New Welder - Shipbuilding questions

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Hey guys this is my first post, and I have a few questions I was wondering you could help me out with...I live in BC Canada and am curently registered for a full time Welding level C program that starts in 3 months. My ultimate goal is to get into the shipbuilding aspect of welding. Im going to have to do 7 months of school, then roughly 5 months of work experience to get my level C and red seal endorsment. After thats completed I was thinking Shipbuilding is what Id like to do.Does anybody here have any info relating to that aspect of the welding industry?anything would help. Wage, working conditions, experience needed etcThanks
Reply:What is the scale you want to work on?  Do you want to do new construction or repair/modification type work?  Do you want to be the fabricator or the welder?  Would you rather run an automated or manual process?  These are all very different skills a ship welder may have.Most important... are you claustrophobic?Last edited by 76GMC1500; 01-04-2012 at 12:49 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by 76GMC1500What is the scale you want to work on?  Do you want to do new construction or repair/modification type work?  Do you want to be the fabricator or the welder?  Would you rather run an automated or manual process?  These are all very different skills a ship welder may have.Most important... are you claustrophobic?
Reply:I work on tugs, not a welder, but I work in tanks.  I have a rule of thumb.  If you can fit a 5-gallon bucket through the hole you can fit your body through the hole.You classes will qualify you to be a production welder.  Being a production welder will give you the experience to be a shipfitter.  Production welders are down in the hole doing the dirty work of laying filler.  Shipfitters always amazed me because they take a flat plate, cut it to shape, and draw it in to the frames of the vessel to make complex curved shapes.  It takes a lot of experience to become a good fitter and welders are exposed to the conditions where you will get the experience.I work near San Francisco in California.  We pay our head fitter around 37ish an hour (shhh. I'm not supposed to know this) and our production welders are probably 20-25 an hour.  The shipyard we use for out of the water repairs bills us ~$550 a day per worker for labor that probably works out to roughly half for the welder/fitter which could be $25-27 an hour.When you do work on larger vessels much of the work has to be approved by a classification society.  Check in to getting certifications with ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), BV (Bureau Veritas), Lloyds Register, etc...
Reply:Originally Posted by Prevail604Hey guys this is my first post, and I have a few questions I was wondering you could help me out with...I live in BC Canada and am curently registered for a full time Welding level C program that starts in 3 months. My ultimate goal is to get into the shipbuilding aspect of welding. Im going to have to do 7 months of school, then roughly 5 months of work experience to get my level C and red seal endorsment. After thats completed I was thinking Shipbuilding is what Id like to do.Does anybody here have any info relating to that aspect of the welding industry?anything would help. Wage, working conditions, experience needed etcThanks
Reply:Originally Posted by 76GMC1500I work on tugs, not a welder, but I work in tanks.  I have a rule of thumb.  If you can fit a 5-gallon bucket through the hole you can fit your body through the hole.You classes will qualify you to be a production welder.  Being a production welder will give you the experience to be a shipfitter.  Production welders are down in the hole doing the dirty work of laying filler.  Shipfitters always amazed me because they take a flat plate, cut it to shape, and draw it in to the frames of the vessel to make complex curved shapes.  It takes a lot of experience to become a good fitter and welders are exposed to the conditions where you will get the experience.I work near San Francisco in California.  We pay our head fitter around 37ish an hour (shhh. I'm not supposed to know this) and our production welders are probably 20-25 an hour.  The shipyard we use for out of the water repairs bills us ~$550 a day per worker for labor that probably works out to roughly half for the welder/fitter which could be $25-27 an hour.When you do work on larger vessels much of the work has to be approved by a classification society.  Check in to getting certifications with ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), BV (Bureau Veritas), Lloyds Register, etc...
Reply:Originally Posted by Prevail604Thanks, you provided some great insight.those wages you provided match what I suspeceted them to be... glad to hear it to re confirmYa my main goal is to just get my foot in the door doing w/e job and work my way up with experience and more schooling if needed.Actually I will. In BC Canada through a trades foundation program its 7 months theory(school) and 5 months practical (workbased). Then you recieve your Red seal endorsment.I have confirmed this with the ITA (Industry Training Authority) and in an interview with a welding instructor at my local university.
Reply:Originally Posted by BadonkadonkSorry to say but you've been misinformed. I live in Vancouver, BC and I'm also going to be looking to get on with the Seaspan contract.As for getting your red seal you need to complete your level B training before you can even write the test, and after that you need to complete 5000 working hours before it is applied to you, I'm a graduated B level from BCIT and I'm working towards the same goal.What you'll get after you complete your 1000 working hours for your C level is your C level sticker for your log book, and you can also apply for a government grant ( don't forget to do this, its a free $1000 )
Reply:Originally Posted by Prevail604Ya, I guess i got the terminology mixed up, Sry my bad...I guess it is just called a level c sticker for my log book like you said. I thought every level you recieve a Red seal endorsment. Thanks for the heads up Badonk.You live in Vancouver area too thats cool. I took an into welding class at BCIT this Summer. I wanted to go full time but there was too long of a waiting list so I had to apply to Kwantlen and I start in April...Bcit would have been an Oct start date.I would love to talk to you more... about schooling,work etc. As my goal is to ultimately end up with Seaspan like yourself.P.s. Thanks for the heads up on the 1k grant... BCIT instructors gave me that tip too
Reply:Hey guys, was just doing a google search on the Kwantlen Welding program and I came across thisthought i'd register..I have a question. how long is the wait list on cloverdales program? i cant seem to get a hold of anyone there  .. ive been trying to call them all day! Cloverdale is closer to me and im guessing has a small wait list..cheers
Reply:Originally Posted by 300Hey guys, was just doing a google search on the Kwantlen Welding program and I came across thisthought i'd register..I have a question. how long is the wait list on cloverdales program? i cant seem to get a hold of anyone there  .. ive been trying to call them all day! Cloverdale is closer to me and im guessing has a small wait list..cheers
Reply:Looks like BCIT is full 'till 2014. Guess I'l try KwantlenSqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A