18 and Welding Career? What Welding Schools?

[Oakley@BBAirsoft]

Hello,

I have looked at welding for a lot of years as a career and now since I am almost 18 here in about 10 months I really need to get the ball rolling. Let me give you some information below.

Well I am 17, I graduated a few months ago after moving up throw grades in my education.
I work at a Airsoft store and have been in the hobby for around 8 years. I love building custom guns for customers and running the games.

I will be 18 in about 10 months, I was going to wait int'l I was 19 to start my welding career and have fun for a year after I turn 18. But this economy and the country is getting very scary financially wise and I just don't have faith anymore so I am wanting to start a welding school when I turn 18.

What are some good welding school to go for, I am in Wichita, Kansas and have looked at Tulsa Welding School. Isn't to far away but I have saw some bad reviews on it.

I have a friend they will be going to school there come this August.

What other welding school are there and have you been there or your opinion about the school.

Thanks for any information.
Shelby,

[joelwelder]

hobart welding school in ohio, lincoln electric has a school in ohio too also check with the local unions in your area.most ua locals are taking apprentice apps this time of year and they have accellerated welder programs where they teach you for about 4 months if you pass pipe cert. tests you start apprentice class a year or so ahead just something to look at.

[Oakley@BBAirsoft]

OK, Ya I have been looking at Hobart looks really nice. I would be willing to travel to Ohio.
Any reviewing on the Tulsa Welding, Looks like I would rather go to Hobart then Tulsa.

[transit]

Hello,
I love building custom guns for customers and running the games.
Shelby,

Alternate plain C:

Look into Gun Smithing with welding and/or a military tie in to welding.
Navy Welding school, 20 years in service = pension and you’ll be under 40. Continue welding, Gun Smith or do something else.

[WHughes]

Transit makes a good case, and I will help by adding this.....
Do four years military welding, join ua pipefitters through the veterans in piping program, get pipe certs and go through a short apprenticeship,(short since you will have your welding certs) then make 90 dollars an hour building the nuke plants that just got approved by government loans.

[PM Welder]

Hughes, I like the idea of doing 4 years of military welding and then joining the union. Now the 90/hr is that there total wages or is that what there going home with? I myself am 17 and going through a 2yr welding course at my local tech school. So I am also looking for possibilities for my future. Any other advice would be very helpful.

TIY. -Bill

[caudle]

hey i went to tulsa welding grad in 2001 not to bad of a school but a friend went to tstc in waco texas and it is a top of the line school they want to produce the best try to look it up it is awsome if you go to tulsa just know there is a lot of theft in that city my truck got broken into 4 times in 9 months dont leave anything in yous or try to stay in broken arrow

[Metarinka]

Hughes, I like the idea of doing 4 years of military welding and then joining the union. Now the 90/hr is that there total wages or is that what there going home with? I myself am 17 and going through a 2yr welding course at my local tech school. So I am also looking for possibilities for my future. Any other advice would be very helpful.

TIY. -Bill

on shutdowns of power plants and some rig work its not uncommon for a rig welder to pull between 75-115/hr mind you, you have to have your own truck, pay fuel costs, and most hire a helper for around 15/hr. All that said and done. If you don't mind working long hours all times of the day. You can make a serious haul of money.

I'm a welding engineer and if I work on a project with rig welders at the end of the day they'll take home more than me. I get a salary though so it's a little different.

That being said, everyone wants to be a rig welder, not everyone can cut it as one skill wise, the rig is expensive to build and maintain, and you're an "independent contractor" which means when the work dries up you'll be going awhile without a pay check. A lot of rig welders are struggling right now.

I'm in the aerospace field and we do shop fab work. very stable on a long term basis and pay starts out quite decent. Might not sound as awesome as $100/hr, but me and my welders are working right now and we got the bennies and health care and a stable paycheck so I can't complain. We're actually hiring welders right now.

anyways rig welding is like underwater welding everyone thinks they want to do it, but few make it or stick around long if they do.

[ZephyrNYC]

Good tips :)

on shutdowns of power plants and some rig work its not uncommon for a rig welder to pull between 75-115/hr mind you, you have to have your own truck, pay fuel costs, and most hire a helper for around 15/hr. All that said and done. If you don't mind working long hours all times of the day. You can make a serious haul of money.

I'm a welding engineer and if I work on a project with rig welders at the end of the day they'll take home more than me. I get a salary though so it's a little different.

That being said, everyone wants to be a rig welder, not everyone can cut it as one skill wise, the rig is expensive to build and maintain, and you're an "independent contractor" which means when the work dries up you'll be going awhile without a pay check. A lot of rig welders are struggling right now.

I'm in the aerospace field and we do shop fab work. very stable on a long term basis and pay starts out quite decent. Might not sound as awesome as $100/hr, but me and my welders are working right now and we got the bennies and health care and a stable paycheck so I can't complain. We're actually hiring welders right now.

anyways rig welding is like underwater welding everyone thinks they want to do it, but few make it or stick around long if they do.

[JoeMayo]

You won't be making no 90$ in a nuke. Try 30-45$.

[Stout8807]

My advice is work for a company as a helper and learn the trade and get some rod time. You will more then just how to weld plus you also get the big plus of job experience which comes in handy when times get tough. Alot of people that come out of welding school that is all they can do, no offense cause alot of them are damn good too. I got a good welding job in high school and stayed on for about 5 and a half years and learned alot more then just how to weld. That's just my 2 cents though.

[Gerry1964]

My advice is work for a company as a helper and learn the trade and get some rod time. You will more then just how to weld plus you also get the big plus of job experience which comes in handy when times get tough. Alot of people that come out of welding school that is all they can do, no offense cause alot of them are damn good too. I got a good welding job in high school and stayed on for about 5 and a half years and learned alot more then just how to weld. That's just my 2 cents though.

I agree, getting practical experience with worth far more than just a certificate, In my years welding i've come across people with so many qualifications and certificates, but you ask them to weld.... That's another story.

learn to weld like a pro first then you'll sail through your weld tests ;)

[Stout8807]

SchoolI agree, getting practical experience with worth far more than just a certificate, In my years welding i've come across people with so many qualifications and certificates, but you ask them to weld.... That's another story.

learn to weld like a pro first then you'll sail through your weld tests ;)

Not only welding like pro but layout some old school welding techniques. Schools also fail to teach formulas that make life easier. Alot of places will tell to do this different or do that otherwise they just say hit the road. Not saying welding school is a bad idea but think of it as college and remember college grads get turned down for work experience all the time.