I feel so lost.

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So right now I completed the welding program, and am in my last semester to get my degree. I feel like im not even close to prepared due to the poor instruction and the school I went to. The furthest I got was passing the Unlim thick(backing) on stick 3G and 4G. Passed my open root tig stick fill and cap, as well as 3/8" open 6010 root and 7018 fill and cap. I didn't touch pipe but 3 times because the instructor wasn't even helping with any questions, never even put his hood on or dodged questions. I need some guidance as to what I should do. I applied for the Boilermakers Local 687, tried to get in with Chicago Bridge and Iron since they are putting in a nuclear plant near my house. Other than that where I live there isn't much. I feel like I got screwed at my last school and missed out on a lot due to a poorly designed program, and poor instruction.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:smilexelectric Was your school a State Institution, or private school?Opus
Reply:Were there other instructors in the shop? Does your school let you stay and practice when you aren't on class time? I only ask because a lot of students that went to TWS like me say the same thing. What they never bothered to realize was, at any given moment there were 10 other instructors at hand. Not to mention you can stay during afternoon and evening classes as well.If you apply for a Union, make sure you apply to the apprenticeship program. You do not need to be a pro at welding. Just the fact that you went to school will put you ahead of people with zero hood time. If you can pass (visual) the test they may or may not give you, you have a shot at entering in the 2nd or 3rd year instead of 1st. More pay, and you avoid going through things you already know.As far as getting a welding job out of school... not many people are "ready" for industrial work. There is a lot schools don't teach about being on a job site. The school's job is to teach you how to weld. Not how to acclimate. Which is a reason I recommend the apprenticeship programs. On the job training is the best kind.You won't really find good jobs out of school. Having a "degree" may put you ahead of people like me who only had a "diploma" or "certificate of completion of a welding program". If you're getting an actual degree I assume your program was 1 1/2 - 2 years? That's a damn long time to not weld any pipe. I'm sorry for you, if that's the case. I love pipe welding. But I digress. That schooling will count as a year of experience. If you want a job you need to go to where the work is. There isn't much in SC. If you can move, I suggest Texas, North Dakota, or anywhere on the Gulf Coast.Look up shipyards on the coast. Look into the railroads too. If you have to, go to some staffing companies. They aren't ideal but they can help you get your foot in the door to a $14/hr job that will build your experience. A year here, a year there, and you'll be off to the bank by your third job. Go to town and stop by fabrication shops too. Don't rely on email or phone calls. See a boss face to face and ask if he needs help. A few months sweeping floors can get you a spot learning fab or machining on your down time.
Reply:How can a teacher teach about being on a job site when he's been in a school his entire life ?smilex. Scour the yellow pages for welding shops, ornamental and structural iron shops and maybe heavy equipment. Walk in , talk to them and tell them your goals. Someone will probably start you somewhere. You need to get dirty for a couple of years !Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROsmilexelectric Was your school a State Institution, or private school?Opus
Reply:Im sure you have googled welding jobs in your area, and see that even basic low paying jobs say they want experience. Thats the same thing I have found, Talk to someone who knows your area and who is around, find all the places that do welding and walk in. You will probably have better luck that way.- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:Unfortunately it is all to common for a tech college welding program to wind up like this. If you look on the SC State Jobs HR website, you will see plenty of positions for adjunct welding instructors...and with the pay rate they offer it is easy to see why a qualified instructor was rare. I know at my tech college (near you) the instructor was always gone and on his cell phone...I had to grab another instructor who was very good but not always available (since he had HIS own class...plus I felt that taking him away from his guys was not fair to them). He actually taught our class for two weeks while our normal instructor was absent...and during those two weeks I learned more from him than I learned from the normal instructor all semester. . Normal instructor was a decent welder but not a good teacher.Hobart Stickmate LX235AC/160DCRanger 305GVictor 315 O/A rigHope to acquire in the next couple of years: Hypertherm PM45 and Dynasty 200DX
Reply:I am gonna go to a staffing place, hopefully they can find a job grinding working a burn table or something. The place up the street is hiring I am gonna bring my resume and apply and try and talk to a manager or HR, ask about a internship to see if they like me and hire me on.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:Originally Posted by JD955SCUnfortunately it is all to common for a tech college welding program to wind up like this. If you look on the SC State Jobs HR website, you will see plenty of positions for adjunct welding instructors...and with the pay rate they offer it is easy to see why a qualified instructor was rare. I know at my tech college (near you) the instructor was always gone and on his cell phone...I had to grab another instructor who was very good but not always available (since he had HIS own class...plus I felt that taking him away from his guys was not fair to them). He actually taught our class for two weeks while our normal instructor was absent...and during those two weeks I learned more from him than I learned from the normal instructor all semester. . Normal instructor was a decent welder but not a good teacher.
Reply:Sounds like you made a hasty decision picking the school. That and they probably have a great way to fake the funk up front.If you are attending a welding program that isn't taught by experienced welders, you picked the wrong school. Regardless of the crappy planning and instruction, even with brilliant teachers, you'd have the same issue finding work. Like I said, your schooling with count as experience to most places. Hit the streets, apply to the unions and staffing agencies, and definitely consider railroad companies like CSX. If you can move, apply to Newport News Shipyard. They will give you 90 days of instruction to certify on their processes. Or move to Williston, ND, sleep in your car, and walk on as a helper. They are still making 2k a week without welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by akabadnewsSounds like you made a hasty decision picking the school. That and they probably have a great way to fake the funk up front.If you are attending a welding program that isn't taught by experienced welders, you picked the wrong school. Regardless of the crappy planning and instruction, even with brilliant teachers, you'd have the same issue finding work. Like I said, your schooling with count as experience to most places. Hit the streets, apply to the unions and staffing agencies, and definitely consider railroad companies like CSX. If you can move, apply to Newport News Shipyard. They will give you 90 days of instruction to certify on their processes. Or move to Williston, ND, sleep in your car, and walk on as a helper. They are still making 2k a week without welding.
Reply:I forgot to add *if you are accepted. Make sure you are persistent in following up because those places are huge. Applications get forgotten. You have to call people every few days so they don't forget you. Or email, whichever.Look into Trinity Industries too. They do a lot of random welding. Wind towers, guard rails, rail cars, in-land shipyards, etc. A rep came by the welding school a few months ago talking about how bad they want welders.
Reply:Originally Posted by akabadnewsI forgot to add *if you are accepted. Make sure you are persistent in following up because those places are huge. Applications get forgotten. You have to call people every few days so they don't forget you. Or email, whichever.Look into Trinity Industries too. They do a lot of random welding. Wind towers, guard rails, rail cars, in-land shipyards, etc. A rep came by the welding school a few months ago talking about how bad they want welders.
Reply:If you applied for a welding job, you are paid starting the day of orientation. I think it's $14 and some change. After you certify on everything your pay bumps to around $17-18, and I believe after about a year and a half (straight, no days missing, etc.) tops around $21-24.
Reply:Originally Posted by akabadnewsIf you applied for a welding job, you are paid starting the day of orientation. I think it's $14 and some change. After you certify on everything your pay bumps to around $17-18, and I believe after about a year and a half (straight, no days missing, etc.) tops around $21-24.