Looking for some advice

[roblos]

Hello, I'm looking for some advice on re-entering the civilian side of the trade. I retired from the Navy in late 2010 as a Hull Maintenance Technician with weld ceritifications in plate, high pressure pipe, and nuclear propulsion piping and components, and brazing (whew) and have been going to college since January 2011.

My original plan was to go for an engineering degree, but recently I'm starting to think that college isn't for me and I'm now wondering what i can/should do to make myself marketable. I currently do not have any civilian certifications, and understand my military one's won't carry over. I have been considering going back to a welding school or class for some refresher training because there are some things the Navy doesn't really do. I have kept all my orignal navy cert paperwork just so i can prove that I've been to their schools and had the certs.

At this point I'm looking for some ideas for next steps to take. I wouldn't want to roll into a job interview and then be faced with something I'm seriously out of practice with or haven't seen in 20 years such as a 6010/7018 open root bend test, etc. Thank You.

[sky hy ironman]

Greetings Roblos, checkout helmetstohardhats.org ....... good luck

[spurwelder]

If you were trained in the Navy I would go look for a job .If you got the same training my buddy got while in the Navy you damn sure wont need more school he was taught right and you probably were as well . By the way Thank You for service in the military

[boilermonkey]

I agree good call ironman

[welds4d]

I would recommend that you look into jobs at power companies. Power companies love shipyard pipe welders and Navy welders, and most like Veterans in general. Ships and power plants share a whole lot of equipment.

[roblos]

Thank you all for the advice.

rob

[WHughes]

The UA also has a program similar to Helmets to Hardhats called Veterans in Piping. Good luck.

[farmall]

I wouldn't want to roll into a job interview and then be faced with something I'm seriously out of practice with or haven't seen in 20 years such as a 6010/7018 open root bend test, etc.

Get a welder and set up a practice area. Make a simple hydraulic press bend tester, buy some pipe (sellers can cut it to fit your truck or trailer or bring a torch and clip it on the spot) and practice.

Congrats on retirement! It's quite nice.

[SundownIII]

roblos,

Thanks for the service.

As a retired vet, I'm assuming that you're not a "young whippersnapper" any more. Do you really want to reenter the grind of "field welding". I would think that your experience would open other doors.

I'd look at the possibility of getting my CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) certification. Unless I miss my guess, your navy certs could be used to establish experience.

Oversight/supervision is something that you'll be able to do for a longer time than the "grunt" work.