Welding Tips and Tricks

At Austal USA, you'll be part of a world-class team focused on building the most technologically advanced Military Ships. Do you have what it takes to make the cut? In our Mobile Alabama manufacturing facility, you'll be at the forefront of aluminum shipbuilding techniques and build a rewarding career at the same time. Austal is a stable environment where hard work and strong character are always recognized. It's a job with generous benefits that could ot only change your outlook, but also change your whole life. For a complete listing of all jobs and to apply visit http://www.austaljobs.com

This looks very intriguing. Hmmmm to bad the wifey wont move to Alabama or let me go by myself, I bet this place would be a blast to work at.

Hey,

My wife is like that too. lol.

Mick.

Lol Mick, I think quite a few are! I have some promising install work in sawmills coming up soon so I'll hang out here in Ohio.

Sugar white sand beaches, fresh Gulf seafood...wifey would love it here! Bring her down to Gulf Shores next vacation and she won't look back!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Geez your making it tuff to not push this! Lol! I'd love it and i'm sure she'd love the area too but I don't think she'd be ok with moving away from her parents. It would hafta pay perdy good; wink wink...

Is anybody looking into this? I'd like to hear some feedback.

I talked to my wife and she said for $800k a year we would be on our way down today!

Austel has an excellent reputation as a good company to work for. They are said to have excellent wages and benefits, and a top-notch safety record.

OTOH, shipyard work is what it is. It is physically challenging, and you'll need to know (or quickly learn) some specific nautical terminology. Additionally, most shipyard work (outside of barge repair) holds your work to very high standards, even for welds that would seem non-critical in other circumstances. Austel does a lot of government work, which has very narrowly defined requirements.

As for working on the road, I no longer have any children at home, and my wife and I share a property with her best friend, so my absence was never a major issue; In fact, we found we had more to talk about on the phone than when we were together, because our daily experiences were NOT the same. The money was damn good, too, so we rarely argued about financial problems.

It's not for everyone, but some of the best stories I can tell come from my time on the road, I've seen sights I might never have otherwise seen, and my cross-country travels have given me chances to see my grandchildren I would not have afforded otherwise.

No regrets,

Steve

Just got my first job on the road out here in Phoenix. It's a little tough bein away from my wife and 2 year old son, but the money is worth it. Sacrifices have to be made if you wanna have that money in the bank and not be livin off unemployment.

Congatulations on the work, Kermdawg!

It IS difficult when you have a young, growing family, but these jobs are not forever. The good companies understand that you are away from your family and allow time. Even the average ones pay enough for your family to drive or fly to see you if you can't take the time off.

In the last tax year, I made about $80K (including perdiem), and only worked about eight months, so I had home time as well.

Steve

Ya Its tough sometimes but I made the decision to stick it out and now here I am

Thankfully I'm only a 6 hour drive away, and the job im working is 60/60/50, so every 3 weeks I can drive home and see the wife and kids. Not a bad gig for the first time on the road. But it aint gonna be the last I think.

What does the 60/60/50 mean?
5x12hr days then 2days off = 60?

We have swings like 8x12hr days on then 6 days off
2weeks (14x12hr days) on then 1 week off or even 4 weeks on 1 week off

Cheers
Mike

60/60/50 is 6/10s for 2 weeks and then 5/10s for one week. They run that schedule for 2 shifts for all the trades out at the job I'm on.

I suppose 5/12s could be 60's too, but in my union anything over 10 hours is double time. So I guess they figure they get more out of you workin 6/10s than 5/12's, and its cheaper for em.

I was also told by an old hand that they did some study awhile back and they found that after 10 hours productivity plummeted, so it was more cost-efficient to work 6 or 7 10's than 6 or 7 12's. I also think that's why they would rather run a swing shift than do 7-12s most of the time.'

Thanks for that.
Those ones I gave are for FIFO jobs, so mostly they are single time for all hours worked.
Generally it is a 24 hour operation, so they go for the 12 shifts.
Accomodation and food supplied in the camps.

Cheers
Mike

What is the welding test like?

Paksoon,

The last post about this job was over a year ago (Aptil 25, 2012).

Austel bases the test on the work at hand, and I have no idea what work they have at hand.

Steve S

I'm new here, but not to metal fabrication. 34 years now, mainly on the Gulf Coast, although I did go overseas once to do some XX-heavy Incalloy 825 pipefitting. I currently work at Austal at the Final Assembly yard. Been here 3 years now. Austal builds aluminum Littoral Combat Ships and JSHV catamarans for the US Navy. Very little carbon or stainless in the hull structure, almost all aluminum MIG. Piping systems are AL, stainless and copper-nickel, all TIG. A-class welding tests are tough, both in Fab and pipe. Normal shifts are 4-10 days and nights or 3-12 weekend days with a shift premium to equal 40 hrs. Overtime normally available, but not always. Pay and benefits are competitive with Ingalls, although I get vision and dental insurance here.
It is a shipyard, the work is demanding, there are tight spots, and the stairs in the assembly bays can be rough. They have an apprentice program for newbies. They have contracts signed for a few more years work right now. Cleanest yard I've ever worked in.
Mobile is HOT in the summer, and cold in the winter, but it only lasts a few months. Cost of living is reasonable here. They celebrate Mardi Gras here, with lots of parades and cheap trinket throws, but Austal doesn't give us time off for Fat Tuesday (at Avondale in NOLA the yard shut down for the day before and Fat Tuesday because almost no-one showed up). Lots of hunting and fishing here, nice beaches, music fests.

Maybe you Marcie or AustalUSA can help me out here...
I'm going out on a limb, but Marcie you said they have an apprentice program at Austal> Is that the paid 1-3 week course to weld the metals austal works with? We had a student graduate from the school I'm at, He was up for CopNickel Test- He ended up telling me that they do offer a crash course to learn and then step your way into that job at Austal. Any input on that?

Soon as I can understand the technique for TIG pipe I will be venturing off to try and test. My two choices were Hunnington Ingalls or Austal.

Btw Marcie, If you don't mind me asking what is your position> Are you a fitter?
Also, I think there was a young guy up at our school that went to Austal. I believe He got laid off, cannot be for sure though. He did do or was going to do proximity work- Whatever he was doing he hated it I gathered.

Another question for AustalUSA
What is the starting salary for the CopperNickel Tig jobs?

Hi Marcie, How is it working at Austal?

Up at our school in Pensacola, fl a guy was trying for the CopNickel test; He mentioned that they do offer a crash course you can pay for to step into testing... Is that the apprentice program you would be mentioning? If you don't mind me asking, Are you still pipefitting in the Final Assembly Yard?
I had planned on venturing out to get an idea of "Is this really for me", My two choices were Huntington Ingalls and Austal. Actually it was three; the third was a company that came to our school called Performance. As far as Performance, believe they have a place in Texas or Louisiana and in mobile. They offered to let us come test with them for pipe(tig root & 7018 out).

Anyways, would like to hear from your employment if you don't mind Marcie,
thanks Nick

I have worked as a pipefitter in the past, however, I am currently working as an A-class fitter in the Fab dept, not pipe. I work whatever the company is hiring at the time, and Aluminum is one of my fav metals to work with, so I hired in with Fabrication. Fab builds the hull units and assembles them, along with the foundations for the equipment.
Working as Austal is pretty much like any other shipyard, they all have good and bad points, YRMV. The apprenticeship program (AIDT) is run through the state of AL and Austal, I believe you can apply through the Austal job website.
I cant comment on Ingalls, as I have never worked there, although I worked at Avondale for 7 years. I left to go to Austal when Northrup Grumman (now Huntington Ingalls) announced they were closing down the Avondale yard. The Ingalls yard has a long walk from the parking area, which can be a problem for me since I have a hip that is wearing out.
I don't know what starting pay is. I doubt that they will hire with just a Co-Ni test. They also have aluminum and stainless piping systems on the vessels, so they need pipe welders that can weld all their pipe systems. Best would be to contact the recruiting dept and speak with them.
Marcie

Sorry bout so many posts. I just registered and didn't think the first two were going to be approved.
Well thanks for that, I've got about half year to finish the program at school, then I'll be spending time job hunting.

What are specs on Austal's aluminum pipe test?