Considering a career in welding

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Hello, I am taking a career planning class which requires me to interview a working welder. I am from Saskatchewan, Canada. Any help will answering these questions be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance. - Bryan What are top 3 knowledge/top 3 skills for Welding? What is the most recent skill you have learned that related to Welding?What is the average wage non-union / union?What are the safety consideration/hazards when working in this field?What do you like about these condition/ not? why
Reply:I like to answer these type of post sometimes. I wish there were forums and internet when I was starting out a long time ago back in the 70's. I went to a community college welding program that taught me the "basics" to get me started.First let me inform you young guy's that take these classes, yes they are good to start with but to be real after you come out of the class you may think you are a "weldor" or what ever, Sorry, most time you are not. You can learn to stick junk together but being a "real" welder take many years of practice. You can't just walk up to a piano and start playing.Welding is a very complex science and an art. And let's face it some people can be lousy artist no matter how many years they try. Some people are gifted and are a natural and can pick it up quick.What kind of welder are you think of trying to become? There are many different types of welding jobs that require completely different skills. The guy who makes little widgits on the bench that are set in jigs and welded with a little mig gun in the shop while he sits on a chair all day is not the same as cutting out and changing 3000 sq. ft. of 1/2" plate over head on a ocean going barge, welding and cutting over head for a few weeks at a time nonstop is totally different. And how about welding pipes on a nuclear submarine or power plant. Crawling in spaces that without joking, the skinny guy can barely fit. It's just like being a doctor, there are a lot of different types.What are the top 3 skill? I think the first one is to learn how to not kill yourself or the guy next to you. Safety is paramount. I've seen a lot of people get hurt bad and most of the time it's from some dummy doing something stupid.You will need a very high level of industrial math and science helps also. You will need to be mechanically inclined, you need to know what end of the hammer to use. There is a lot more to it than just making sparks.Machine shop skills will also be needed. You need to know how to use some big equipment sometimes. You need to know how to drill holes and grind metal without hurting yourself, breaking the equipment or trashing the workpiece that someone else just spent 2 weeks building. You can't learn this stuff just by some instructor whacking you on the side of you head with a magic wand and him saying "YOU ARE NOW A WELDER".Some of you old guy are cracking up right now because you understand what I am trying to say. I can say this now because when I got out of school I thought I was a welder. NOT. It took many years to build up my skills and by that time my back was worn out and my eyes are a mess now. I just can't wait until my lungs start to wheeze.As far as wages go, that an open question. They can be all over the board. It depends on your skill level, your experience, your attitude, your location, your type of job, your age,  and how easy is it for you to be replaced.What do I like about my job? Is that a trick question? Sometimes I can get a type of job that I will be hating every last second doing it. Try welding the inside of that barge when it's been sitting out in the 90 degree heat for a few weeks. You don't even know what hot is. Have you ever worked inside a boiler? They cool them down so it's only 110degree's inside and black as night.But on the positive side I have done a lot of very cool jobs also. I've installed missile launch tracking platforms, I've installed classified equipment, opps I wasn't suppose to tell you that one. I've been sent to different states to work on projects. And even sent offshore to do emergency repairs on Chinese cargo ships that were cracking in half with water shooting inside. Sometimes you will see some pretty cool stuff. You have to be able to get along with other workers even when they have an attitude. Welders can get to be a ruff and tuff crowd sometimes. If you act like a jerk, someone WILL teach you a lesson sooner or later even if it's not you that needs the lesson. Welders are not hired for their people skills.Don't let me scare you. Welding can be a great job and it pays good most of the time. If you are good you can get a job kind of easily (sometimes).If I could do it all over again I would, but I would be even better. I would of learned even more that I did. I'm still learning today and I've done this for a long time.  My advise from my mistakes... Don't drink beer, OUCH,  don't take drugs, and get in shape, you need to be strong. And don't smoke. OK you can drink a little beer, but not too much. You will waste your money, rot your liver, and you will feel like you want to die the next morning when you find out you have to weld inside that hot barge all day.Me? I only smoke when I am on fire!   Have fun, I did.
Reply:Thank you for the detailed response! : )