Job options with stick/ flux 4g certs

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When I complete my course at welding school I should be certified in stick and flux in 4g positions and will also have learned MIG. Obviously I wouldn't be able to pipe weld without further training which I intend to do down the road but I am wondering with my limited skill set, what sort of job opportunities will really be available to me with just those two certs? PS I will also have learned to use a cutting torch for whatever that is worth.Last edited by Kevin G.; 12-30-2014 at 01:10 AM.
Reply:Shop type environment doing fabrication, repair welding,  ship repair (ship yard building ships),  structural (putting up buildings and such).  Learn to fit what you weld.  When it is time for lay offs the fitters and welders will be laid off before the guy who can do both !  A cutting torch is part of welding so I would hope they are teaching you guys to use one !Learn to weld good in all positions.   I have seen guys weld overhead test plates out in the flat, only to get out in the field welding and not be able to do an over head,  or weld there vertical plates in the flat and cap in the vert.  The only one you are fooling is yourself,  if you cannot do it in the field the company will just dump you !Not saying you would try and cheat on a test but have seen plenty of people try and even some get away with it,  until the time comes and they have a weld that they cannot put in the flat !  In school practice, practice, practice as much as you can.   When I first started my instructor would have to ask me to leave everyday I would stay well past the end of class !Journeyman / Red Seal Welder (What a useless test)Miller CST 280Miller XMT 350Miller 12vs XtremeEvolution Evo 28 mag drillEvolution 380 Dry Cut saw
Reply:If we could ever shut that valve off to the pipe line of money leaving this country! Then start rebuilding our infrastructure, there would be plenty of jobs in construction. But, will we have enough skilled tradesmen, if that ever happens?Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Be prepared to leave the classroom shop. Your in for a real eye opener when you get out in the field. Just cause you have an all position cert doesn't mean your going to be an ace out in the field. You need to learn how to deal with gaps, poor fit up, machine set up at long distances, how to deal with cold roll and on and on. This stuff isn't learned in the class room. It is learned in the field and you don't have those skills as of yet.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Yes we cut all of our own coupons and have had to cut circular and oblong holes and a bevel into coupons using blueprints. We have one or two guys in class that have welded flat and turned it in as overhead. I am scared to death of getting out in the field and not having he ability to perform so not only do not pull those stunts but I am getting a welder on Friday so that I can keep practicing on weekends. I imagine I am in for a rude awakening once I get out of the school setting and begin welding for an employer. Hopefully I can manage to grasp the issues that arise fast enough to keep from getting fired. I look forward to the day when I am no longer so green.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin G.Hopefully I can manage to grasp the issues that arise fast enough to keep from getting fired.
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPWhen or if that happens, don't take it personal. I've been fired lots of times. Mostly for telling the boss he needed a glass belly button to see, because his head was so far up his a$$.
Reply:Originally Posted by TimmyTIGI guess he saw your toolbox going out the gate, though.
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPWhen or if that happens, don't take it personal. I've been fired lots of times. Mostly for telling the boss he needed a glass belly button to see, because his head was so far up his a$$.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin G.Haha I've  never heard that one before.
Reply:There is nothing wrong with getting a machine to practice with.  But I have to ask what kind of machine are you getting ?  Not all are created equal.  The guys in your class cheating will not do well in the real world.  As for what snoeproe said above about bad fit ups and such in the real world well you can also count on old worn out welding machines as well.  I had to do an ASME test one time 6010 root fill/cap with 7018,  I ended up having to use an old miller dialarc that would not keep a consistent heat ( kept getting hotter and hotter).  Wasn't fun putting the root in with that thing.  Worn out and abused equipment seem to be pretty common, at least up here it is.Don't worry about getting fired for being green,  just be honest with them going in for the job and they should understand and accept that you wont be the fastest or the best but that you will improve with time...Journeyman / Red Seal Welder (What a useless test)Miller CST 280Miller XMT 350Miller 12vs XtremeEvolution Evo 28 mag drillEvolution 380 Dry Cut saw
Reply:Originally Posted by Newfie_1986There is nothing wrong with getting a machine to practice with.  But I have to ask what kind of machine are you getting ?  Not all are created equal.  The guys in your class cheating will not do well in the real world.  As for what snoeproe said above about bad fit ups and such in the real world well you can also count on old worn out welding machines as well.  I had to do an ASME test one time 6010 root fill/cap with 7018,  I ended up having to use an old miller dialarc that would not keep a consistent heat ( kept getting hotter and hotter).  Wasn't fun putting the root in with that thing.  Worn out and abused equipment seem to be pretty common, at least up here it is.Don't worry about getting fired for being green,  just be honest with them going in for the job and they should understand and accept that you wont be the fastest or the best but that you will improve with time...
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin G.I am getting a lincoln 225 buzzbox to practice with. It's not ideal but it's all I can swing at the moment.Thanks for the advice. I will be honest and up front about my skill level or lack thereof.
Reply:Basically all I'm saying is in the job experience don't try and BS them,  tell them you have done schooling but have little on the job experience and they should know what to expect.  Don't go into an interview and put yourself down though !  Just be honest.  Being upfront and honest on my skills is what has gotten me where I am today.Now the machine you have chosen.  hmmm  ac or ac/dc ?  Either way I don't recommend it.  Sure some here will say great machine.  I disagree.  Its setting are all tapped, meaning no fine adjustment.  The adjustment of a couple of amps one way or the other can make a difference in how a weld runs.  Personally I think you should try for a machine with infinite adjustability.  What kind of money do you have to play with for a machine ?Journeyman / Red Seal Welder (What a useless test)Miller CST 280Miller XMT 350Miller 12vs XtremeEvolution Evo 28 mag drillEvolution 380 Dry Cut saw
Reply:Good advice so far.  Practice as much as possible at school.  Come early, stay late, don't screw around.  Burn as much rod/wire/gas as possible as it likely won't' cost you any more while you are there.Sounds like you have made a huge step in buying your own welder.  Now it's time for some projects.  That will be great experience that is much more "real" as you are actually be building something instead of just welding a coupon.  I have hired several graduates of Tulsa welding school and they all had difficulty welding on boat docks and other marine environments.  Things like rusty painted pipe, working on hands and knees just above the water, hanging off the side of a dock welding on the frame, welding above styrofoam, welding with boat wakes crashing your arc out, working on breakwater while moving, welding on galvanized material, etc... were all extremely difficult for them.  The farm kids who had welded their own brush guards, flat beds, roll bars, and repaired farm equipment and things like gates and trailers all seemed to handle the difficulties much better even though they had no formal training.  What they lacked in training they made up for in actual work building and fixing things that were never clean and perfect.  Sounds like you will have a basic skillset that should allow you to find an entry level position in the industry.  Your schooling might make transitioning to a shop or manufacturing environment easier as it will have similarities to your training environment.  Just depends what type of person you are.  Some people like working a set schedule and doing repetitive work and others prefer to work a varied schedule and do different things from day to day.  The first step is simply showing up for work on time every day.  Good luck in your job hunt hunt keep us posted.
Reply:Originally Posted by AFFENDEhaving gone through a certification school myself, and taught at a certification school, and worked in the field and shop, and managed guys and hired them and fired them ...you seem like you have realistic expectations.  1 year of trade school is worth about a month in the field ... don't take that the wrong way!  Keep your head up and learn everything you can and you will do great!Good luck!!
Reply:Originally Posted by Newfie_1986Basically all I'm saying is in the job experience don't try and BS them,  tell them you have done schooling but have little on the job experience and they should know what to expect.  Don't go into an interview and put yourself down though !  Just be honest.  Being upfront and honest on my skills is what has gotten me where I am today.Now the machine you have chosen.  hmmm  ac or ac/dc ?  Either way I don't recommend it.  Sure some here will say great machine.  I disagree.  Its setting are all tapped, meaning no fine adjustment.  The adjustment of a couple of amps one way or the other can make a difference in how a weld runs.  Personally I think you should try for a machine with infinite adjustability.  What kind of money do you have to play with for a machine ?
Reply:Originally Posted by RoadhunterGood advice so far.  Practice as much as possible at school.  Come early, stay late, don't screw around.  Burn as much rod/wire/gas as possible as it likely won't' cost you any more while you are there.Sounds like you have made a huge step in buying your own welder.  Now it's time for some projects.  That will be great experience that is much more "real" as you are actually be building something instead of just welding a coupon.  I have hired several graduates of Tulsa welding school and they all had difficulty welding on boat docks and other marine environments.  Things like rusty painted pipe, working on hands and knees just above the water, hanging off the side of a dock welding on the frame, welding above styrofoam, welding with boat wakes crashing your arc out, working on breakwater while moving, welding on galvanized material, etc... were all extremely difficult for them.  The farm kids who had welded their own brush guards, flat beds, roll bars, and repaired farm equipment and things like gates and trailers all seemed to handle the difficulties much better even though they had no formal training.  What they lacked in training they made up for in actual work building and fixing things that were never clean and perfect.  Sounds like you will have a basic skillset that should allow you to find an entry level position in the industry.  Your schooling might make transitioning to a shop or manufacturing environment easier as it will have similarities to your training environment.  Just depends what type of person you are.  Some people like working a set schedule and doing repetitive work and others prefer to work a varied schedule and do different things from day to day.  The first step is simply showing up for work on time every day.  Good luck in your job hunt hunt keep us posted.
Reply:Get a welder, and practice field welding. I can hook you up with several contacts. I have travel work available if you are willing to work in a rendering plant right now. You will start out doing very little in the way of actual welding at first, but you can work your way up. Everybody here in the South is slammed for help. Desperate.Constant Current Weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by DavidbrownGet a welder, and practice field welding. I can hook you up with several contacts. I have travel work available if you are willing to work in a rendering plant right now. You will start out doing very little in the way of actual welding at first, but you can work your way up. Everybody here in the South is slammed for help. Desperate.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin G.I imagine I am in for a rude awakening once I get out of the school setting and begin welding for an employer. Hopefully I can manage to grasp the issues that arise fast enough to keep from getting fired. I look forward to the day when I am no longer so green.