"Self-made."

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to keep it short and sweet; i am 26, have a bachelor's degree and work a crap job. i'm aware this is 90% of people my age in america today, so i'll save explaining the predictable whys and hows that brought me here.is it common for someone to invest in the equipment and become a self-made welder, without the profound investment in some sort of "education facility" (that would put me in even more unbelievable debt)? the answer, of course, is yes; as an apprentice or an independent, et cetera, et cetera. my real question is, do many of these self-made welders proceed to be certified by the aws? i'm getting the impression that this is an important stamp of approval to have in this trade. is that an accurate assumption? what type(s) of welding would be best to start with, if one were to invest independently into this trade and learn outside of an academic setting or take on some sort of apprenticeship?thanks for your time.
Reply:Welcome to the board.  Where are you located?  Location helps others advise you.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Originally Posted by storemanWelcome to the board.  Where are you located?  Location helps others advise you.
Reply:If a guy were to walk in to a fully loaded shop alone with no skills it is impossible to say how many years it would take them to work up a welding skill let alone all the other skills that go along with it.To figure it out all on your own is pretty rough.
Reply:With the gas industry booming in this area that is were I would start looking. If a guy were to get on in a shop somewhere I would find it nearly silly to get in a shop that only mig welds. A good shop would have the basics covered.
Reply:Education costs aren't unbelievable.  You can take a semester of welding at several local community colleges in the $400 or less price range.  To put this in perspective, once you're in business your daily gross income should be higher than this.  (If it isn't, there's no way you're going to pay yourself a living wage after you pay for overhead -- insurance, equipment, consumables, repairs, taxes, licenses, etc.)  There are a few employers who will take a chance on someone who's a hard worker, eager to learn, but with basically no welding-related skills.  Whether you take a community college course on welding or not, getting a job with a job shop is the next logical step on the way to owning your own business.  Be aware that with no prior experience or schooling, you might be sweeping the floors for *a while* until you're allowed to put down your first bead.Better to take any money you have available and invest in some community college courses in business and welding first, then see if you have the knack and patience for the trade rather than buy a machine or decide on a focus right off.It's possible to focus on one process and / or material and build a business around it.  But you'll be turning away work if you do that, and trust me, that's a bad feeling.  Also, to make that idea work you'd better be either the cheapest or the best in that field.  You don't say anything about prior business experience, but if you don't have any, that is going to be the biggest uphill battle of all.  Much tougher to learn to run a business than to learn to weld.  If you're where you are now because of financial mistakes along the way, get them straightened out and learn how to live within your means.  Starting a new business involves a lot of NOT getting a paycheck when you want or need one.  I still drive a 1998 Honda Civic as my daily driver.  I could afford another car if I wanted one, but I had to learn to be satisfied with what I had awhile back and it's kind of become a perverse pleasure now.  This truck, on the other hand, is something I've been investing in right along because the money I put in it is paying me back.As far as certifications go, you should get plenty of reading on them from the search engine here and elsewhere.  I wouldn't get the cart before the horse on certs...first learn how to weld and use the tools of the trade, then see what if any focus you want, then delve into certification.  Don't forget to spend time and money on learning about business along the way.  It isn't for everyone, and it'd be *easier* to make the same money working for someone else in this or another field.  But maybe not more fulfilling.
Reply:I run a successful welding company that I built up from a hobby. I am licensed, bonded, insured, etc. i have no welding certification, AWS, or otherwise. In my niche I have never needed it. If I ever need one I will likely go with one of the local engineering companies that does independent certifications.
Reply:Certifications are tricky. They are only good for 60 or 90 days once you stop doing that kind of work. If you got a certification form a school no employers would care they all do most do their own certifications. If a school offers all kind of certs, do your research and make sure they are not a waste of money.If you had an advanced welding degree or welding program certificates an employer would pick you up expecting you to be able to pass their cert program pretty quickly as opposed to hiring some one off the street and starting from scratch.I would recommend doing at least a community collage hobbyist or intro to welding first. Then when you are done with that you will at least know what machines and welding process you would like to go after.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder