Help Me Decide Please...

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Staring welding school in January, i am currently an RN and i was a combat medic with 4 tours in the army. I am sick of medicine, its just not for me anymore.here are my choices besides the core welding classes....Adv Gas Tungsten Arc WeldingFabrication ProcessesPipe WeldingFlux Cored Arc WeldingPlasma CuttingOrnamental Iron WorksMetal Welding and Cutting Techwhat would you choose and why?  which pays the best? which is the most in demand?thank you in advance and look forward to being a member of the forum.
Reply:If you are simply after the money go for pipe welding and the GTAW.  They usually pay more for pressure work which usually involves GTAW roots if the pipe is any fancy alloy.   A first aid ticket will get you in the door also... extremely valuable.  The person who has a first aid ticket is the last to be layed off.
Reply:Take em all.   DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Joshua,  First off, thanks for your service! Second, do NOT abandon your RN license. It is the only profession that is continually in demand. I, too, have a BSN and RN. I have been in the field for 17yrs but am an Administrator for psychiatric facilities now. I do the welding/fabrication/machining on the side and contemplated going full time not too long ago.....I am glad I did not!  Certainly nothing wrong with getting welding certs and having another skill/trade, but do not let your license slide!  Think long and hard about this and just because it is cool and fun to do now does not mean it will be when you are burning rod everyday in order to earn a living.Granthttp://jackalopefab.com/MM210Synchrowave 200DXMiller XMT350 w/60series feederMiller Bobcat 250 with SGA 100 and spoolgunHTP PlasmaFull Machine shop with everything
Reply:With 15 years from separation to use the G.I. Bill assuming you have the post-9/11 version, don't max it out. If you want to switch fields again later you can use the option and the stipend.Pipe welding would give you mobility and a global career path if you want it. TIG and Pipe would be da moneymakers, and since life is a poo sandwich you want as much "bread" as possible to dull the taste.Make sure you get maximum welding practice time. Some schools cut expensive shop time by substituting bool****e classroom time since classroom time doesn't use expensive consumables!Get a welding machine for use at home if possible and set up a small practice area. Welcome to the forum and ASK QUESTIONS.
Reply:dont do it!!!stick with the RN...welding is a great hobby,,,but dont do it for a living!!!im a tube and pipe fitter and welder,fabricator ,and if you dont like having a life then sure you can make some money....unless you find a nice cushy union job(good luck) then forget it,,stick in the health field ,better benifets,and pay,,
Reply:An RN looking for a weldng career?  Get real!.  Stick with what you know and be good at it!!
Reply:Joshua - based on that list of electives you're going to a school that is part of the Technical College System of Georgia.  I am an instructor at one, and find it frustrating that the system is set up to make you choose only one of those.  It is set up that way so the Hope scholarship will only pay for one - any more would be out of pocket.  There are 2 loopholes around it:1.  If you already have 15 hours scheduled they cannot charge you for more - schedule the extra electives after already having 15 hours in a term2.  You can pick some of the electives by changing majors a couple of times.  For instance, start as a diploma major and take one elective (say advanced TIG).  When completed change to a pipe welding certificate major and take the pipe elective.  Then change to an ornamental iron fabricator and take the plasma cutting and ornamental iron classes if you really want to...What school are you going to go to?
Reply:GNTC rock springs GA,
Reply:i just picked up my first helmet, 220 bucks!, miller auto darkening one.  got the real tree camo one so the deer cant see me when i weld, lol
Reply:Any near moron can be taught to weld, just like pounding a nail. It takes a craftsman to fabricate.
Reply:Originally Posted by Joshuai just picked up my first helmet, 220 bucks!, miller auto darkening one.  got the real tree camo one so the deer cant see me when i weld, lol
Reply:Originally Posted by jackalopeThink long and hard about this and just because it is cool and fun to do now does not mean it will be when you are burning rod everyday in order to earn a living.
Reply:Joshua,As several have already commented..If you're burned out in the medical field, take a break, take the welding courses, but DON'T walk away from that RN.  That field will never be outsourced.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:One bad point about being in the medical field is, if you decide you don't want to go to work for some reason one day, you cain't call in SICK. They'll tell you to come on in and we'll fix what ails ya, then you can start your rounds. Then they find out you aint really sick, unless your real good at faking symptoms Even if you call in dead, they say we can fix that too.Another bad point is being around all those sick people all day, no telling what disease you might pick up.
Reply:Hate to tell you.....once you get that high paying welding job there aint many sick days either....if you dont weld you dont get paid....or if your sick to much you'll be looking for more work. You'll be looking for your Dr. friends to get the antibiotics for the sinus infections every year when the seaons change..... Stick with the RN and do the welding on the side like everyone says........welding is welding it aint going anywhere. The view around the hospitals have to be better than in the patch!!!!!!!A young green pipe welder asked an old salt one day...How can I make the weld on the bottom of the pipe look like the top.......The old salt replied....Screw up the top......