Advice

[Pooreboy]

Starting school on the 8th and am looking for advice from all you welders out there about how you got started and what would you do if you knew what you now then?

[duaneb55]

I'll leave the advice you've asked for up to the professionals here as I'm just a hobby weldor but I will take the opportunity to say welcome to the forum and wish you the very best in your journey.

[Magnetic Mechanic]

Not a pro welder but if i knew then...

Stay in school as long as you can


Oh, and don't marry a bitch.

[Rojodiablo]

Originally Posted by Pooreboy

Starting school on the 8th and am looking for advice from all you welders out there about how you got started and what would you do if you knew what you now then?

Welcome aboard. I have been thinking about this very thing a LOT lately. As the world is in recession, and schools are expensive, I would say to bolster my education as much as I could, and if I could go back in time, I would have stayed with the Navy. The security, training, and overall experience is well worth it. There are many long term benefits. When you do go out in the world, and you have worked in a field in the military, the employers definitely give you that second look. And this will be the same for your entire life, trust me. If you did 4 years, the economy would likely be in better shape then. You would have some good work history to back you up. If you did 6 years, you would have MUCH more training, and likely a boost in rank, and you would have great work history to take to the shops you wanted to work at. Life is long, and you can make good use of years too many will just waste their time trudging through.

[Rojodiablo]

And, Magnetic is right. Don't marry a bitch.

[lugweld]

Stay in school as long as you can. Satisfy your thirst for knowledge and skills. Don't take on too much debt though. It can be a hard burden to bear if you are interested in a family.

On the note of Rojo's comment about school costing too much. Indeed it does. We look at wall street and healthcare and all the other places that seem to be making too much money. But what we don't consider, is that the cost of education has far outstripped inflation by nearly a 10 fold factor in some circumstances. What increased costs do these well established, well vested schools incur other than in updating and salary costs? Of course the same inflationary cost hit these institutions, but there is more to it than that to see such a dramatic rise in tuitions and fees. Then they try to sell you on "continual" education. They tell you that an education is the most important thing you'll ever spend money on. They tell you your "field" of study will be the most sought after field by the time you graduate. (I remember being told that computer programming would be where 30 percent of the jobs would be by the time I got into the work force. Glad I didn't listen.) Then they tell you about the time you graduate, that everyone now has a bachelor's in your field. To make the big bucks you need to get a master's. Guess what everyone does? They get a master's. Then, its on to a Phd. Meanwhile the mountain of debt is increasing and the school is getting their dues.

All the school advisors in the world really have only one thing in mind: making sure their school survives so they have job security.

I said all of that to say this. YOU plan out YOUR future. Don't let the school or program or whatever you are involved in dictate to YOU YOUR plans. Realize that you can step off the merry go round anytime you choose... Pursue the courses you want, even if they are out of your field. If you think you might need a course, TAKE it. Of course there will be some bowing and shuffling at the feet of your instructors and to the traditions of the schools, but remain your own man. Realize you have as good of mind as they do. They may know more about what they are teaching than you do, but they probably can't tie their shoes or know which way to turn a wrench to loosen a lug nut.

Don't think tech schools are much different than colleges. Before you take a course of study ask the school if they track their graduates. A school that tracks their graduates and their jobs, starting salaries, and advancements usually will provide you with the best quality of education. They also can send you to some of those graduates for advice. If they don't track their graduates, everything they shoot you is suspect of containing high amounts of bovine manure.

And about the marrying thing:

Proverbs 21:9 It is better to live on a corner of the housetop than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife. NET


And Proverbs 21:19

It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and easily-provoked woman. NET

[specter]

Schools are ok in my books!! But, just because you have a degree in welding science that won't get you the job. Most production plants and even the mom and pop shops want folks that can do the job not applied theory.

In addition to school make sure they have an apprentice program in place or some kind of on the job training. Even if its only for a few hours each week it will give you the hands on experience you'll need for that resume.

[Magnetic Mechanic]

Well said Lugweld and specter.

If you can't go to school, get a job, find the oldest guy in the shop and make your mentor.

OH, and don't even date a bitch.

[specter]

I know of one more bit of advice that I tell everyone. The same phrase has been said here at Welding Web by many folks when giving advice.

"Weld & Break" "WELD & BREAK" and when done WELD & BREAK Somemore

Which means sure practice and practice to get those pretty welds then break those welds to see what you did wrong or right. Quickest way to tell if you did it wrong!! It will break at your weld If you did it right then it will break elsewhere.

I even have the apprentices judge each other welds before we call in the so called experts. Then we show them how to do it! Then we break the weld or try too in front of everyone. We even do cross cuts and xrays of practice welds at times, even when the welds look good.
Yep even the best weldors do make mistakes. Thats why we have QA.