Is welding still a good career choice?

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I'm a Jr. in high school still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. My interests are being a pharmacist one day or welder, both career choices have long hours. I was just wondering is welding still a good choice. They offer a welding program at my school, I was going to try it this summer.
Reply:Go to school for Pharmacist and weld on the weekends in your 4 car detached garage.Miller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221  True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:Pharmacist ....that way your body won't be torn to **** and ache like hell when you're 50.
Reply:Pharmacist!....but you do have the mentality of a welder.(Not a compliment)
Reply:A pharmacist is just a legal drug dealer. But then there are always people wanting drugs, and also people wanting metal joined together. Depends on whether you want to BE a pharmacist or a metallurgical fusion technician. Granted there is less physical exertion on the body, being a pharmacist, but more mental pressure to some degree. Depends on what category of welding you may be interested in pursuing.
Reply:Originally Posted by John TGo to school for Pharmacist and weld on the weekends in your 4 car detached garage.
Reply:If your taking on a bunch of student loans (dept) to get through school, a welding program will be much less costly in the long run. Keep in mind, if you want to make good money welding, you need to be very skilled at what you do and hold certification. You need to make precision perfect welds at all times when doing code quality work. You also need to be able to cut and gouge with oxy fuel equipment as well as arc air. You need to be able to fabricate detailed items from shop and or engineered drawings.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:My wife is a Pharmacist and I am a grunt in the metal trades.  She makes three times as much as I do in climate control.
Reply:Like the guy said, go for the 4 car detached garage and weld on weekends.And like the other guy said, don't get married so you can keep your 4 car detached garage and have weekends free to weld.If you go the welding route, and get married, the odds are you will be living in a garage plus welding weekends with borrowed equipment to buy food.But please, whatever you do, try the upcoming class on welding!
Reply:This would be my suggestion:Step 1.  Take that welding courseStep 2.  Become a pharmacist and weld for fun.:
Reply:One of my mom's old bosses was a pharmacist that welded on weekends.Go for that...You'll be able to afford the fun up to date toys, and can play with them without worry.
Reply:need not worry, theres plenty of drugs dealt in both careers Last edited by 123weld; 10-11-2015 at 12:38 AM.
Reply:Welding can become a great career, if you have the mentality for it, to make good money as a welder you have to be highly skilled in whatever your chosen dicipline is,  be prepared to work long hours in dangrous conditions (fun fact, im a pipe welder working in construction, in my country construction has the highest rate of disabling injuries and deaths per man hour worked in any field except combat roles in the military) and often far from home, ive worked in camps in the middle of the desert 500 miles from any town,.Pharmasist will be a much easier career path on the mind and body, ifyour personality suites it, id go for that
Reply:Dominic, you live in Arizona.  Would you rather have nice set hours at an indoor job with nice air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter, or work in the cold wind of winter and sweaty burning sun of the summer?Lincoln Weldanpower A/C 225 D/C 210 /6kw auxiliary (code 9113 & 9108)Lincoln Weld Pak 100 MigMiller Maxstar 150 TigLincoln Scratch Tig 200 ampMiller 8-VS Suitcase Flux CoreHypertherm Powermax 30Victor Torches / Regulators
Reply:Pharmacist or anything related to the medical field. A nurse would even be better than being a welder. You can make money being a welder and have a good life but being a pharmacist would allow for a more comfortable life. As for being married..... If you do decide to get married down the road, get a prenup.Men rarely ever come out ahead even when the wife makes more money.
Reply:I know two girls who were straight A students all the way through high school. Both failed in college trying to be Pharmacists. They couldn’t handle the chemistry. Take the welding class for now, but give it you best effort at being a Pharmacist!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:As for being married..... If you do decide to get married down the road, get a prenup.Men rarely ever come out ahead even when the wife makes more money.
Reply:It is always good have multiple crafts. I am an Electrician, Data and Fiber technician, CDL holder and can attach pieces of metal (not skilled enough to be called Weldor). The more things you are skilled in, the more likely you will be able to survive in this world.RegardsDave
Reply:Originally Posted by Louie1961OR, here's a radical idea from the last century: take your time, find the right girl, get married and stay married. Take that "till death do us part" stuff seriously.
Reply:Originally Posted by DominicI'm a Jr. in high school still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. My interests are being a pharmacist one day or welder, both career choices have long hours. I was just wondering is welding still a good choice. They offer a welding program at my school, I was going to try it this summer.
Reply:Here's an idea for you which I have told to many young people looking for career advice.Become a welder (or electrician, or pipefitter, or carpenter or any tradesman).  Once you have become a journeyman, go to school and become a doctor (or lawyer, or pharmacist, or any well paid profession).  You can make enough money in the summer to pay for college and even have a little left over.  (Go work the big shut-downs and projects that offer 7 days/week and lots of overtime).When you finish your college program, you can start off with little debt or debt free and life will be good."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Originally Posted by smilindaveIt is always good have multiple crafts. I am an Electrician, Data and Fiber technician, CDL holder and can attach pieces of metal (not skilled enough to be called Weldor). The more things you are skilled in, the more likely you will be able to survive in this world.RegardsDave
Reply:I don't believe anyone here can really answer this question for you. Whatever you chose to do only you can decide if it is right for you. It will be much easier if whatever you chose is what you like. I work on industrial equipment day in and day out see many people that dislike their jobs in this field but keep doing it, they are never the leaders in their field and most of them are miserable more then they are happy. Remember whatever you chose as a career you have to be happy doing it....for a life time/Mike
Reply:Originally Posted by leightrepairsI don't believe anyone here can really answer this question for you. Whatever you chose to do only you can decide if it is right for you. It will be much easier if whatever you chose is what you like. I work on industrial equipment day in and day out see many people that dislike their jobs in this field but keep doing it, they are never the leaders in their field and most of them are miserable more then they are happy. Remember whatever you chose as a career you have to be happy doing it....for a life time/Mike
Reply:MinnesotaDave is truly the example of us average guys today where he offers the most realistic advice based on the most honest and likely to happen to you experiences.He describes how Life today is a struggle to survive in what is becoming a more and more unpredictable world unlike the days of our dads and grandads where folks stayed married forever and they could expect to remain employed with same company from internship to retirement...Where even the self employed were forced out due to new techIf I were your age today, I'd set my path based on what trailed behind me where I would observe how the roads that got me here at this starting had evolved into a many branched path that offered many dead ends, then be prepared to remain able to change course rapidly.Today, the fasted way to reach a dead end road is to get married young, have kids, and get in debt.When it comes to welding, that too has evolved to the point almost anyone can do basic welding and those that do basic welding are making about the same money as the guy flipping burgers except there are now more burger joints than places that employ basic welders....The industry still and forever will demand, but also in ever diminishing numbers very highly skilled welders at higher pay, but the odds of you being one of those are about the same as the high school hero football player completing a career in pro football.They call this the Human Race, and it truly is a race...As a racer, you got to develop a winning stride, be light on your feet, and able to adjust your stride and instantly change direction as required to stay in the race.....Play spectator only as long as necessary to determine your starting direction lest you get left behind, but long nuff to discover best tactics and abilities to reach the finish line.Last edited by wornoutoldwelder; 10-11-2015 at 11:53 AM.All sage advice, read carefully and find things that you will enjoy long term. I have observed over the years (I am 52) that few will perform a job well if it is not liked (no offence to any one or to say that you don't do a good job). I have enjoyed most of my jobs and the ones I didn't I was able to find others to replace them. I think that all of us are saying consider options as they are presented. I have many skills and the ability to do them well. I choose to drive cars that I can work on, this is an economic decision for me. If I were in your shoes, I would learn as many skills as possible, this will lead you in your decision. This will allow you to be able to see things that you can do as you grow older and save money on repairs in your daily life. If I did not have the ability to see solutions to problems I would have wasted money on others lack of skills. Whatever you choose, start saving for the future now. You will be ahead of the game in the future.RegardsDave
Reply:Yaknow...if kids today went to neighborhood schools that still had playgrounds and held recess periods where the kids where forced out in the playground no matter the weather  and allowed to-encourage to compete in stuff like sprint races, cross country, three legged races, and if it still was demanded they were expected to be the winner where only ONE child got the title and the losers were forced to deal with that loss, and they learned to deal with bullies and learned how to deal with a bloody nose and scraped knees and insults and were jerked back on their feet and told to suck it up and get back in the race, then this Human Race today would be one hell of an interesting event, huh?
Reply:How about learning tools like erector sets instead of gameboys. I learned engines at 7 my mower quit when cutting neighbors grass. had to make 1 out of 3, Dad helped me learn a lot and has stayed with me.RegardsDave
Reply:Originally Posted by smilindaveHow about learning tools like erector sets instead of gameboys. I learned engines at 7 my mower quit when cutting neighbors grass. had to make 1 out of 3, Dad helped me learn a lot and has stayed with me.RegardsDave
Reply:Originally Posted by wornoutoldwelderNo chit, Mister.My dad was career Army, WWII combat vet and golden Gloves champ...He drug me and my brother to France in early 60's when we were 10-12, and first thing he did once our Rambler station wagon arrived was tote us to the base exchange and buy two Brigs 20" lawn mowers and two gas cans and two brooms....huh?...Two mowers to cut our little yard in the 350 unit housing area?...Huh?...Is dad nuts?Yeah he sure was...We got them mowers home and unboxed and oiled and gassed up and he told us two boys to head out with them and get jobs cutting grass in that huge 350 unit housing complex and suggested we should charge 1 dollar per yard and make sure to sweep the sidewalks and kiss azz and that we had to pay him back for the mowers first thang so we better take care of them because if we did that and got nuff regular customers we would have the money to buy bicycles and cokes and go to the movies on base...And we did, and we had tons of money and was respected by the adults in the hood and learned early a solid work ethic and also learned that what we made was OURS to spend anyway we wanted, and we took care of our mowers and dad never had to remind us to keep them clean and change the oil and we even bought our own tools and learned how to do all that...The only part that sucked was sharpening blades with a file.
Reply:Sadly I am afraid that Sandy may well be correct.Mike
Reply:So I'm the guy who got a B.A. and is getting into welding anyway. Here's my thoughts on it. Go into welding if you like building or crafting things. Also consider it if you're like me and have more indoor allergies (perfumes, cleaning chemicals, air fresheners) than outdoor ones. I can be pretty sick after working in an office for two weeks, but I don't have any problems when I'm at school unless that one guy drowns himself in Axe.Be aware that a lot of people are going to look down their nose at you if you go into welding. My answer is to just shrug, and know that trying to get everyone into paper pushing is one of the areas where America went wrong all those years ago. Originally Posted by wornoutoldwelder they were expected to be the winner where only ONE child got the title and the losers were forced to deal with that loss, and they learned to deal with bullies and learned how to deal with a bloody nose and scraped knees and insults and were jerked back on their feet and told to suck it up and get back in the race, then this Human Race today would be one hell of an interesting event, huh?
Reply:Originally Posted by Sandy Just thinking your dad would probably be in jail for that in today's PC world. Two children outside running around with no adult. Two children running limb chopping, puppy eating power equipment. Two children forced into labor and giving their money back to him. Two children forced to do manual labor during their formative facebook twitter years.
Reply:Originally Posted by teh603Funny. I went to a school like that and realized a couple of different things. For example, that bullies are pack hunters and rarely make a move unless they've got the support of the class and are sure the teacher won't do anything to stop them if she does catch them.Maybe you had it different? Maybe your teachers allowed you to stand up for yourself?
Reply:As a child who grew up with a Dad who taught him to be self sufficient I can understand why you think we had a better upbringing. But todays kids are like they are because of us, yes, hard to accept blame, but they didn't learn how to use a computer by themselves.
Reply:Originally Posted by DominicI'm a Jr. in high school still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. My interests are being a pharmacist one day or welder, both career choices have long hours. I was just wondering is welding still a good choice. They offer a welding program at my school, I was going to try it this summer.
Reply:I don't accept an inch of that blame because I didn't allow my son to be distracted by video games or computers, and I even fought my wife about it and it eventually led to divorce but by then my son was beyond all that.Video games and computers and smart phones are distractions provided by many parents, and ESPECIALLY single parents that toss them to a kid today at earliest possible age to OCCUPY that child so they don't have to deal with them...Just like they toss the kid a sack of fast food on their ride home from picking them up from daycare or school, and then blame MacDonalds cause their kids are fat and diabetic even tho they got huge kitchens with granite counter tops and commercial stainless steel cooking appliances that ain't never seen mom in there chopping/peeling/cooking meals 3 times a day and gathering the family around the table and dad carving the meat.Because Dad, if he is still allowed in the house, takes turns tossing them sacks of fast food because it's his turn at fetching it on his way home and tossing it on those granite countertops he paid for where it's available just in case the kids are home and not in their rooms on facebook or playing video games or at neighbors or with mom who is attending protest rally or marching in breast cancer or marching for women's rights while dad sucks it up and in bathroom waxing his chest attempting to look more fem because she's got this diversity thang going on and maybe he might get lucky this month if he manages to act the part.And when and just if, the whole family does happen to be in the same room, he clams up and remains silent and invisible because he still ain't managed to learn to rationalize with a child and still speaks only in black and white with the words YES and NO, where the child's question, "WHY?" is no longer allowed to be answered with , DAMNIT, BECAUSE I SAID SO!" and punctuated with his hand or belt on their azz.But that's just me...and I've learned even at my old age that attempting to rationalize with adults often requires I wad up my fist and punctuate my words soundly to get thru to them in simple black and white terms that they finally understand.Last edited by wornoutoldwelder; 10-11-2015 at 05:51 PM.
Reply:Seen a lot or this on the Andy griffith show except for the child beatings, ex plains a lot
Reply:Originally Posted by snoeproeIf your taking on a bunch of student loans (dept) to get through school, a welding program will be much less costly in the long run. Keep in mind, if you want to make good money welding, you need to be very skilled at what you do and hold certification. You need to make precision perfect welds at all times when doing code quality work. You also need to be able to cut and gouge with oxy fuel equipment as well as arc air. You need to be able to fabricate detailed items from shop and or engineered drawings.
Reply:Originally Posted by wornoutoldwelderYaknow...if kids today went to neighborhood schools that still had playgrounds and held recess periods where the kids where forced out in the playground no matter the weather  and allowed to-encourage to compete in stuff like sprint races, cross country, three legged races, and if it still was demanded they were expected to be the winner where only ONE child got the title and the losers were forced to deal with that loss, and they learned to deal with bullies and learned how to deal with a bloody nose and scraped knees and insults and were jerked back on their feet and told to suck it up and get back in the race, then this Human Race today would be one hell of an interesting event, huh?
Reply:Originally Posted by OldendumYeah. And if the Navy prosecuted swabbies for run-on sentences, you would have been keel-hauled.
Reply:Originally Posted by wornoutoldwelderI don't accept an inch of that blame because I didn't allow my son to be distracted by video games or computers, and I even fought my wife about it and it eventually led to divorce but by then my son was beyond all that.Video games and computers and smart phones are distractions provided by many parents, and ESPECIALLY single parents that toss them to a kid today at earliest possible age to OCCUPY that child so they don't have to deal with them...Just like they toss the kid a sack of fast food on their ride home from picking them up from daycare or school, and then blame MacDonalds cause their kids are fat and diabetic even tho they got huge kitchens with granite counter tops and commercial stainless steel cooking appliances that ain't never seen mom in there chopping/peeling/cooking meals 3 times a day and gathering the family around the table and dad carving the meat.Because Dad, if he is still allowed in the house, takes turns tossing them sacks of fast food because it's his turn at fetching it on his way home and tossing it on those granite countertops he paid for where it's available just in case the kids are home and not in their rooms on facebook or playing video games or at neighbors or with mom who is attending protest rally or marching in breast cancer or marching for women's rights
Reply:Here we go again... Making popcorn, who else wants some .. Wornoutwelder is becoming another Tackit with his commentaries...  Watch the documentary on Netflix called INEQUALITY FOR ALL.  Shows how the 1% shoulder a lot of responsibility for causing the decline of American "family values" especially if you take what happens and put it on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Being a junior in high school is too early to take a fixed path.  Up here in Canada if you stay in school for 12 years and don't have a kid until after your are 21 years you will never fall below the poverty line.  That should tell you to be serious in school getting the best grades you can and think before you jump in the sack without planning.  You have lots of time to make career decisions.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldendumYeah. And if the Navy prosecuted swabbies for run-on sentences, you would have been keel-hauled.
Reply:Dominic, You are young, and thinking ahead. That is a real good sign.  You are going to see stuff in your life us old timers could never imagine- some good, and some bad. Nobody can tell you what to do, and it make take some time for you to figure it out. There has been a lot of good advice on this thread, here is mine.   Do not be afraid to take a chance and go for something- I have seen a lot of talent fall by the wayside because someone told someone else they could not do it, or they did not have the talent, so they gave up.      When you are interested in something, or meet someone who has a cool skill, seek them out, and ask to learn.   Everyone worth a damn loves to show what they have worked hard to master!    Modern day slavery exists here. It is called DEBT. Whether for a "education" , a house, a car or whatever, going into big debt is a way to ensure you will always be locked into working for a slavemaster AKA the bank.  There is one instance where debt is OK- that is if you are using the money to build your ability to make money. Like buying a productive tool, or building a business.  Maybe for a house, maybe.. Maybe for school, but the cost of college these days is one of the biggest rackets out there. MOST college graduates will never see a return on their "investment", in particular those who majored in some wishy-washy social liberal arts program.   If you can do multiple things, you will always have an edge. There is no place on earth a skilled trade will not come in useful, no matter what it is. And it is always a good backup, in case the "main job" disappears.
Reply:Originally Posted by John TGo to school for Pharmacist and weld on the weekends in your 4 car detached garage.
Reply:Originally Posted by RuarkTrue. Skim through the good welding jobs. Virtually without exception they want you to be able to do everything, as well as reading blueprints, fabrication, fitup, the whole nine yards. NOBODY gets a job just "welding."
Reply:What about the aerospace industry, or some technology industry... Are there less physically demanding jobs sitting at a bench TIG welding, building prototypes or repair, or are these jobs few and hard to get? Of course I know these types of industries are only on certain places In The country and not necessarily always sitting at a bench either. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLast edited by Seawalker; 10-13-2015 at 10:29 PM.
Reply:Do what you enjoy, and the money will come. Attitude almost has more of an impact than actual skill itself.Lincoln AC-225 90 amp flux core