[mikelove316]

Hey fellow welders !!!

I'm currently in welding school and got about 5 months left till graduation . I wanted to make a career change and get out of my current profession as a truck driver. Ive seen the strain and health concerns of long term driving . Many of my fellow drivers are 50+ years and look like they are going through hell no family time no social life they tell me everyday they feel trap and cant leave the driver seat . so i want to get out . I really enjoy welding and learning the ropes of the trade my only concern is my current job pays me 19.00 a hour. full time is usually 10 hours on sat. and sometimes sunday at 27.00 a hour I work 8 hours a day with 401 k and health benefits . that leaves me with this should i quit my day job after gradutation and start at 12 -13 hour as a beginer welder ? I have 4 kids and married.My Career counselors at school keep showing me jobs that start off so low(10.25-13.50) as welder helpers and tack welders, I cant believe it .

Im just trying to plan my next move .

I know welding can provide more then money . It can provide more time with family ,something i can hand down and teach to my 3 sons which is what i really want and being a truck driver working odd hour is tough on family life . So i was thinking of "setting up shop " at home you know buying my own tig machine and practicing at home untill i have some good practice under my belt . But I just feel pressed up against a rock and a hard spot lol keep my 40k job or start at the bottom of the barrel .Of course ill be keeping my open for any jobs that pay around 18-20 but most companys want that 3 years work experience


thanks

[Farmwelding]

That's the struggle with skilled trades-experience required. I too am kind of welding school and the big thing our teachers say is be a butt-kisser and you'll move up fast or get other benefits from the company I don't think it is right for me to tell you what to do being how young I am, but what I will tell you is that if you go into welding find a job that has a wide range of welding positions so there is plenty of room to grow because it is easier for the most part to grow inside of a company then it is to switch jobs and companies all the time. Do whatever the company tells you to, show up a little early, stay a little late if you have to. Make it so that if the company lost you they would regret and would have a hard time replacing you. By doing this you're more likely to get promoted, get a raise, get more overtime, or if you do want to go work for someone else, you have a very good reputation. Again, I don't think it is right for someone my age to tell you to switch jobs, but if you have the skills and the attitude, you'll find it is fairly easy to move up in our world.

[RamboBaby]

Brother,
You can't afford to kiss that job good bye. I drive big rigs too and I can't stand it. It's a thankless job and I catch some sort of hell almost on a daily basis.
I tried an experiment a couple of months ago while I was in between jobs. I got my buddy who owns a tire shop to let me put up some letters on his sign that read "ALUMINUM WELDING". It lasted for ten days before I got my next job and I took the letters down because I never even got a nibble. Now he's pissed at me because my welders are in the pawn shop and he has seven jobs that he needs me to do. The work is out there and you just have to find it. You also have to keep your job until you are certain that welding is paying you far better than truck driving is. It's not fair to your family to make them suffer through poverty so that you can chase your dream. Besides, most welding jobs don't pay good anymore thanks to our "global economy" and porous borders.

[mikelove316]

thanks guys for the response!!

I too am a young buck im 25 @Farmwelding I think there is money to be made but I see a light at the end of the tunnel sort of speak i really want to learn tig welding aluminum because there is a boat yard not to far from my house where they keep and work on all kinds of fishing boats i figure if i can learn i can go in and make some repairs for them try to get some extra money and experience in my pocket lol

thankfully my wife works full time as well but id love to learn how to weld make good money and have her quite her day job but that wont happen any time soon because she loves her comfy I.T job lol So for now with all the info ive gathered ill be taking @rambobaby advice and keep my day job lol . At least I can save up for a tig machine set up and practice at home lol I wonder if there is any money working on boats ???

[RamboBaby]

Yeah there is but you gotta learn to bump weld anodized aluminum after you get the hang aluminum.
A few guys around here gave me hell for watching this video bit its the only one that I can find on YouTube concerning this subject.
Most of the jobs that I've seen on craigslist for this kind of work are near Mobile, AL and Gulf Shores, AL and start in the low $20/hr range.