Welding Tips and Tricks

I went to school for 15 months to be trained in stick, mig, and tig, but I can't get a job in welding because I don't have experience. What's an aspiring welder to do to get experience? It's like companies want an ace welder right out of the box. They don't want to take the time to show folks the ropes and let them learn. It's aggravating!!! Ok, I'm done ranting now. Back to job hunting.

Try getting a job as a helper.

Kleatus wrote:I went to school for 15 months to be trained in stick, mig, and tig, but I can't get a job in welding because I don't have experience. What's an aspiring welder to do to get experience? It's like companies want an ace welder right out of the box. They don't want to take the time to show folks the ropes and let them learn. It's aggravating!!! Ok, I'm done ranting now. Back to job hunting.

There are many who share your frustrations. I will agree, most shops want some experience right off the bat and most do not offer the training they should. One suggestion is to look for a entry level position at a weld shop or manufacture as shop help and move up from there.
-Jonathan

A few thoughts: I don't know your financial situation or your time constraints, but if possible, have you given thought to offering to work at any of these shops (FOR FREE) for 1 week to show them your capabilities? This would "put your foot in the door" and could lead to something more permanent. Just a thought..................

Sadly, I've been unemployed for over 20 months now! I got laid off in security after I refused to play their politics game. That's why I went to school to learn a skill trade, so I could always be able to find a job some where. Now I'm just finding it difficult to get a foot hold in the industry. I really don't want a mig welding production job that is given to just about anyone, but that might be my only option at this point. Anyways, I'm rambling again.

What I did through high school and the past few years is talked to people in the oil and gas and heavy machinery fields, usually the ones with smaller outfits, and went to work as a "hand" or helper but made it very clear to them that I could weld. It took a couple weeks on the one job before I got to weld but after that, I spent most of my time welding and less time in the field working. I started as a night watchman for a heavy equipment company in high school working Friday and Saturday nights, DON"T JUDGE ME I am from a small town it's boring anyways, and I would build stuff all night and fix things that have been broke for a while and when the boss found this out, I spent my 8 hour shift welding instead of sleeping
Point to my ramble is get your foot in the backdoor, it may not be the easiest way into the house but you get to the same place as going through the front door.

This could be a situation where you need to take some samples of your work with you showing your ability in the field the shop works in. Pipe joints, stainless , aluminum, etc.

The working for "FREE" for a week might only work with a small independent shop, Worker's comp and liability for a "non-employee" are issues.

Ground floor "helper" position sounds like your best way in...

Kleatus,
Log onto Air Products web site and use their career link and you'll find at least a handful of entry level fitter/welder jobs in the Gulf coast region of Florida.

Len

I'm having the same sort of problems myself atm.
I only have a soldering iron atm so to make samples to show potential employers is well..... Somewhat difficult.
The Tafe where I did my training won't let me come back to do some practice even though I completed the course in reccord time using 1/10 the materials the other students used, and even the fact that I built their grinding room with all the benched for vices and grinders.
Plan on buying an everlast 210ext very soon so hopefully I can do some pipe prac and show off my ability (or lack there of)

Hello Kleatus!

I understand your aggrevations all to well. I am also a fresh beginner at welding and had a hard time finding a job, since, like you say, companies across the board want workers that are masters at their job; they have no interest in taking in a beginner and helping him become a skillfull worker. But in my opinion that is a bad strategy on the long run, not wanting to invest in a skillfull hand, which is far more important then any machine you can buy, until they start makink robo - Jodys that is...

Now this will be of little help to you I suspect, but anyway. I worked for free for a couple of months before i was hired officialy. And it was my suggestion to do so. When I went on an job interview they gave me some items to weld, and allthough I could make good welds, I was just too slow... so the next day I went back and proposed coming in once or twice a week for a couple of hours of welding practise, regardless if they were to employ me or not, I figured I have to get some practise if Im ever going to become a skillfull welder, and All i had to invest in was my time and effort, and that is something I had... The other option is going at it alone, but then you have to invest money (something you generally dont have if youre unemployed) in the equipment and materials and power consumption... and there is another drawback, you got no one to teach you hands on, to show you stuff in real time.

So this is kind of what Im doing now to get skillfull at tig welding. I bought all the equipment and now Im just practising, and this forum together with Jodys videos is helping me a lot, but its not the same as if someone like Jody were to teach you first hand.

And this tig adventure wouldnt be an option at all If I hadnt found a job in the first place as a MAG production welder (or whatever). I hear you when you say you dont want to be a mag welder, I dont either, its a dirty and quite strenuous work, but its a start and it pays money, and thats the bottom line, I view it as a stepping stone to something better.

So thats my story, working for free, huh, thats some brilliant advice, eh... You could also propose to the company owner working for less money untill you get good at the job, so that you could be officialy employed, as someone mentioned that it might be a problem if you were working illegaly, as I did for awhile... Well thats the best advice I can give you. And I wish you all the best.

Have a nice day.

One option is to let the potential employer you understand the issues of liability and would like to intern "part-time" at minimum wage. This makes it legal, but doesn't require them to pay full benefits. Do some welding, helping and cleanup!

Heck, if you can weld and weld good and fast and well. Just call a place that is hiring and ask to talk to shop foreman, and ask him for a weld test. Just be damn sure you can pass the test before going in. The industry is hurting for good hands right now, and I know of places that are in need of hands right now. Being so green it is not going to be easy, I didn't go to school for welding, and have been employed at places doing anything from production wire pouring to tig welding food grade stainless steel to building ASME Pressure vessels and currently am rig welding setting bulk propane tanks and welding up propane pipe. Point being, if you can weld, well you can weld and someone will employ you.
-Sean

Well I took a weld test last week for a company that had interviewed me the prior week. The floor manager told me my tig wasn't up to their standards. Which I could have told them that because their welds were DAMN!! But he said he was going to be hiring for a stick welding position soon and that I had potential to be a good welder. Made me feel better. Well I sent them a follow up email Tuesday to thank them for the opportunity to test with them. Less than an hour later they called me to have me do a drug test and sign a release of info form for a background check. So, hopefully I will be employed!!

Hey good luck!!! Sounds promising, just don't fail this test

Good luck!

Kleatus wrote:Well I took a weld test last week for a company that had interviewed me the prior week. The floor manager told me my tig wasn't up to their standards. ... So, hopefully I will be employed!!

see that wasn't so hard was it?


and work on that TIG welding eh?


communication skills are a plus, I think that was your ticket. Best of luck.