,000 Welder, cutter, solderer and brazer aide $ 29,000 MANUfACTURINg INDUSTRY S%eet-metal worker $ 67,500 Structural metal #abricator and 9tter $ 43,500 Welder, cutter, solderer and brazer $ 44,000 ShIPBUILDINg INDUSTRY Boilermaker $ 47,000 Materials en$ineer (includin$ weldin$ en$ineer) $ 84,000 Welder, cutter, solderer and brazer $ 37,500 SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, WELd-Ed (ThE NATIONAL CENTER FOR WELdING EdUCATION ANd TRAINING) PaYCHeCKs Y8>; H;<= @.5-27g 38+ 6ay 78= 6a4. y8> ;2,h, +>= y8> @255 -8 @.55 8?.; =26. 2/ y8> @8;4 ha;-, ga27 .x9.;2.7,. a7- >9-a=. y8>; <4255< =h;8>gh =;a2727g. H.;. a;. <86. .xa695.< 8/ =h. 6.-2a7 9ay 27 -2//.;.7= @.5-27g- ;.5a=.- 38+<. Do e 9t for 8 6t, m 6d aa e m 6a e! that ha cf mak 6 mor 6 a ed ha cf mak 6 c 6!!. Navy welder by Housley Carr photo left courtesy u.s. navy, photo middle right courtesy of lincoln electric, top right courtesy of derek arnold Artist NASCAR welder N E S W 6 | Careers in Welding Careers in Welding | 7 ok, so you 9re thInkIng, cI coulD see getting into welding. d But you also may be thinking, cHow do I make it hap- pen? How do I get 4rom here to there? d The good news is there are plenty o4 routes you can take. O4 course, like any trip, it depends on where you start. Some people are almost born into welding. It 9s part o4 them. Maybe you grew up on a 4arm, where there is always something to build or repair. Or maybe your dad does construction, works in a 4actory or messes around with cars. For others, like Branden Muehl- brandt, it 9s a 4reak thing that gets them hooked on welding. cI was 13, on a 4amily vacation. I watched a guy repair a dump truck. I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen, d says Muehlbrandt. Now he trains pipe welders at the Mechanical Trades Institute in Atlanta. For a lot o4 people though, welding is something you get your rst look at in high school. I4 that 9s where you are now, here 9s what you should do: take every shop course you can in welding and metal 4abrication. You 9ll learn about the di44erent types o4 arc welding, like Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), 4requently re4erred to as TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), 4requently re4erred to as MIG (Metal Inert Gas). There 9s nothing like hands-on experi- ence with a good instructor to convince you welding is awesome. And don 9t 4orget about your other high school classes. You 9ve got to have good math skills to do well in any welding job. You don 9t need to know just addition, subtraction, multiplica- tion and division; you also have to be good at problem solving and know basic geometry. Science is key, too. A4ter all, when you come down to it, welding is a kind o4 science. You need a basic understand- ing o4 how and why welding actually works be4ore you can do it. It 9s also a big plus to be a well-rouned person. You 9ll nd out that in just about any welding job you need to work with other people. To be able to talk a prob- lem out. To be part o4 a team. Being a good student helps with that. So, i4 you 9re in high school and thinking about welding as a career, take whatever shop classes you can. Keep up with your math and science. Be well-rounded. Also, look 4or chances to nd real work experience with welding. Maybe nd a part-time job in an autobody or tractor-repair shop. Here 9s something else: Ask your shop teacher about courses you could take at a local or regional career-tech school, or a technical school or a community col- lege. You can also look up schools that o44er welding on the School Locator at www.ca/$$/0(,w$*#(,g.c-+ . Muehlbrandt, 4or instance, took a lot o4 welding classes in his high school in St. Petersburg, Fla., and ended up as an applied welding technology graduate o4 the Pinellas Technical Education Center in Clearwater, Fla. Muehlbrandt or anyone else who 9s done well in welding will tell you that what got them ahead was a little extra drive. A little ambition. The courses they took in GTA and GMA welding. Perhaps stu44 they learned about welding 4rom their rst boss. When you graduate 4rom high school or career-tech school you 9ve got a 4ew options. Get a job that uses the basic welding skills you 9ve got. Or get more welding training at a technical school like the Hobart Institute o4 Welding Technology in Troy, Ohio. At a welding school like Hobart, you 9ll spend about 20% o4 your time in the classroom and the other 80% doing hands-on welding, says Martha Baker, the manager o4 library and Internet services there. cSome students come to us with no welding knowledge at all, d says Baker. Some come with a 4ew welding classes in high school under their belt. Some come 4rom career-tech schools. And some already have been working in welding. The training at a technical school is geared to where you want to go. For in- stance, there 9s a ve-month program 4or guys and girls interested in structural welding and 4abrication. And there 9s a nine-month program 4or pipe welding. Something you should know: Techni- cal schools o44er nancial aid. Some scholarships are out there. And a lot o4 companies will pay 4or you to get train- ing. So will a lot o4 unions. Cajun Seeger can tell you about that. He 9s the welding director 4or United Association Local 72 in Atlanta. Welders who sign on as apprentices there work 4our days a week, and on the 4th day they go to school 4as part o4 the ap- prenticeship training program. cThey get paid to learn, d says Seeger. And they get college credits 4or every class they take. When the program 9s done, Seeger says, they get cjourney- man 9s status and journeyman 9s pay scale. d In other words, even better money. Not a bad deal. You need two hands to work your way up a ladder, right? Well, you need both experience and training to move up in welding. And certi cation. Because employers have to be sure you 9re quali ed to do what you say you can do. The American Welding Society o44ers a wide range o4 certs, beginning with one that identi es you as a ccerti ed welder. d You take a test that shows you can create a sound weld. AWS also o44ers certi cations 4or welding supervisors. And welding inspectors. And 4or robotic arc welding. And welding sales representatives (yeah, there are sales jobs in welding, too). Here 9s something you should re- member: The more you know how to do in welding, the more you are worth to an employer. Say you 9re a year or two into your rst 4ull-time job. You know how to do arc welding. To get ahead, get to know more about GTA. Take a train- ing course. Or two. Or three. Become an expert. And go a4ter some training in GMA welding, too. And laser welding. And robotic arc welding. Step back a second. Remember how there are a lot o4 di44erent routes to a good career in welding? Another one is going straight 4rom high school to a 4our-year college. Or going 4rom high school to work and then to college. There are a lot o4 great jobs out there 4or people with welding talent and an engineering degree. Listen to Caleb Roepke. Roepke 9s a graduate student in the Department o4 Metallurgical and Mate- rial Science at the Colorado School o4 Mines 9 Center 4or Welding, Joining and Coating Research in Golden, Colorado. As you might guess 4rom that last sentence, Roepke is neck-deep into the science behind welding. He got his undergraduate degree in welding and metallurgical engineer- ing 4rom LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. (You can major in that eld at several welding career navi system your b y H o u s l e y C a r r other colleges, too, including Ohio State University in Columbus, Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michi- gan, and the Colorado School o4 Mines in Golden, Colorado.) cI like engineering, but I really wanted to be in something that 9s very hands-on, d says Roepke. Welding/metal- lurgical engineering is like that. Roepke 9s thesis 4the big report he has to write to get his Ph.D. 4is about hybrid laser-arc welding. Serious stu44. A4ter school he hopes to land a good- paying research-and-development job with a big company, maybe one that manu4actures heavy equipment. You 9ve probably got the point. No matter where you are in li4e right now, there are a lot o4 options out there 4or you in the eld o4 welding. There 9s a pattern to it all though. Getting ahead in welding is all about being open to opportunities. Taking courses. Working hard. Learning on the job 4rom welders who have been doing it 4or a living. And taking even more courses so you know more, get better and can o44er more. Because the more you know, the more you can o44er, and the better your chances are o4 doing well. And being happier. 3 Educational StEpping StonES T%ere are a lot o# di##erent pat%s to $reat weldin$ jobs. follow t%e one t%at 9s ri$%t #or you. in HigH sCHool... " ta% f 0ha- f/ f+ 0 f& e#(!-+ f&a- f e d)u+, f, y)u da(. " o-h f+ ,h)* d)u+, f, a+ f a&,) a *&u,. " b f ,u+ f -) % f f* u* #( ma-h a( e , d# f( d f. " c)(,# e f+ a *a+---#m f j) c -ha- #(/)&/ f, 0 f& e#(!. " ch f d% #(-) da+ f f+-- f dh , dh))& )**)+-u(#-# f,. " g f- #(/)&/ f e 0#-h y)u+ &) da& Aws ,-u e f(- dha*- f+. PossiBiliTies afTer gradUaTion... " g f- a u&&--#m f 0 f& e#(! j) c -ha- ) f+, u+-h f+ -+a#(#(! 4 w(/',1* h(/p(5. " s#!( u* )+ a 0 f& e#(! d f+-#9 da-#)( *+)!+am 4 w(/'(5. " ta&% -) a &) da& u(#)( a c)u- a**+ f(-# d f,h#* )**)+-u(#-# f, 4 u1,21 w(/',1* $pp5(1t,c(. sTill More PossiBiliTies... " g) a - f+ a -0)-y fa+ a,,) d#a- f, e f!+ f f #( 0 f& e#(! 4 w(/',1* t(ch1,c,$1. " s-a+- y)u+ )0( cu,#( f,, 4 (1t5(p5(1(u5. " g f- a )u+-y fa+ ca dh f&)+ 9, e f!+ f f #( 0 f& e#(! - f dh()&)!y )+ #( 0 f& e#(! f(!#( f f+#(! 4 w(/',1* (1*,1((5. CerTifiCaTion and aPPrenTiCesHiP PrograMs Can lead To a VarieTY of Welding joBs in... " c)(,-+u d-#)( " r) c)-# d, " th f )#&-a( e-!a, cu,#( f,, " sh#* cu#& e#(! " th f f& f d-+# d *)0 f+ #( eu,-+y " Ma(u a d-u+#(! and don 9T forgeT... " A - f+ a )u+-y fa+ d)&& f! f e f!+ f f, d)(,# e f+ !)#(! -) !+a e , dh))& #( 0 f& e#(!. " th#(% a c)u- c f d)m#(! a 0 f& e#(! f eu da-)+, )+ a( f(-+ f*+ f( fu+. one final THing... ex* f+# f( d f, -+a#(#(!, m)+ f -+a#(#(! a( e a !)) e 0)+% f-h# d a&m),- !ua+a(- f f y)u+ ,u d d f,,. Careers in Welding | 9 l,6$ l(*2h1 a662c,$t( p52)(6625 2) w(/',1* l26 a1*(/(6 T5$'( T(ch1,c$/ C2//(*(, l26 a1*(/(6, C$/,). Q A & HigH sCHool: f5$1c,6c2 V,//$ H,*h sch22/, a7')27-32, m)x-'3 H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? B(51$5'2 : I grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico. My mom wanted me to be a teacher, but I like to work with my hands and build stuff. My dad is an ironworker. In this job you get to do lots of different things. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t th,6 -2b? B(51$5'2 : The union trains you while you work. I 9m a fourth- year apprentice. In nine more weeks I will qualify as a jour- neyman. Then I can take classes to get other certiOcations or refresher courses to renew my certiOcations. The more jobs you are certiOed to do, the more work opportunities there are. Wh$t 96 $ typ,c$/ '$y /,k( ,1 y2u5 -2b? B(51$5'2 : We work in places like construction sites, steel factories and powerplants. Right now I 9m doing maintenance and machine repair on a blast furnace. It 9s a greasy job. I prefer structural work. The job is outside, you can move around more, and it 9s quick 4in six months you 9re on to something else. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? B(51$5'2 : I go places no one else goes 4like the inside of a blast furnace! Wh$t $'v,c( '2 y2u h$v( )25 y2u1* p(2p/( wh2 $5( c216,'(5,1* th,6 c$5((5? B(51$5'2 : Stay in school. That was hard for me because I was working to pay my way through high school in Mexico. Also, study math. That was hard for me, too. I never really liked it, but now I need to know how to calculate things like how much load a crane can lift and at what angle you need to lift it. College: l26 a1*(/(6 T5$'( T(ch1,c$/ C2//(*(, l37 a2+)0)7, c%0-*. U1,v(56,ty 2) C$/,)251,$, l37 a2+)0)7 (ucla), c%0-*. C$/,)251,$ st$t( U1,v(56,ty, l32+ b)%',, c%0-*. HigH sCHool: H2//yw22' H,*h sch22/, l37 a2+)0)7, c%0-*. W$tt6 sk,//6 C(1t(5, l37 a2+)0)7, c%0-*. H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 w(/',1*? l,6$ : In high school, I enrolled in the Regional Occupational Program (ROP), which provided high school students with training for various trades on weekends. I saw welding on the list of trades but had no idea what it was. I asked my counselor about it and she said, cI think you put a helmet on and Ore shoots out. d I said sign me up! I was not sure what welding was when I signed up, but I was hooked the Orst time I tried it. Wh$t typ( 2) (xp(5,(1c( $1' t5$,1,1* ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t y2u5 -2b? l,6$ : Because of the ROP training, I was able to start working as a welder right after graduation. After high school, I worked full time and went to college. I built up my Oeld experience while pursuing my col- lege education. Wh$t $'v,c( '2 y2u h$v( )25 y2u1* p(2p/( wh2 $5( c216,'- (5,1* th,6 c$5((5? l,6$ : Take as many math, English, and computer classes as you can. They will help you, no matter what type of welding career you choose. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? l,6$ : Welding educators change lives by equipping and empower- ing people to achieve fulOlling careers that pay very well. Many of my students tried the corporate world and did not like it but with welding they have found their calling. Another thing I love about my job is that I think of welding as cthe second chance profession. d At least 10% of my students are convicted felons and were incarcerated. When they learn welding, they have a chance at a new life 4they can get good-paying jobs and change their lives forever. ph2t2 t2 c2m(...d$yt21, oh,2 B(51$5'2 l2y$ j5. Age: 25 app5(1t,c( ,521w25k(5 i521w25k(56 U1,21 l2c$/ 290, d$yt21, oh,2 Q A & 3 8 | Careers in Welding welDing indUsTrY Artist 3 Boilermaker 3 hull technIcIAn 3 MechAnIc Pipe Fitter 3 PIPe welDer 3 reInforcIng AnD structurAl Ironworker reseArch scIentIst 3 roBotIcs welDIng technIcIAn 3 Sales Representative S"eetMetal Worker 3 unDerwAter welDer 3 Certi5e e Wel eer welDIng eDucAtor 3 Wel eing Engineer 3 Wel eer-Fitter Wel eing Supplies distributor 3 Wel eing Inspector 3 Wel eing Mac"ine Operator Wel eing Salesperson 3 welDIng shoP owner/entrePreneur 3 welDIng technIcIAn The possibilities Are endless 4or careers in the welding industry. There is something 4or everyone, 4rom hands-on (pipe welder), to education (welding educator) to high-tech (ro- botics welding technician) to research (research scientist) to entrepreneur (company 4ounder and president) and adventure (underwater welder). Welding careers o44er many kinds o4 work environments. You cAn work indoors, outdoors, underwAter or even in spAce! You can weld in construction, manu4acturing, research lab, or in an art studio or you can nego- tiate deals in a con4erence room. You can work 4or a large rm or small start-ups or even ex- plore entrepreneurial opportunities. On the 4ol- lowing pages we will detail 10 populAr cAreer pAtHs in the welding industry and answer some o4 your questions. What do the people who have these jobs do? Why are these jobs important? What type o4 training and education do you need to get these jobs? These stories could help you decide, cis tHis job for me? d t,)6) -7 731)8,-2+ *36 ):)6=32) w-8, %2 -28)6)78 -2 8,) 6-2 a/$ -,*6 *(+(1$# b6 6-2/ (+ag(,a1(-, Job titles range so broa ely t"at 10 | Careers in Welding T,))$1y du1/$p Age: 23 P,p( w(/'(5 Th( sh$w g52up, aqu$6c2, M$5y/$1' P52-(ct Q A & College: nasCar T(ch1,c$/ i16t,tut(, m336)7:-00), n.c. HigH sCHool: f5$1c,6 sc2tt K(y H,*h sch22/, u2-32 b6-(+), m(. Wh$t 96 $ typ,c$/ '$y /,k( ,1 y2u5 -2b? ju6t,1 : I work in the shop during the week, but on weekends I 9m one of seven people on a nationwide pit crew on the NASCAR circuit. During the week in the shop we rebuild the Peet of cars pretty much from the ground up for the next weekend 9s race. We change the engine, service the suspension, Ox any damage to the chassis and do any welding or fabrication that 9s necessary. Why ,6 y2u5 -2b ,mp25t$1t? ju6t,1 : Pit stops are a critical part of the race. My performance is important to the team. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? ju6t,1 : Going to the races every weekend! I love the competition, trying to outperform the other guys as a team. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t th,6 -2b? ju6t,1 : Most of my training was hands-on. Growing up in Pennsyl- vania, I worked in my dad 9s auto mechanic shop. I started weld- ing when I was 12 or 13. In high school I studied mechanics at the vocational-technical center. I was always drag racing. After gradu- ation, I headed for North Carolina and found a job building small race cars, which I continued to do while I was going to the NASCAR Technical Institute. Wh$t $'v,c( '2 y2u h$v( )25 y2u1* p(2p/( wh2 $5( c216,'(5,1* th,6 c$5((5? ju6t,1 : Ninety-nine percent of NASCAR teams are in the Charlotte, N.C., area. Move down there if you can and get started with a minor- league team. It 9s good experience because the teams are small, so each person has more responsibility. College: f/25(1c( d$5/,1*t21 T(ch1,c$/ C2//(*(, d%60-2+832, s.c. HigH sCHool: H$11$h P$mp/,c2 H,*h sch22/, p%140-'3, s.c. H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? T,))$1y : I 9ve never been book smart, but I 9ve always been good with my hands. I like crafts. In high school I took auto mechanics and could change a brake drum faster than anyone. Even though my dad and uncle are welders, I never thought of being one. It was my grandmother 9s idea. She read about the in- creased demand for welders. At Orst I dismissed the idea, but I was working in a clothing store then, and I knew I didn 9t want to do that forever. So I tried a welding class. Wh$t 96 $ typ,c$/ '$y /,k( ,1 y2u5 -2b? T,))$1y : I 9m working at a powerplant in Maryland right now. Every morning we start with a safety meeting. There are a lot of hazards on a jobsite, a lot going on. You need to be alert and aware, or you can get hurt. After that, we grab our tools and go do our assignment. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? T,))$1y : Seeing the end product, knowing I made it, is a big deal to me. The fact that the work is different every day keeps my attention. I like the physical challenge, too. Often you 9re carrying 25-30 pounds of equipment up steps or scaffolding. You need a lot of strength. Why ,6 y2u5 -2b ,mp25t$1t? T,))$1y : I think a lot of people don 9t realize how many ev- eryday things are welded. I didn 9t until I started doing it. Now when I go into a restaurant or a store, I 9m always noticing the welds everywhere. Careers in Welding | 11 W(6/(y gu1th$5p Age: 30 d,v(5/u1'(5w$t(5 w(/'(5 M,$m, d,v(5 i1c., M,$m,, f/$. Q A & ju6t,1 st$mb$u*h Age: 27 M(ch$1,c r,ch$5' Ch,/'5(66 r$c,1*, W(/c2m(, n.C. Q A & s$5$ B,1*h$m Age: 19 Hu// t(ch1,c,$1 U.s. n$vy, g5($t l$k(6, i//. Q A & College: B/$ck r,v(5 T(ch1,c$/ C2//(*(, p3'%,328%7, a6/. C2mm(5c,$/ d,v,1* ac$'(my, J%'/732:-00), f0%. HigH sCHool: V$//(y V,(w H,*h sch22/, J32)7&363, a6/. H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? W(6/(y : I wanted to travel, get away from home and have new experiences in life. An article on underwater welding sounded interesting. I had never touched a welding machine in my life until I went to technical college, but it turns out I was good at it. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t th,6 -2b? W(6/(y : After technical college, where I got my topside weld- ing certiOcate, I worked as a welder for awhile to gain experi- ence and improve my skills. I also took a recreational diving course to make sure I liked it. Then I enrolled in a commercial diving school. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? W(6/(y : When I 9m in the water welding, it 9s another world. There 9s no one down there telling you what to do or looking over your shoulder. I like the freedom and the traveling. My work takes me all over the world. I never know for sure on Mon- day morning where I might be on Friday. This week I 9ll be back in Curaçao installing a 55-ton rudder we removed from a ship a few weeks ago so it could be repaired topside. There 9s always drama and excitement in my job. Why ,6 y2u5 -2b ,mp25t$1t? W(6/(y : Being able to Ox a problem underwater can be an advantage. We often make emergency repairs on cruise ships, for example. We Ox the problem while the ship is in port, so the cruise can continue and vacations aren 9t interrupted. College: U,1t$h B$6,1 app/,(' T(ch12/2*y C2//(*(, v)62%0, u8%, HigH sCHool: U,1t$h H,*h sch22/, v)62%0, u8%, H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? s$5$ : My dad has a metal recycling business. I 9ve been work- ing for him since I was eight years old doing scrap-yard stuff. That experience led me to take welding in high school. My welding instructor encouraged me to enter competi- tions. I started locally and last year got all the way to the nationals. Competing pushed me to learn more and taught me how to work under pressure and how to work with others. Competition lets you show what you know, but also what you need to work on. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t th,6 -2b? s$5$ : At technical college I did 600 certiOed hours of welding and learned lots of different processes. I intended to go to col- lege, but when I spent a week on campus I decided it wasn 9t right for me. The military always interested me, just because I wanted to serve. So I sat down with a recruiter, and it became a question of when, not if, I would go. Wh$t ,6 $ typ,c$/ '$y /,k( ,1 y2u5 -2b? s$5$ : We muster at 6 a.m., go to physical training and then have classes. Those courses have included basic engineering, welding, brazing, mechanics, plumbing and OreOghting. The Navy assumes everyone knows nothing, so you start with the basics. Wh$t $5( y2u5 )utu5( c$5((5 p/$16? s$5$ : I enlisted for four years, and I have been assigned to Japan, which was one of my top choices. But it really did not matter where I would be stationed, because wherever I 9m stationed it is on a ship that goes everywhere. 12 | Careers in Welding gu,//(5m2 g$//$5'2 Age: 40 P5(6,'(1t C2mp/(t( W(/',1* & Cutt,1* supp/,(6, P2m21$, C$/,). Q A & College: r,v(56,'( C2mmu1,ty C2//(*(, r-:)67-(), c%0-*. HigH sCHool: l$ Z$52 C$5'(1$6 H,*h sch22/, t-j9%2%, m)x-'3 H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? gu,//(5m2 : Right out of high school I started driving trucks for a welding supply company in California. I did that for four years until I broke a Onger rolling a cylinder, and then they put me at the counter. Working in the shop made me want to learn more about welding so I enrolled at Riverside Commu- nity College. Eventually I worked my way up to store manager and then an opportunity in sales came up. I found out that 9s what I do best. But entrepreneurship is in my genes. At 28, I opened my own store using $50,000 from a loan against my house. It was just a small shop, but within a few years I could afford to open two more. Five years after I went out on my own, I bought the company I started at, after my old boss died. Why ,6 y2u5 -2b ,mp25t$1t? gu,//(5m2 : Nothing is built without welding supplies. Even if it 9s plastic, it came from a mold, and that has to start with an alloy. Welding is part of every industry. It 9s one of the last industries that will ever die. Wh$t $'v,c( '2 y2u h$v( )25 y2u1* p(2p/( wh2 $5( c216,'(5,1* th,6 c$5((5? gu,//(5m2 : They need to stay focused. For 10 years I was making $10 to $15 an hour. But I was learning. If anyone had told me I would end up owning my own business, I would have worked for free. The experience and knowledge I gained to start my own business was priceless. Careers in Welding | 13 C$/(b H$6t,1*6 Age: 24 r2b2t,c6 W(/'(5 Th( sh$w g52up, C/,))6,'(, n.C. P52-(ct Q A & j25'$1 K$y Age: 20 W(/',1* t(ch1,c,$1 C,ty 2) M,12t, n.d. Q A & College: f/25(1c( d$5/,1*t21 T(ch1,c$/ C2//(*(, d%60-2+832, s.c. HigH sCHool: H$5t6v,//( H,*h sch22/, h%687:-00), s.c. Wh$t ,6 $ typ,c$/ '$y /,k( ,1 y2u5 -2b? C$/(b : Right now I 9m working at the site of a powerplant ad- dition in North Carolina. I 9m doing orbital welding using robot- ics. The job requires 24 hours of welding and two people per shift. I work the night shift. We sit at a computer monitor and control a robotic machine that does the welding. It 9s almost like playing a video game. But we still have to wear protective gear: long sleeves, safety glasses and other equipment. H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? C$/(b : In high school I wasn 9t very good at math and I didn 9t like computers much. But I wanted to make good money. I went to a technical college, and the Orst time I welded I knew it was what I wanted to do. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t th,6 -2b? C$/(b : Years ago a lot of pipe welders were trained on the job. Now most employers want trained people. After technical col- lege I did hand welding in a fabrication shop. Later, I returned to technical college for further training in orbital welding. I use computers now because that 9s where welding is heading. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? C$/(b : I love what I do. Pipe welders are near the top of the project organization. The pay is great. You can work anywhere in the world, and I deOnitely plan to travel. You 9re doing some- thing different every day and meeting new people all the time. The sky is the limit. It 9s an awesome career choice. College: n25th d$k2t$ st$t( C2//(*( 2) sc,(1c(, W%,4)832, n.d. HigH sCHool: M,12t H,*h sch22/, m-238, n.d. H2w ',' y2u *(t ,1t(5(6t(' ,1 y2u5 c$5((5? j25'21 : I 9ve been in a wheelchair since I was six years old. I Orst tried welding when I was a kid. I liked the Ore and using my hands to make things. I want to do TIG [Tungsten Inert Gas] welding. It 9s a clean kind of welding that uses a tungsten elec- trode to heat the metal. It requires a lot of patience and steady hands. I 9m pretty good at it. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u *(t? j25'21 : All through high school I took welding classes. In college, I got an associate 9s degree in welding technology. Several instructors and students helped me build a wheel- chair that raises and lowers so I can reach equipment more easily. It looks like a regular wheelchair, but it 9s pneumatic. Two cylinders under the seat raise it up and down. There are restric- tors so it lowers gently. Two legs push down in front so it doesn 9t roll. Students in the machine class made the parts. I welded them with the help of my lab teacher, Joel Johnson. My fabrication teacher, Jay Schimelfenig, actually designed the chair. We worked out the kinks together. Wh$t $'v,c( '2 y2u h$v( )25 y2u1* p(2p/( wh2 $5( c216,'(5,1* th,6 c$5((5? j25'21 : Take as much math as you can in high school. I 9m terrible at math but I had to take advanced math in college. I wish I had taken more math classes in high school. College: U1,v(56,ty 2) W$6h,1*t21, s)%880), W%7,. HigH sCHool: e1t,$t H,*h sch22/, e28-%8, W%7,. Wh$t ,6 $ typ,c$/ '$y /,k( ,1 y2u5 -2b? P$u/: I lead the welding and forming technology group for commercial airplanes. My focus is friction-stir welding of titanium parts. Friction-stir welding is a solid-state joining process that softens rather than melts metals. I 9m also in the shop developing ideas or making test parts. Why ,6 y2u5 -2b ,mp25t$1t? P$u/: We facilitate new airplane designs and high-per- formance structures that allow Boeing to make a better airplane. But the work we do here impacts the state of technology across multiple industries and countries. We explore innovations at the leading edge of research. We 9re the guys working on new stuff for the future. Wh$t '2 y2u /,k( m26t $b2ut y2u5 -2b? P$u/: Being in the shop and playing with the machines. I 9m not stuck behind a desk. I get to work with my hands, apply the fundamentals of science in the real world and see the fruits of my labor. Wh$t k,1' 2) t5$,1,1* $1' ('uc$t,21 ',' y2u 1((' t2 *(t th,6 -2b? P$u/: An engineering degree in any Oeld gives you the background you need, but mostly you are learning on the job. I 9ve always liked science and math and enjoyed hands-on work: things like shop class in high school and machine class in college. I didn 9t know what I would end up doing until I was in the middle of my master 9s program and began working with one of my professors on a stir-welding project. Now I 9m pursuing a Ph.D. with support from Boe- ing 9s cLearning Together d program, which covers tuition and includes a stipend for books. P$u/ e'w$5'6 Age: 25 r(6($5ch (1*,1((5 B2(,1*, s($tt/(, W$6h. Q A & 14 | Careers in Welding 6 th. ,>;;.7= ;.,8;- /8; =h. @8;5- 9< -..9.<= >7-.;- @a=.; -;y @.5-, @h2,h 2< ,a;;2.- 8>= 27 a ,ha6- +.; <.a5.- a;8>7- =h. <=;>,=>;. =8 +. @.5-.-, @a< <.= +y G58+a5 i7-><=;2.< 27 1990, a= 1,075 /=. -..9. b>= =ha= 2< 875y ha5/ a< -..9 a< =h. @8;5- 9< ;.,8;- @.= @.5-, <.= +y =h. u.s. na?y 27 2005, a= 2,000 /=. -..9. w.= @.5-27g 2< 9.;/8;6.- >7-.;@a=.;, -2;.,=5y .x98<.- =8 =h. @a=.;y .7?2;876.7=. wh2,h /a68>< ,86.-2a7 ha< a 5a;g. a7=2q>. ,a; a7- 68=8;,y,5. ,855.,=287 a7- .6958y< @.5-.;< ;.g>5a;5y? Jay l 6 eo! H2< 5a;g. ,855.,=287 27,5>-.< 68-.5< /;86 =h. .a;5y 1900< =8 68-.;7 ?.h2,5.<. Careers in Welding | 15 1 12 th. H;<= ,a; 6a-. @2=h a7 .7=2;.5y 95a<=2, +8-y @a< a<<.6- +5.- ><27g >5=;a<872, @.5-27g. e?.7 =h8>gh 95a<=2, ,a;< -2- 78= ,a=,h 87, >5=;a<872, @.5-27g -2-. u5=;a<872, 95a<=2, @.5-27g 2< a7 .xa695. 8/ a /;2,=287 @.5-27g 9;8,.<<, @h2,h ,;.a=.< .7.;gy =h;8>gh h2gh- 27=.7<2=y a,8><=2, <8>7-< =ha= ,a><. 95a<=2, 92.,.< =8 ?2+;a=. =8g.=h.; a7- /8;6 a +87-. wha- #, a c um f *&um f d? i- #, -h f /#,# c& f d)&um( ) um f -ha- +#, f, e#+ f d-&y +)m -h f ,*)- ) 0 f& e#(! )+ du--#(!. The earliest recorded welds occured in 3,500 B.C., the Bronze-Age. Pictures o# welders and their ancient tools have been discovered in long-sealed Egyptian tombs! f(# fa d'& About welding NASCAR 4Long be#ore the rubber hits the road, roughly 950 man-hours are spent on welding and #abrication #or each race car. Hundreds o# parts are hand-cut, welded and machined, #rom the chassis and suspension to the drivetrain. d# e y)u %()0 -ha- # -0) *# f d f, ) m f-a& -)u dh #( ,*a d f, -h fy c f d)m f * f+ma( f(-&y ,-u d% -)! f-h f+? th#, may ,)u( e u( c f&# f/a c& f, cu- #- #, -+u f. t0) *# f d f, ) m f-a& 0#-h)u- a(y d)a-#(! )( -h fm 0#&& )+m #(-) )( f *# f d f #( -h f /a duum ) ,*a d f. th#, e) f,( 9- ha** f( )( ea+-h c f dau, f -h f a-m),*h f+ f *u-, a &ay f+ ) )x# e#z f e ma- f+#a& c f-0 f f( -h f ,u+ a d f,. i7 1961, G.7.;a5 m8=8;< 27<=a55.- =h. H;<= 27-><=;2a5 ;8+8= 27 h2<=8;y, =h. u726a=.. f.a=>;27g a 68=8;2z.- a;6 =ha= @.2gh.- 68;. =ha7 =@8 =87<, =h. u726a=. 9.;/8;6.- <98= @.5-< +y /8558@27g <=.9-+y-<=.9 ,866a7-< <=8;.- 87 a 6ag7.=2, -;>6. ex*&),#)( 0 f& e#(! #, a *)0- f+ u& 0 f& e#(! *+) d f,, -ha- da( a d d)m*&#,h 0ha- ma(y )-h f+ 0 f& e- #(! m f-h) e, da( 9- 4#- da( j)#( ( fa+&y f/ f+y %#( e ) m f-a& -)! f-h f+, f/ f( -h f m),- h#!h&y e#,,#m#&a+ )( f,. Welding in space was frst attempted in 1969 by Russian cosmonauts. Today, advances in welding technology have made it essential #or projects like the construction o# the International Space Station. President Roosevelt, in a letter to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, boasted about the discovery o# new welding techniques that enabled America to build ships with a speed unequaled in the history o# shipbuilding. 5 illustrations: Jonathan carlson Jay leno: courtesy of nbc studios; unimate copyright 2009 gm corp. used With permission, gm media archive 3 4 7 10 11 8 9 m8;. =ha7 50% 8/ u.s. 9;8->,=< ;.q>2;. @.5-27g. d8 y8> 478@ @h2,h 8/ =h. /8558@27g 9;8->,=< ;.5y 87 @.5-27g? " ra,. ,a;< " b;2-g.< " sh29< " c869>=.;< " m.-2,a5 -.?2,.< " o25 ;2g< " fa;6 .q>296.7= " c.55 9h87.< " s,88=.;< " mp3 95ay.;< A e!$ 6r: A55 8/ =h.6. Careers in Welding | 17 r f&$(% d f g(id f Dozens o4 pro4essional organizations, government Websites and trade unions exist to help you learn more about careers in welding. Here is a sampling o4 resources to get you started. i7=.;7a=287a5 A<<8,2a=287 8/ ma,h272<=< & A.;8<9a,. w8;4.;< (301) 967-4500 www.iamaw.org i7=.;7a=287a5 b;8=h.;h88- 8/ e5.,=;2,a5 w8;4.;< (202) 833-7000 www.ibew.org i7=.;7a=287a5 b;8=h.;h88- 8/ t.a6<=.;< (202) 624-6800 www.teamster.org i7=.;7a=287a5 u7287 8/ o9.;a=27g e7g27..;< (202) 429-9100 www.iuoe.org na=287a5 j827= A99;.7=2,.- <h29 t;a2727g c8662==.. www.njatc.org sh..= m.=a5 w8;4.;< 9 i7=.;7a=287a5 A<<8,2a=287 (202) 783-5880 www.smwia.org u72=.- A>=8 w8;4.;< (313) 926-5000 www.uaw.org s8,2.=y 8/ ma7>/a,=>;27g e7g27..;< (313) 271-1500 www.sme.org s8,2.=y 8/ na?a5 A;,h2=.,=< a7- ma;27. e7g27..;< (201) 798-4800 www.sname.org s8,2.=y 8/ p.=;85.>6 e7g27..;< (800) 456-6863 www.spe.org Government AGenCies u.s. d.9a;=6.7= 8/ la+8; e6958y6.7= & t;a2727g A-6272<=;a=287 (877) 872-5627 www.doleta.gov www.careervoyages.gov mAnufACturinG unions Afl-cio www.aPcio.org Afl-cio w8;427g /8; A6.;2,a i7<=2=>=. (202) 508-3717 www.workingforamerica.org i7=.;7a=287a5 A<<8,2a=287 8/ b;2-g., s=;>,=>;a5, o;7a6.7=a5 a7- r.27/8;,27g i;87@8;4.;< (202) 383-4800 www.ironworkers.org professionAl And industry orGAnizAtions A6.;2,a7 c.;a62, s8,2.=y (866) 721-3322 www.ceramics.org A6.;2,a7 na=287a5 s=a7-a;-< i7<=2=>=. (202) 293-8020 www.ansi.org A6.;2,a7 s8,2.=y f8; c2?25 e7g27..;< (800) 548-2723 www.asce.org A6.;2,a7 s8,2.=y f8; n87-.<=;>,=2?. t.<=27g (614) 274-6003 www.asnt.org A6.;2,a7 s8,2.=y /8; Q>a52=y (800) 248-1946 www.asq.org A6.;2,a7 s8,2.=y 8/ m.,ha72,a5 e7g27..;< (800) 843-2763 www.asme.org A6.;2,a7 s8,2.=y 8/ sa/.=y e7g27..;< (847) 699-2929 www.asse.org A6.;2,a7 wa=.; w8;4< A<<8,2a=287 (303) 794-7711 www.awwa.org A6.;2,a7 w.5-27g s8,2.=y (800) 443-9353 www.aws.org www.careersinwelding.com www.jobsinwelding.com Asm i7=.;7a=287a5 (440) 338-5151 www.asminternational.org ! nOTe: Websites are constantly c%an$in$, so you s%ould always c%eck by doin$ a Web searc%. courtesy of lincoln electric 16 | Careers in Welding b 3 2 6 5 4e 16 | Careers in Welding by Pat Toensmeier Jo"nson Space Center 9s Robonaut (foregroun e) performing a mock wel e. An E eison Wel eing Institute engineer explains t"e operation of a gas metal arc wel eing robot equippe e wit" a laser sensor for accuracy. c)m*u- f+, a( e +) c)-, *&ay a Welding is becoming very hi-tech. photo left courtesy of edison Welding, phioto right courtesy of nasa the IMAge Most PeoPle hAve of welding is someone in heavy gloves and a mask using an arc torch to join two pieces o4 metal. But this image, like welding technology, is changing. It won 9t be long be4ore new welders enter the eld trained to work with computers, la- sers and robots rather than gloves, masks and torches. Welding is becom- ing very high-tech. One reason is that the use o4 specialty met- als in more products requires extremely precise welding capabilities. Another is that companies are looking 4or ways to increase the productivity and quality o4 welding. The best way to meet these needs is with automated systems. As the industry adds automation and other technologies, students interested in welding will have the opportunity to learn advanced processes that improve their skills and expand job prospects. Experts point to three technologies with a big 4uture: Hybrid/laser Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW); 4riction-stir welding; and robotics. Each requires students to not only learn welding, but also learn how to set up, program and operate high-tech equipment. cThese are automated technologies that require a high level o4 training, d says Patricio Mendez, director o4 the Cana- dian Center 4or Welding and Joining at the University o4 Alberta. cThese technologies are shi4ting welding 4rom being entirely a manual skill to one that requires insight and expertise to run sophisticated equipment. d Hybrid/laser GMAW welds thick pieces o4 metal rapidly and with greater control than manual weld- ing. These systems use high-power lasers that one expert says are about the size o4 computer servers. The laser makes a thin cut up to ½-inch deep, lique4y- ing metal as it moves. The GMAW then deposits ller metal (usually wire) in the groove and melts it with a secondary heat source to create the weld. Process bene ts include reduced weld distortion, greater retention o4 base- metal properties and speed. Friction-stir welding does not melt metal. It generates 4rictional heat through a rotating tool bit that pen- etrates, distorts and so4tens two pieces o4 metal that are clamped together on a special machine. The pieces almost im- mediately 4use together when clamping pressure is applied. Friction-stir welds are called autogenous, which means they don 9t use ller metal. One advantage o4 this is no cracking or de4ormation as the weld solidi es. The weld also has excel- lent strength, and 4atigue-resistance. Robotic welding has been used 4or years by automakers and others. Robots, usually weld fat sur4aces laid out in 4ront o4 them, which limits their use. Work is underway on so4tware and sensors that will permit robots to weld metal shapes placed at all angles. Mendez and his students 4or example, are trying to improve computer control o4 robots to broaden the capabilities o4 welding automation. cWe are trying to invent the machine o4 tomorrow, d Mendez says o4 the work. cWelding is incredibly exciting because it combines a bit o4 everything. Welding o44ers many possibilities and allows lots o4 room 4or creative thinking. d 3 A<<8,2a=287 /8; i;87 a7- s=..5 t.,h7858gy (724) 814-3000 www.aist.org e-2<87 w.5-27g i7<=2=>=. (614) 688-5000 www.ewi.org fa+;2,a=8;< & ma7>/a, =>;.;< A<<8,2a=287 (815) 399-8775 www.fmanet.org Ga< a7- w.5-27g d2<=;2+>=8;< A<<8,2a=287 (215) 564-3484 www.gawda.org i7<=2=>=. 8/ e5.,=;2,a5 a7- e5.,=;872,< e7g27..;< (800) 678-4333 www.ieee.org m27.;a5<, m.=a5< & ma=.;2a5< s8,2.=y (800) 759-4867 www.tms.org na=287a5 A<<8,2a=287 8/ ma7>/a,=>;.;< (202) 637-3000 www.nam.org na=287a5 c.7=.; /8; w.5-27g e->,a=287 & t;a2727g (w.5--e-) (866) 529-9353 www.weld-ed.org www.educatorsinwelding. com na=287a5 c8>7,25 /8; A-?a7,.- ma7>/a,=>;27g (202) 367-1178 www.nacfam.org p5>6+27g, H.a=27g a7- c88527g c87=;a,=8;< A<<7. (703) 237-8100 www. phccweb.org) s8,2.=y 8/ A>=868=2?. e7g27..;< (724) 776-4841 www.sae.org 18 | Careers in Welding G2(#a,c$ a,# sc'--* C-2,0$*-/0 Tips for Counselors, Teachers and Parents Navigating Students toward Welding Careers can point out the bene ts o4 a 4uture in the growing eld o4 welding. From spaceships to bridges to nanotechnology, welding is an essential part o4 the structure o4 our world. A new generation o4 skilled technicians will be required in the 4uture. You can help ll that need by pointing students in the direction o4 a rewarding career at all training levels. r,*ht f,t The welding industry has something to o44er to just about every student. Some may be drawn to the precision o4 a nan- otechnology career. Others may like the adventure o4 an underwater welding job. Work locations are as varied as the proj- ects. Welders are on location at military bases, at space centers, on construction sites and in university labs, hospitals and auto shops. A growing number o4 gradu- ates enter the eld building cell phones and computers. You can help 4uture metalworkers decide whether one o4 the myriad o4 welding jobs would be a good career t by asking a series o4 li4estyle questions like the ones on the U.S. Department o4 Education 9s Prepare 4or My Future Website (www.$#.g-3/012#$,10/ ./$./c-**$g$/c-,02+$/(,%-/(,#$x. '1+*). This is a great place to check out college options to determine what ts a student 9s nancial, 4amily and career goals. Another 4ree online Career Person- ality Assessment is o44ered by Fun- Education (www.4uneducation.com). Students rate 4or accuracy a series o4 485 questions such as cAm I the li4e o4 the party? d The whole process takes about an hour, and the resulting report gives a range o4 jobs that may t the student 9s personality type. High school students today 4ace some di4 cult choices about what they want to do with their lives. Amid this in4ormation overload, pro4essional coun- selors can steer students toward careers they may have overlooked. As a career expert, you TiPs for CoUnselors Careers in Welding | 19 pa/$,10 Asking questions about workplace, salary, along with hobbies and interests, can start a conversation about a career in welding. You can help bridge the gap between possibilities and reality by showing the things they are already do- ing in their spare time 3jewelry making, auto repair or odd construction jobs 3 that could lead to a pro table career and help them balance their dreams o4 4amily, home and stability. r(62u5c(6 For more on the 4uture o4 welding careers, check out the American Welding Society 9s Welding Technology Roadmap at '11.://7*$0.aw0.-/g//$0$a/c'/ /-a#+a...#%. Along with the other resources in this guide, you may want to visit the U.S. Department o4 Labor Career Voy- ages Website (www.ca/$$/3-6ag$0. g-3). The Career Changers section is a valuable tool to show students that welders, cutters, solderers and brazers are considered an in-demand occu- pation. This site is also home to the Career Myths brochure, in the Career Advisors section, which can be a valu- able resource in educating students about the opportunities available to them. For instance, one o4 the myths busted is cNo one will hire me because I lack experience, have low grades, and have gaps in my work history. d The Oc- cupational Outlook Quarterly encour- ages students to not only nd ways to overcome these challenges, it lays out strategies 4or in4ormational interview- ing to get to the next level. The U.S. Department o4 Labor also sponsors www.ca/$$/-,$01-..-/g, a snapshot o4 jobs, salaries and search tips that can help paint an accurate picture o4 li4e as a welder. These resources will allow students to make in4ormed decisions about which o4 the many welding careers may t their educational and li4estyle goals. Once you show them what is out there, watch the sparks fy. 3 TiPs for ParenTs d-( =396 ',-0( &9-0( )0%&36%8) '%780)7 398 3* &03'/7 %7 % 83((0)6? d-( ,) +09) 8,) 6)138) '328630 83 8,) 8)0):-7-32? d3)7 7,) 0-/) 83 w36/ 32 '%67? t,)7) 1%= &) 7-+27 =396 ',-0( ,%7 % 2%896%0 -278-2'8 *36 w)0(-2+. W)0()67 92()678%2( 8,%8 &= j3-2-2+ 8,-2+7 83+)8,)6, 8,)= %6) '6)%8-2+ 136) 97)*90 463(9'87 sh$5,1* th( d5($m t,) )%60-)6 8))27 78%68 8,-2/-2+ %&398 w,%8 /-2( 3* '%6))6 8,)= w390( )2j3=, 8,) &)88)6 3** 8,)= 900 &). J978 &)'%97) 8,)= ',%2+) %74-6%8-327 ):)6= 7-x 1328,7 (3)72 98 1)%2 8,)= %6)2 98 ()(-'%8)(. t,)= %6) 86=-2+ 32 (-**)6)28 4377-&-0-8-)7 83 B2( 8,) 6-+,8 B8. y39 '%2 ,)04 -2 8,-7 463')77 &= %7/-2+ q9)78-327 %2( +9-(-2+ 8,)1 83 6)7396')7 8,%8 w-00 +-:) 8,)1 %27w)67. t,) u.s. d)4%681)28 3* e(9'%8-32 97 t,-2/ c300)+) W)&7-8) (www.$#.g-3/01#$,10/ ./$./c-**$g$/1'(,kc-**$g$/$#*(1$-(,#$x.'1+*) '%2 ,)04. i8 -2'09()7 &%7-' q9)78-327 %&398 ()7-6)( )(9'%8-32 0):)07, 7396')7 3* *92(-2+ *36 ,-+,)6 )(9'%8-32 %2( 8-47 *36 4-'/-2+ 8,) 6-+,8 7',330. a238,)6 w%= 83 74)2( % 463(9'8-:) %*8)62332 -7 %8 8,) v3'%8-32%0 i2*361%8-32 c)28)6 W)0(-2+ %2( m)8%0w36/-2+ c%6))6 g9-() (www.k'ak$.c-+/.ag$29.'1+*). y39 w-00 B2( '%6))6 ()7'6-48-327, 7/-00 6)q9-6)1)287, 7',3307 %2( j3&-1%6/)8 78%8-78-'7. o6 '69-7) 3:)6 83 c%6))67 -2 W)0(-2+ (www.ca/$$/0(,w$*#(,g.c-+) *36 % 7%140-2+ 3* 8,) j3&7 %:%-0%&0). y39 '%2 %073 ,)04 =396 8))2 +)8 % 4%68-8-1) j3& 36 -28)627,-4. e:)2 -* -8 -7 924%-( :30928))6 w36/, -8 w-00 ,)04 46)4%6) ,-1 36 ,)6 *36 '300)+) %2( 2%663w 8,) ',3-')7. e2'396%+) =396 8))2 83 8,-2/ &-+. o4436892-8-)7 %&392( 6)+%6(0)77 3* B2%2'-%0 &%'/+6392(. t,) aWs f392(%8-32 '%2 1%/) (6)%17 6)%0-8= 8,%2/7 83 % 291&)6 3* 7',30%67,-47 %2( *)003w7,-47 3**)6)( )%', =)%6. y39 '%2 0)%62 136) %8 www.aw0. -/g/w/a/%-2,#a1(-,/(,#$x.'1+*. g(t P(5621$/ s,%6) =396 '%6))6 ',3-')7 w-8, =396 8))27. t%0/ %&398 w,%8 =39 (3, ,3w =39 +38 83 w,)6) =39 %6) %2( =396 +3%07 *36 8,) *9896). t%/) =396 ',-0( 83 7)) w,)6) =39 w36/ %2( w,= =39 +)8 94 -2 8,) 1362-2+. y39 '%2 (3 8,-7 8,639+, 8,) 2%8-32%0 t%/) o96 d%9+,8)67 %2( s327 83 W36/ d%= (www.#a2g'1$/0a,#0-,01-w-/k.-/g) 36 32 =396 3w2, -2*361%00=. u7) 8,) )x4)6-)2') %7 %2 34436892-8= 83 %7/ q9)78-327. W,%8 (3 8,)= 8,-2/ %&398 8,) 46374)'8 3* (3-2+ 731)8,-2+ 7-1-0%6? W,%8 w390( &) 136) -28)6)78-2+? W,%8 %6) 8,)-6 -2'31) %2( 0-*)78=0) +3%07? W,%8 -7 6)%0-78-'? d3 =39 ,%:) %2 -28)6)78-2+ '%6))6 -2 '327869'8-32? v30928))6 83 74)%/ -2 =396 8))2 97 '0%776331 36 %8 % '%6))6 (%=. W,3 /23w7, -8 j978 1%= +)8 =39 B6)( 94 %&398 +3-2+ 83 w36/ 8313663w. e2'396%+) =396 8))27 83 (3 8,) &)78 8,)= '%2 6)+%6(0)77 3* 8,)-6 )(9'%8-32%0 +3%07. W,)8,)6 8,)-6 *9896) -2'09()7 '300)+) 36 8)',2-'%0 7',330 w-00 ()4)2( 32 8,) -2(-:-(9%0 789()28 &98 1%/) 796) 8,)= +)8 % ,-+, 7',330 (-4031%. c3927)0 =396 789()28 83 8%/) %7 1%2= '3967)7 -2 1%8, %2( 7'-)2') %7 4377-&0). i* =396 ',-0( ,%72 98 '%9+,8 8,) c1%8, -7 *92 d &9+ =)8, 86= B2(-2+ % 7911)6 1%8, '%14 %8 www.a+0.-/g/$+.*-6+$,1/+a1'ca+.0.'1+* 36 check out www.0c(0$/3.-/g. m%8, %2( 7'-)2') 7/-007 w-00 ,)04 8,)1 -2 w36/ %2( ):)6=(%= 0-*). t)%', 8,)1 83 74)%/ %2( w6-8) )**)'8-:)0=. r)+%6(0)77 3* 8,)-6 '%6))6 ',3-'), 8,) %&-0-8= 83 '31192-- '%8) -7 )77)28-%0 -2 83(%= 97 w360(. 3 success Ac%ievin$ photo courtesy of miller 20 | Careers in Welding Teachers can play a vital role in showing students the many opportunities weld- ing opens. An emphasis on collaboration and logical thinking can give students the basic skills needed to pursue a variety o4 careers. Additional classroom exercises 4ocused on building, 4ollowing directions and working as a team can also lay a strong 4oundation. Regardless o4 which aspect o4 the welding industry attracts a student, a grounding in math and science is a great 4oundation. Employers also value communication, so a well-rounded education can help your students succeed whether they are 4abricating medical devices or communications satellites. Shop classes, o4 course, can be a practical way to open the door to a welding career. For more ideas and resources, check out www.$#2ca- 1-/0(,w$*#(,g.c-+. It is a great tool 4or educators and counselors to get additional in4ormation on careers in welding, network with 4ellow educa- tors, and get curriculum and recruiting resources. B5,1* $ W(/'(5 t2 th( C/$66522m You can bring the vague idea o4 a welding career to li4e by inviting guest speakers 4rom local companies

less