question for you traveling welders

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So Ive been going to a trade school for the last 15 months and just tested out for my pipe certs (6g smaw and 6g gtaw) about to test for my stainless and downhand cert I already have my 2,3,and 4g stick certs.... my questions is I wanna start traveling doing temp work or contract stuff ... Would like to get into the pipeline maybe shutdown type stuff... Just want to travel and make some decent money doing it... how do you get a start in something like that?
Reply:Bahahaha become a boilermaker, best part time job you'll ever have!Believe me I know.Miller bobcat 225g  - spoolmatic 1Mm250 - 30a spoolMiller spectrum 375Thermal arc 95 Everlast Ex 250As the boiler turns, these are the days of our lives
Reply:thanks for the replies!
Reply:What state do you live in?
Reply:West Texas.... El Paso to be exact
Reply:You need to get to the Gulf Coast area like Houston. Go apply at JV Industrial. The last job I was on, they had rookie welders they had recruited right out of trade school, put them thru JV's welding school and had them on a shutdown making $30 an hour and would only let them weld socket welds they were so green.If you want to do shutdowns that's the outfit to be with. They get a lot of work and they pay damn good money.Pipeline would be pretty hard for a new welder to get into.Matter of fact they just called me a couple of weeks ago to go to Port Arthur on a job, but I'm getting too old for that kind of work. I can't take the long hours and all the climbing anymore.Last edited by TimmyTIG; 02-17-2013 at 06:44 AM.
Reply:Thanks for the reply TimmyTig. I'll give them a try for sure.  I understand that I need to start somewhere even though it might not be where I want to start. How long is their welding school? How would I start to get into the pipeline?  Would I have to apprentice or something like that?
Reply:I don't recall what those boys said about how long they were in school, but they did say JV put them up in a hotel for it.As far as pipeline, you could try to get in an apprentice program for Local 798, the big pipeline union. But I believe a union apprentice program is for 5 years.Or you could try to hire on with a non union outfit as a helper for a while till you see how they do things. You have to be a pretty sharp welder to do pipeline, they don't play around.
Reply:I miss those 84+ hour checks.
Reply:I already talked to the 798 guys I was told I could put an application in but they are not accepting any as of right now... I have been looking at the UA because of the Helmets to Hardhats thing.. They are really pushing for Vets to go into skilled trades. The UA told me that since I have had formal training that I could possibly go in as like a third year apprentice. Plan on at least taking the test for them I think its like 2in xxs 6010 7018 out and 2in sch 80 tig all the way nothing to crazy. Still trying to get as much advice before I really commit to something. Steelin Ducks I am looking forward to thoses 84+ hour checks!!
Reply:TimmyTig like I said I have no problem with being a helper for a little bit. Just hope its for a journeymen or Welder that is bad *** and is willing to pass on that knowledge.  I have a couple friends that have been stuck with some not so helpful people. Oh yeah I put in for that JV Industiral place. I wouldnt care about getting more school in the way I see it is the more training I get the better its going to make me.