Travelling Industrial Pipe Welder vs Electrician

[Tyler Howell]

Hi, I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post but I can't find much decent information. I'm considering two careers at the moment--Electrician and Travelling Industrial Pipe Welder--and I'm trying to get some advice as to which one to choose. My community college offers an associate's degree in either field, and that is the route that I'm going to take. I'm just curious about benefits, union stuff, salary, how hard it is on your body, health hazards, etc. Pretty much this: If you were young/healthy and had nothing holding you down which of the two would you prefer? Also, neither has to be permanent, and I plan to save most of the money that I make regardless so that I can invest in something else in the future. Thanks, and sorry if this is an unwelcome post.

Edit: One other thing is that I'm concerned about the future. Like, what if we start using wireless tech and electricians become obsolete? We will still be welding. Just a thought.

[TheBFA]

The electricians seem to get paid about the same as the pipe welders on the job I'm on now, but that's for the experienced ones. They have their helpers and trainees that they lug around and I'm sure they are making quite a bit less. With welding on the traveling contract jobs (non union) they pay is the the same with anyone who passes the same tests. I'm currently at the lowest paying contract welding job I've had and clear $2000 a week after taxes. I would usually average about $3000 a week take home. I don't know how easy it is for electricians to jump from company to company, but it's its standard for welders to go anywhere because you have to test for every job, and that's all that usually matters, outside of a background check. Electricians may need verifiable experience to get on with a company. As far a work load goes, they stay constantly busy on the jobsite. Welders get a lot of sit around time. I've sat in my truck in the parking lot for 8 hours, then spent about 15 minutes on one socket weld, and made $650 for the day. That wasn't even counting what travel pay broke down to for that job which averaged to another $300 a day. So I really made almost $1000 in one day for 15 minutes of work.

[Tyler Howell]

Sweet, thanks for the information. The freedom and simplicity that comes with welding is what's attractive to me, you know what I mean? Of course I don't really know what all goes into it, but it seems to me that it's about welding, and not a bunch of theoretical knowledge about this and that and the other. So do you enjoy welding? How is your health?

[TheBFA]

I've only been on the road off and on for about two years. I've been working in shops as a fabricator mostly before then. I haven't had any health issues related to it. I've mostly been doing TIG welding which doesn't produce the same smoke and fumes as stick or wire feed, and when in bad areas or if you're worried about fumes from the metal you can always wear a respirator. If you're good, you don't have a lot to worry about, but sometimes tests don't go your way that day or you get some ridiculous testers failing you on visual, and you wasted a trip across the country. But it helps to try to have a few lined up, and making friends and keeping contacts is the way to do it. The best way to find work is word of mouth.

[Birdhunter1]

The question is if I was young and had to make the choice:
Get the education in both, do both if possible, and master yourself as an electrician.

[Tyler Howell]

Thanks for the info guys, and yeah Birdhunter1, I agree with you. I think I will travel for a while welding, save up my cash, and then put myself through trade school. I really do appreciate the advice, and it won't be taken for granted.

[Tyler Howell]

I've only been on the road off and on for about two years. I've been working in shops as a fabricator mostly before then. I haven't had any health issues related to it. I've mostly been doing TIG welding which doesn't produce the same smoke and fumes as stick or wire feed, and when in bad areas or if you're worried about fumes from the metal you can always wear a respirator. If you're good, you don't have a lot to worry about, but sometimes tests don't go your way that day or you get some ridiculous testers failing you on visual, and you wasted a trip across the country. But it helps to try to have a few lined up, and making friends and keeping contacts is the way to do it. The best way to find work is word of mouth.

So what's TIG etc all about? Can a welder choose what kind of welding machine he uses to get the job done? If so might as well just drop a couple g's on a really nice set-up, right?

[jackdawg]

Houses and industry always going to have a need for power, will US industry continue is resurgence in areas that require a lot of welding? (Serious question),
With the US dollar being held artificially low, the internal manufacturing and construction is booming, as is the oil and gas related work because of the upsurge in domestic energy supply becoming available.
Fairly obvious though that the cartels are happy for oil prices to be in freefall, hoping it will lead to the closure of this new US capacity. Will it work? - I dont know, I'd making millions on the stock exchange if I did.
But basically it is all about how long your career needs to last you and what the mid to long term prognosis is for that career. The world is changing rapidly these days, whom wants to do a 4 year apprenticeship to only find their trade cant offer them a job 4 years after that?
If you just wanting a start and are fine with retraining for another career in 5 years, then you dont have to consider any of this, if you want a life long career you do. Pressure in kids these days starting out is huge. Sorry if that is depressing!

[Tyler Howell]

Houses and industry always going to have a need for power, will US industry continue is resurgence in areas that require a lot of welding? (Serious question),
With the US dollar being held artificially low, the internal manufacturing and construction is booming, as is the oil and gas related work because of the upsurge in domestic energy supply becoming available.
Fairly obvious though that the cartels are happy for oil prices to be in freefall, hoping it will lead to the closure of this new US capacity. Will it work? - I dont know, I'd making millions on the stock exchange if I did.
But basically it is all about how long your career needs to last you and what the mid to long term prognosis is for that career. The world is changing rapidly these days, whom wants to do a 4 year apprenticeship to only find their trade cant offer them a job 4 years after that?
If you just wanting a start and are fine with retraining for another career in 5 years, then you dont have to consider any of this, if you want a life long career you do. Pressure in kids these days starting out is huge. Sorry if that is depressing!

Please elaborate more if possible. I DO want a long-term career. So you think for that reason electrical makes more sense?

[Louie1961]

I am not an expert in either field, but I have a brother who is a licensed electrician. A plus that I see for being an electrician is it seems it would be easier to open your own business as an electrician. I can't remember a time I or any of my acquaintances had to hire a weldor. But the number of people I know who have hired an electrician is almost uncountable. Of course you could open a welding business, but I am not sure how the demand would be versus being an electrician.

[Tyler Howell]

I am not an expert in either field, but I have a brother who is a licensed electrician. A plus that I see for being an electrician is it seems it would be easier to open your own business as an electrician. I can't remember a time I or any of my acquaintances had to hire a weldor. But the number of people I know who have hired an electrician is almost uncountable. Of course you could open a welding business, but I am not sure how the demand would be versus being an electrician.

Thank you very much. It is starting to seem to me that Electrician work is a more secure career.

[smilindave]

I am a union trained electrician. I also weld, the upside is on an industrial job I make slightly more money, have my own helper to do the grunt work and all I had to do was fit and weld brackets, hangers and other related items. I guess what I am trying to say is, do both.
Regards
Dave

[Tyler Howell]

I am a union trained electrician. I also weld, the upside is on an industrial job I make slightly more money, have my own helper to do the grunt work and all I had to do was fit and weld brackets, hangers and other related items. I guess what I am trying to say is, do both.
Regards
Dave

Lol, that sounds pretty awesome. I think I'd rather do Electrician work and then learn welding as a skill.

[Ky farmer]

Let's try this approach have you ever been around a welding shop ? Does anyone in your family weld or work as a electrician ? If so pick their brains.. IMHO most people who choose a career based on a big pay check are miserable most of the time. I surges find a job as a welder helper for awhile. Do the same with a electrician. I do see electrician is it offers a better chance to pick up side work. Mike

[Willie B]

I've bought groceries by working as an electrician since childhood (47 years). I'm not rich, but eat well. The truth is you can't make a living fixing people's problems. Construction, or industry brings steady work that ultimately pays the bills. If it were possible to do 8 one hour service calls a day, you wouldn't get paid from some. Homeowners never budget repairs. Maintenance is not in any homeowner's budget. There are excuses, excuses and promises don't enable you to pay your bills. If you choose to be an electrician try to find corporations that need your services, or get into residential construction. These projects are funded to expect the cost of electrical work. If you have 40 customers a week you'll earn it twice, once doing the work, once chasing payment.

[Tyler Howell]

Let's try this approach have you ever been around a welding shop ? Does anyone in your family weld or work as a electrician ? If so pick their brains.. IMHO most people who choose a career based on a big pay check are miserable most of the time. I surges find a job as a welder helper for awhile. Do the same with a electrician. I do see electrician is it offers a better chance to pick up side work. Mike

Unfortunately I only know two people, and they both do one and the other. The welder travels and told me to be sure not to make a career out of it because he says he's broken down, and the electrician is training to be a motorcycle mechanic because he hates doing math all the time! Lol

[Ky farmer]

How old are you ? We can give you good or bad reasons to pick one but in the end it's your choice, your the one who will have to live with it. What do you do in life now that you enjoy, work or hobby ? I can't imagine having to go to a job I hated every day. Mike

[Tyler Howell]

How old are you ? We can give you good or bad reasons to pick one but in the end it's your choice, your the one who will have to live with it. What do you do in life now that you enjoy, work or hobby ? I can't imagine having to go to a job I hated every day. Mike

I am 20 years old at the moment. I agree, but I also can't imagine loading myself up with debt from college and making a measly paycheck either :P I'm trying to find a happy median.

[Welder Dave]

Electrical work will be less stress on the body than pipeline welding. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that not everybody is cut out for welding. In some ways not everyone is cut out to be an electrician but welding requires a great deal of hand/eye coordination much like a surgeon. Electrical requires a lot of knowledge but you can learn more about electrical from reading than you can learn how to weld from reading or watching video's. Make no mistake, there is a lot of theory in welding as well. Pipelining can be 12 hour days 7 days a week for month's and then nothing for month's but you don't just get out of school and start welding pipe. You might start off as a welders helper but it takes years to get proficient enough to be put on the line doing the actual welding. You have to get your journeyman ticket, then you have to get your pressure ticket(s). Every weld has to be perfect as every weld is x-rayed. Generally more than a 10% failure rate and you'll get the boot and some companies want less than 5% repairs. I suspect you may be thinking more about the potential money you could make than what the job entails and the skill level required. Health wise electrical is a cleaner environment.

[rod.bruce.90]

One thing to remember is if you are crossing state lines as an electrician you most likely will have to be licensed in each state. Some states may reciprocate but others wont. Also an electrician generally has to take continuing education classes to stay current on their license and NEC code changes. An electrician also has to start at the bottom as an apprentice doing all the grunt work, climbing in attics and crawl spaces so your first few years are dirty, hard and hot.

[wornoutoldwelder]

I just retired after 15 years from federal hospital....We had a large career crew in engineering that spanned all trades....And we were all paid the same 35/hr base pay with LOTs of big bennies to boot.

I was a boiler chiller tech, so I had it the absolute easiest where I usually sat on my but all day and watched the big screen and surfed the internet, plus drew 25% extra for working shift work...when Got bored, I'd go out in the plant and fire up the welder.

We had constant need for welders and a fully equipped welding shop, but the plumbers actually did the welding and trench digging...All of them were former very highly qualified welders, but went into the federal jobs because of the pay, bennies and total security once they tired of spotty employment and layoffs....So we hired no welders, we only hired guys who could weld in addition to more targeted skills....

The exception was with the electricians...They only worked electrical and even tho it was a large hospital built in 20's and 30's, they actually performed very little industrial electrical, but they certainly could when required.....They had it next easy compared to me.....The plumber/welders had it totally the worst....As far as carpenter trades, we had a mix of guys with basic building maintenance skills but master of none. We also had a decent machine shop, but only a couple guys that 'could' turn a piece if really required.

Then their were the guys that worked all the air conditioning, not the 4 huge high tech chillers I owned, but all the A/C crap all over the whole campus and it beat them ragged every day.

I'm saying you need to get out more and get familiar with the trades before you invest in school.....

I'm also suggesting you join the Navy for 4 years and demand to go into engineering if you want darned good pay and lifetime bennies and many of the best quality schools in the world, plus free food and decent place to live...Go see the world and see and experience real engineering trades and get darned good schools that WILL pay off after just 4 years.

[lausliehm]

The freedom and simplicity that comes with welding is what's attractive to me

[wornoutoldwelder]

There is little freedom when a guy first spends lots of time in VoTech at his expense, then has to play welders helper lugging leads and heavy gear and grinding all day in crappy weather for frigging years before he gets to strike first arc on a real job....Then going home for maybe months at a time hoping his welder will call him for another job....They usually end up working at local fab shop spittin wire at minimal pay just to be replaced by robot IF company survives to expand.

The four years he spends slogging thru VoTech and slugging thru mud as helper on pipeline are totally wasted when compared to super fast paced and very interesting Navy job where all world class training and living expenses are paid including free health care and vets bennies for life.

If he wants just freedom and simplicity, stay home with mom and her boyfriend or step dad and bag groceries at Walmart part time.

If he wants true freedom and simplitcy, then stand at the North Pole like I did back in '84 and hang it out and pizz on the VERY top of this whole planet and feel what it feels like to laff like crazy and know very few men can ever say they been there done that with all expenses paid.

[ferrret3238]

I've been a journeyman electrician for a number of years now and enjoy doing wiring. Most states require some sort of continuing ed for licensure and some have reciprocal license agreements with other states. I got my license by working on my own, for other businesses and have worked as a factory maintenance person for quite a while now also. I enjoy welding and have my own welders but wouldn't want to work 24-7 welding where I live. The electrical career got started because I was fairly good at math and I am fascinated by electronics and motion control. I went for a 2 year degree in industrial electrical and then started taking classes to further myself and get a electrical engineering degree.

[wornoutoldwelder]

i've been a journeyman electrician for a number of years now and enjoy doing wiring. Most states require some sort of continuing ed for licensure and some have reciprocal license agreements with other states. I got my license by working on my own, for other businesses and have worked as a factory maintenance person for quite a while now also. I enjoy welding and have my own welders but wouldn't want to work 24-7 welding where i live. The electrical career got started because i was fairly good at math and i am fascinated by electronics and motion control. I went for a 2 year degree in industrial electrical and then started taking classes to further myself and get a electrical engineering degree.

yes +10