Dave, I'm not trying to discourage you but in the life as a subcontractor there is no such thing as a sure thing. You can make alot of money if you are in the right place at the right time and can do the job. You can try subbing from pipe contractors, look at mechanical contractors and steel erectors in your area. Also check with general contractors that have jobs going on. They often need welding done on their jobs that is not already contracted out to a company. Google weld test, testing agencies and you can find a local test site in Pittsburg or Erie or Youngstown. A common test for pipe would be E6010 root pass and E7018 fill and cap 6G position. For plate (structural welding) you will need 1 vertical and 1 overhead groove plate test. Those will cover alot of jobs but not all. Aaand you will need insurance. General liability in case you burn their building down. Workers comp so you can't sue the company if you get injured on their job. Good luck with it if you go for it.