Which is better?

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I'm looking to make a change of career. Is it better to go to school for welding, then seek employment? or find a company that allows on the job training?That's probably a dumb question, but I wanted some feedback.
Reply:Learn to weld first, than you can find a jobIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Originally Posted by candicane83I'm looking to make a change of career. Is it better to go to school for welding, then seek employment? or find a company that allows on the job training?That's probably a dumb question, but I wanted some feedback.
Reply:I've never actually performed welding before. I have "book" knowledge but, not actual work. My mother has kept me away from that kind of thing because it was too "manly" for a girl. Now that i'm on my own I want to actually perform it. I would honestly prefer OTJ training because I learn better and faster that way as opposed to being in a class and learning. But I may have to break down and take a class because I haven't found any OTJ training positions. Grrrrr   Thanks for the suggestions!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloNot at all a dumb question. Look at it from 2 angles. If you have welding as a hobby, then take a class, get decent at it, and when you are confident in the job you do, go job hunting. If you are in need of a job NOW, and can't do anything else (unlikely) look for a job that offers OTJ training. You will work for lower wages, and you will likely move on to another job or 3 quickly, as when you start low, it takes some serious time to go up very far. For sure, no matter what job you get, you will be learning when you are there. The difference isstarting at $8 an hour, or $12-16 an hour.
Reply:so what is 2000's pay rate then?
Reply:Originally Posted by candicane83so what is 2000's pay rate then?
Reply:that's kick ***!!! One day if I ever get a job in welding I'll make that much. But for a newbie I doubt i'll get that much to start off with.
Reply:Check into an apprenticeship with one of the trades.. ironworkers, piledrivers, millwrights. Best OJT there is.
Reply:oooooo good idea! thanks!
Reply:Welders are in big demand in the Tulsa OK. area.  Some places will do ojt but turn away over 90% of the applicants.  Criminal records and drug screens weed them out fast.DennisThermal Arc 185-TSWMillermatic Challenger 172VictorO/AAtlas Craftsman 12 by 24 LatheEsab PCM-875Wholesalem Tool Mill-Drill
Reply:well i'm not a criminal and i don't do drugs so that shouldn't be a problem. i live in houston, tx and there is a demand for welders and pipe fitters, etc. Just trying to find the ones that do OTJ training or as one said earlier an apprenticeship or something.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapster12-16$ hr??now??thats all?? man that is 1990 pay ...zap!
Reply:here to $10.00 -$12.00 to start welding you have to be very good or luck to get more im both ChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:even though i'm a very fasy learner i'm not expecting to make that much when and if i do find a job in the field.. one day though!
Reply:Can't say how it compares, but I'm starting out with OJT at $10 an hour. That's with no experience, no training, and no book knowledge. The company has a very nice benefit package though. After I get through 90 days they send me to night welding classes at BOCES(a county technical school) to get real training and my welding certification. Really, an apprenticeship with one of those trade unions would be an ideal choice, but if you can't get in and still want to weld, look up other companies. By the way, I work for Waste Management in the Container Shop, and the company is based in Houston.
Reply:It's too bad that (as far as i know ) real 4 year apprenticeships , such as i went through -U S navy (1965-1969) are long gone . I think the main problem is that no "trade" such as machinists,boilermakers , iron workers will recognise welders as a SEPARATE trade. these (!#@$%! ) people are afraid of welders having their own separite  UNION- can you imagine welders having ONE national  WELDERS UNION - they would have the power such as the TEAMSTERS - my point is that all those trades consider welders as PART of their trade , and nothing more . if any body deserves the highest compensation , it is without question  the (  certified ) welders . and i am talking about real welders , NOT  the guys who have struck an arc with a buz box a few times , and think they are welders . when i went back to Mare Island the second time , they put out a call for 30 welders, thinking they could get them , only testing 300 (!) . they was wrong - they only passed 20 in the X-ray tests . they then tested 200 more to get the last 10 they needed . And , this after making each applicant do a verticle demo (just a visual  fillet ) before allowing them to do the x-ray  test plates. Many more were flunked on the visual and NOT allowed to take the  x-ray test .   (reason-  x-ray tests cost  TOO much  to test every guy who claims he's (she's)  a welder )Last edited by Roy Hodges; 07-08-2006 at 11:18 AM.[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:Candicane 83- I hope you know that most females quickly quit welding , after getting some dingleberries down their shirt and burning their boobs, chest etc. maybe this is crude , but it's a fact of life . a welder gets burns all over  the body , maybe not as much now, with so many processes replacing stick welding , but something you have to consider .[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:And, before you guys yell "what about wearing leathers ?, come on- you know darn well , that most of the welders wear them no more than they think they have to. Hot, and uncomfortable - they are a pain , if you wear them or get a pain , if you don't .[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:i weld in a t-shirtyou have better protection from uv rays in a dark one other than a light one..and use this on your arms before you begin...Attachment 4033...zap!Last edited by zapster; 12-27-2007 at 05:20 PM.I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:lol I hate the feeling of dust on my arms wiht suntan lotion  lolIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:believe it or not that stuff is'nt so bad...once its "dry"  ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:roy, i'm a hardcore biker that rides all over the country, get banged up bruised, i work on cars and get my hards dirty. i've even been burned. i'm at my most happiest when i'm in there getting my hands dirty and working my *** off and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not like most girly girls, but a lot of people don't see that and won't give me a chance
Reply:now just calm down you firecracker  women with spunk is ok in my book.......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:i'm on the phone with my b/f who is an offshore marine surveyor and he's giving me his lecture on how welding isn't a glamourous job and majority of them are grumpy and hate what they do and stuff like that. do you think all welders are mean and grumpy and hate what they do? oh and he said they yell at you alot.Originally Posted by zapsternow just calm down you firecracker  women with spunk is ok in my book.......zap!
Reply:I will throw in my two cents...Take a night or saturday class at your local college and get comfortable with it. It doesn't have to take long, I was 4 weeks in when I started a good job with otj training. Just having the class on your resume will get you in for an interview and a test.Jobs that want to train you don't care if you come in and throw down bird **** welds as long as you are trainable.Alot of Pipefitting and boilermaker unions hire journeymen plumbers into their apprenticeship programs. But, once you are on the hire list, you can't work a non-union job in that field. So you could try the plumbing route.As for grumpy? Depends on the person I guess. The day  The job and the dipsticks that surround you all day. There is some dirty, nasty welding and then there is some clean welding environments and some in between. I am one of the in between guys so I don't get ****ed too often.Hope this helps.Happy weldingBill
Reply:Well Candy , I guess it depends on WHERE you work. Most of the welders I worked with were very civil. We all griped when we got a miserable job that day, but   isn't that human ? I think you got the stuff to be a welder , attitude wise , go for it . we also liked any woman welder, if she pulled her own weight , i don't think you're asking for any special favors , you ought to do fine, if you try hard (like anybody should )  good luck - Roy[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:so is it bad to be apart of the union program? in your opnion.  I plan to take a class or two in welding. The more knowledge the better. Being so new to everything I'm not sure what to expect in the terms of working environment or if i getting f****d or not.
Reply:thanks roy for the encouragement!  No, I'm not asking for any special favors. I know when i learn i tend to ask a lot of questions and that annoys some people, but I'd rather ask them now then "f" up later and get chewed out. It's going to be tough at first, but once i get the hang of it, I'll be fine. When it comes down to it i know how to pull my own weight. I can be a work a holic and people have to MAKE me take a break cuz i won't stop until it's finished.
Reply:There will always be a few guys who get P#ssed when someone asks questions - IGNORE those guys - they are bad news - they are afraid to answer anything, they are afraid , then you'll know as much as them . ask questions, any good guy will be happy to share what ever he can to help. Nobody knows it all . we don't live long enough.[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:At Mare Island , before they shut it down, we had lots of women apprentices, i asked some "why become a welder ? "they said , "working in the office for some mean bitch, i wanted to get out , and the starting pay was about 75% more , at the Beginning!"[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:if you learn to weld first it will make it easer to get a job .in one of my old jobs we had a Young girl come in looking for work as a welder and the boss(a women) told her on we would not trainer her i was shocked ,later i ask why my boss said she would be to distracting for us . my 18 daughter can weld some and I'm glad.good luckChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Well, I have inquired about apprenticeships on my local area, so maybe something will come from that. This sounds bad, but I can't really afford the classes right now that will give me the hands on stuff. It's not that I'm totally welding illiterate. Just have to take it one day at a time i guess
Reply:take a classand kik-a$$...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I like my job. But if you act mean and grumpy it keeps the boss away. I know in our shop the boss picks on the machinest and painters and leaves us welders alone. But for the most part the guys and gals in the weld shop are really good people. Aslong as you start out with the right attitued your willing to learn and realize school teachs fundementals not all aspects of welding. An excllent example is this welding web. The people on this forum are very helpful and willing to share info with each other.Last edited by aluminumman75; 07-09-2006 at 11:39 AM.
Reply:yea. that's what i like about you guys. I know I will run into people who will be mean and grumpy and pick on me, but hey, that's all part of the job. they gotta see what you're made of..hehehe
Reply:Houston is a hotbed for petrochemical and im sure they need more pipe welders.  I only know the name of one outfit but Im sure you can find plenty more especially if you can 6010 root and 7018 fill.  Try www.starcon.org and the HR guy is Bentley "Bud" Hatteberg and his number is 8154784615 ext 624.  They like new people so you can try that.
Reply:you think they would want me? I don't know hardley anything... i'll give it a shot though. thanks!
Reply:1yr of welding at TSTC in waco, tx...got my cert, took a 6g test and am making $23hr tiggin' pipeOwner - Certified Welding & Fabrication / 22yrs in businessSteamboat Springs, Co(970) 879-5491AWS structural shopHMI 70t iron worker2 field trucks specailizing in structural steel, aluminum and stainless steel
Reply:that's awesome! I hope i can take some classes soon. Do you enjoy yuor job?
Reply:Houston is about to get a lot hotter.  I have a friend that does real estate and economic consulting for oil and gas pipeline companies (several of the biggies are his clients)...lots of companies across the country are looking to double and triple up on existing land to increase pumping capacity without having to deal with land acquisition (too slow).  Where there's pipes, there's gonna be more pipes.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:I have been a welder for over 30 years and I suggest that you go to school first because I know what you are facing out in the world of welding.  I have my own rig and my own welding shop and I know from experience.Last edited by Iron Maiden; 07-09-2006 at 09:57 PM.Reason: miss spelled word
Reply:so the apprentice program isn't worth it?
Reply:From my experience you would be better off going to a school first because going out there not knowing anything would be a lot harder.  Knowing what I know from my experience and what you are facing out there you would be better off starting in a school.  You will learn alot more from school.  they teach you a all around program and I would not think the apprentice program would.  I don't know who the apprentice program is with or what they are offering so it would be hard for me to say without knowing.
Reply:listen candycane...you keep asking if "you like your job?"if you really want to weld the answer is yes..i take great pride in what i do..(i even stamp ...zap! in my work so i know i did it )theres nothing better than to look at what you did and say "I DID THAT"go out there and just do it...you will not regret it and if anyone gives you greif about it just tell'em "pretty soon i'm gonna weld your mouth shut"...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:My boyfriend wants to have his new slogan be "**** me off and watch my girl weld your mouth shut" hahaha.. I figured you enjoyed what you did for a living. I'm not even sure why i even asked. forgive me. i just know of sooo many people who hate what they do and give bad advice. you rock though!~ CandiObstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.- Henry Ford 1863-1947
Reply:i weld because thats what i like to do i weld at work and at home.one of the women welders i worked with started out as a union apprentice she told me for 5 years she got the run a round she learned to weld some before she came to our shop with just enough welding to get in the door because she was shuch a good worker and willing to learn i mad sure she got all the training we could give her wen we closed down she could do her Owen set up and layout ,if i were you i would go to school firstChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Thanks chuck. I'm hearing very good pro's and cons to the apprenticeship. i would prefer to go to school first, then go out searching. the apprenticeship sounds good. then i'm being told i should be apart of a union because you get treated better rather than just going to school then just getting a job. i'm so confused. i'm getting more info on the apprenticeship then comparing.it's hard to say which is better. arg!~ CandiObstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.- Henry Ford 1863-1947
Reply:just one piece of advise.  In our shop they hired one woman, supposedly a welder, her weld test looked great and they hired her.  I was lead man over the welding dept. at the time and told her, her welds look like sh*t (at least that's what her lawyers are saying I said).  Anyway she got moved to assembly dept. and she had said from the beginning to treat her like one of the guys, well they did and 3 people have lost their jobs and maybe more to come.  She's already tried to get me fired, I haven't spoken to her in 6 months, I don't even look at her.  Things like this can be avoided,  this isn't a generalization just a bit of advise because this can go the other way too.  Don't take no sh*t and don't start no sh*t, and every thing should be fine.I'm not trying to discourage you or anything like that,  I wish you the best of luck and don't let no one get you in trouble.  Rumors get started fast.  And you don't even have to do anything.  It probably wouldn't be as bad if there were more women in the shop, but we only had one woman and about 40 guys.Last edited by littlefuzz; 07-10-2006 at 07:43 PM.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools