Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey, brothers.
I'm in need of some career advice.
A few of ya know, but I'll start in on some background.

I'm 24, just out of welding school (at the local juco) in March, 2013. Started the job I'm at now in June as their only welder. It's a startup fab shop with four of us in the shop, not counting office people and engineers. My goals in this field are to be able to run a part from sheet to design to finished product, including design, cutting, milling, bending, and welding (with a focus on welding).

I'm happy where I'm at for the most part but I'm wondering what else is out there. I'm making around 15/hr (don't want to post exact numbers for some reason). I'm not absolutely sure how much I'm worth, but I think I'm worth a little more, as I've grown a lot since starting there. I know that I want to work with a wide variety of materials and processes. Where I'm at now, we get a fair balance of stainless, carbon, and aluminum, and good mix between MIG and TIG. I like it, but I want to expand my usefulness to Mg and Ti and all kinds of alloys. I also want a place that will train me and certify me. Am I asking too much? How often do you guys tend to " check and see what's out there?" My father-in-law is a retired engineer and he said that engineers would tend to check the market about twice a year, so as to keep up the competition and pay. Should we be doing this? It makes good sense to me. Just wondering what other welders think as far as their careers. I imagine I'm not the only one that's been here, but this is my first time having to think these things, as I'm only just getting into the career.

if you want to be a general don't enlist as a private and right now you're a private. your first job out of welding school? right now you're a liability more than an asset. pick up all you can there then drag up and do it again or get into an apprenticeship program.

How does one do an apprenticeship?

I realize I'm a liability. Every day I find a dozen things I don't know. Part of the reason I love this place so much, I learn some things the easy way before I get to learn the hard (expensive) way. One day I'll be an asset and able to help other greenhorns.

phone the union and ask

"nathan, i see you just graduated welding school. congrats! why don't you at least wear out your first pair of work boots before deciding weather to join a union or not? in my neck of the woods working non union is like saying you'll work for low wages and pay for your own training. either way good luck to you."


I've worn out my first pair lol and now I'm thinking hard about it. Where's your neck of the woods?

my neck of the woods is nyc

I'm near Dallas.

Unions are thought of differently here, I'm researching. I have the same thoughts as before, but the pro's are looking better and better.

Is a bigger one better or a smaller one? I'm seeing unions in my area in the thousands of members or in the low hundreds, even down to 50.

nathan wrote:I'm near Dallas.

Unions are thought of differently here, I'm researching. I have the same thoughts as before, but the pro's are looking better and better.

i'm not a union missionary. if you feel working for cheap is your patriotic duty knock yourself out. that said if all you got to offer in the marketplace is the sweat off your brow it pays to get the most for it. i worked union and non. it doesn't take a nasa rocket scientist to figure out which pays better and offers more security.

Nathan,

I won't take a side in the union/non debate.

I will say, if you're in a startup, you're already at the top of the food chain IF the company becomes profitable and grows. That MAY give you endless opportunity (again, IF the company succeeds and grows).

That said, you are undervalued at $15ish. You have to draw a line, that tells you when it's time to move. That line is up to you, but weigh it in the opportunities you get to learn new things and advance your skills. I've been willing to work for less than my value if I was learning more than the education would cost me.

I'm currently underpaid for what I'm doing, at over $20ish, but have a reasonable expectation for advancement, or I'd be back on the road in a heartbeat for twice that or better.

Steve S