Weld cert. ?'s

admin

There seems to be a plethora of welding knowledge on this forum...so here goes.  I have been relegated to office/managerial work for the past 7 years and nothing has ever pulled at my shirttails quite like welding.  I am ready to hang up a solid career and move into something that I might enjoy a bit...rather than do out of total necessity. I know enough about welding to know that I don't know $**t.  I've done quite abit of MIG and Stick, but by no means am a certified welder.  Do many companies hire non-certified welders, or would I be better off to get certified on my own?  That leads me to the next question....what certification(s) do I need to make myself marketable in the workplace (i.e. ASME, etc.)??  Any pointers are greatly appreciated.
Reply:Firstly are you from the USA as i dont know alot about the old ASME regs now as they have been superceded by BS-EN  regs but in the uk you can take a welder Qualificatin based on someone elses welding procedure this doesnt make you a coded welder but it does prove to an emplyer that you can weld to that spec its a good shortcut to a coded career
Reply:It really depends on the job.  From what I have heard a round here ( Mostly from the Vo-Tech instructors most employers will require you to take a weld test for them and they handle the certs for their work.  Many times having a cert of some type is good to help you get in the door.  My guess is if labor is tight most employers will weld test about anyone but if applicants are lined up down the street they will try to select the Cream to send for weld test.DennisThermal Arc 185-TSWMillermatic Challenger 172VictorO/AAtlas Craftsman 12 by 24 LatheEsab PCM-875Wholesalem Tool Mill-Drill
Reply:In my experience, the cert. papers might get you in the door, But I weld test interviewees all the time, and weld cert.s aint worth the paper their written on until I see a weld for myself. "Oh yeah, MIG,TIG,stick, oh yeah, I can do that, no problem" and then it's"What's a 6G?", then I tell them that they can't roll it out flat on the table, then it's " Oh man, that's hard". Don't get me wrong, I'm all about teaching welding and all, but if you don't ask and think you know it all, I'll let you hang yourself. cslynger, if you want a welding job, were always hiring welders. The ones that know how, and the ones that want to learn. We have a training program that teaches everything from basic safety to NDT and Visual inspection. We are located in eastern IA. HenryA bad welder makes a good grinderA grinder and paint makes a welder that ain't!If you can't put a good weld on it, put alot of weld on it!