I have been welding steel & alumminum (mig&tig) for 10 yrs and I recently moved from So.Oregon to casper wyoming for hopefully a better paying job only to find myself making $15 an hr in a fab shop. another reason in being here is that I have family here working in the gas fields working as derrick hands and they told me about this big boom going on so I thought I could capitolize on that. but im finding out that the big money is out in the field, I have very little stick experiance,but I want so badly to make good money for my family, does anybody have advice on what i should do, is there any companys that have apprenticeship programs, thank you for any advice...
the real question is can you fit structual or piping? As far as welding goes down in Louisiana and Georgia and several other southern states GTAW,(tig) FCAW,(fluxcore) Louisiana it could range from $18.00 to $40.00 Georgia around $45.00 to $60.00 if ya get on a pipeline dont quote me on that do a little research and make your choice lots of combination hands travel preetty far to make ends meet and cost of living in the south is not so expensive.
Call TIC (THE INDUSTRIAL COMPANY), they have an office right there in Casper and an excellent apprenticeship program. Plus a job going on about an hour north of town. Use your Oregon address when you apply and you will get per diem ($60-$80) and it will be all worthwhile if your willing to "pay your dues". We all want to make the big bucks, but it comes with a price such as grovelling as a welder's helper and dealing with the Wyoming winters.
Topic American Welding Society Services / Technical Standards & Publications / how to get into pipeline welding
