How are new guys suppose to get into welding, if everyone wants someone with 5-10 yrs experience? Or with an abundance of certifications? I know it's all on who you know, but if you don't know many people in the field and want to get in, it seems we're a bit screwed.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
That problem is somewhat true for most any field. I guess if a union training program is out, there is always the military. I have met some excellent weldors who came from the Navy or Air Force. After their duty then even went on to earn degrees in welding at community colleges. It helps to focus on entry level stuff though.
Well, once this new GI Bill becomes affective, I'm going to attend school for NDT testing. I've been to a trade school for welding, but they didn't do any kind of pipe welding. So, I'm finding getting my foot even in the door to be a bit of a pain. It's not keeping me from continuing to try, just makes things difficult when everyone you call or talk to says no we want someone with at least x amount of years of experience.
Yet, everything I'm finding is showing a shortage in welders....but you look at other places and so many welders and helpers are out of work. You just wonder when and how they came up with some of the statistics they did as far as some of it is concerned.
Yes. You know your industrial history. They used to even have work study for the students when he owned the company. It started with the world war II vets and they were trained on the GI bill. The company was bought by Marathon, and the name was changed from R.G. LeTourneau to Marathon-LeTourneau.
Welder training through local community colleges and trade programs go a long way to get your foot in the door. I had several welding jobs while working on both my Associates in welding and my Bachelors in Welding engineering. I never had the magical 5-10 years of experience but I was able to show up, pass my test and know my way around tape measures, clamps and fit up etc.
Now a days with the overall shortage of skilled welders (which isn't getting better) employers are excepting that they'll have to take on and train people and that frankly there aren't that many welders with 10-15+ years of experience out there who are looking for jobs. although the present slow down is an exception
The same goes for welding engineering, I've had numerous call backs and interviews for companies that were looking for experience welding engineers, but frankly there's not that many and most of them don't want to run-around like us young kids. In the end several of the engineering managers changed their mind when the realized they were never going to find senior welding engineers
Even with having a vocational/trade school completed, I am still getting the "you dont have enough experience for what we're looking for" which I can respect. But, your job has been posted for a month+ so apparently no experienced welder with 10 yrs is looking to be employed there. Eventually they've got to let someone with no experience, with the trade school knocked out come in and train them to do the job. Which isn't really happening from what I can see.
Buck,
Be persistant..... When they will realize you are showing up more often than some of their regular staff it will enter their minds that you might as well be busy doing something.
Also... Politely communicate to them that somebody who has a little experience doing things the right way may be more valuable than somebody with 10 years experience doing it the wrong way.
Basically what I do.
I go every day or two to the same places, many times to different places. And when they constantly say they are looking for someone with experience. I ask them how many people with the 10 yrs experience has came by, they never answer. But, the puzzled look on their faces is priceless. Eventually they have to realize that unless they start opening the door to us "FNG's" the welding industry is going to be held up by all the folks with the experience and no new guys will be coming on to take their places when they are tired and want to hang up the hood.
Just my .02. Thanks for giving me advice and a place to kind of vent.
Sounds like your doing it perfectly....
The squeaky wheel gets the grease!
Asuggestion for you,next time you go ask if your instructor will furnish you with a letter of recommendation as well.If the company is aware of he program and who he is that might give you the chance to do a weld test for them.Can't hurt anyways
specifically what types of jobs are you looking for and what companies are you stopping by at?
I know things are slow right now but back in my welding days I never remember being flat out turned down, most welding outfits won't even ask or look at a resume they will ask you to pass a weld test and probably do your own fit up for it. I never got into structural welding but I know a lot of young guns (or bucks) start out as weld helpers, or tackers until they've proven themselves and get some OTJ training.
My first welding job was making stainless steel restaurant appliances and all that owner did was setup some sheet metal and see if I could tig fuse a box and have it be square. I had much more to learn in terms of sheet metal working before they let me build full units but that's what it took to get my foot in the door.
probably different in different industries, but most people are more concerned about whether or not you can make the weld not how many years you've been doing it.
To lonewolf, I've got a letter of recommendation from my instructor.
To metarinka...I'm being flat out turned down. As a welder, even tried to get in as a helper and they just said flat out not looking dont need. Everywhere I go. I've got to chemical plants, pipe yards, fab shops...been to many places.
All I need is an in, I can put in the work and prove myself worthy, so to speak. Just need the chance to do so.
wish I could offer some more advice, it's just rough right now. I know many of my classmates coming out with 2 year degrees or looking for internships are having a rough time finding work. It's not quite as bad but it's definately not a cake walk for us recent welding engineering grads either.
I'm in the same boat myself looking for some temporary work this summer as a welder and it's pretty dead
Guess we all just gotta keep on keepin on. Well, thanks for the advice and givin me a place to vent. I'm just frustrated. But, I'm gonna keep doing what I do.
Best of luck to you.
Yung Buck,
I don't think I have seen what part of the country you come from. If you are located near a government shipyard, you might check out their apprenticeship programs. The starting pay is pretty good, benefits are great (13 days leave + 13 days sick leave), right off the bat. The apprenticeships are 4 years, with parttime in-house school work. The welder training program is the best there is. After 4 years you are at a pretty high pay level, with leave benefits growing to 20 days/year and then 26 days/year (after 15 years I think). Anyway, just a thought. Good luck.
young buck i will tell you what i had to do when i started hit up companys that dont work X-ray jobs till you get more exp. paper mills, steel mills, comercal jobs they will still want you to have 3 or more years exp but this is what are welding school told us to do LIE it did work for me got my foot in the door find the experaced hands and work your ass off!!! dont run your mouth and leasen the good hands will help you if you ask and are hard working and willing to learn there way about the lies the companys will lie to you too it would be nice if it didnt work that way but its dog eat dog hope this helps
To Fredspoppy: I am in Houston, TX.
To Martin G: I was told to do that as well, but I am not going to lie. I am fine with being honest about what my abilities are or are not as well as experience time. granit, it costs me some jobs. But, lying doesn't do anything but lead to more lies.
Young Buck you could look into your closest UA local. With an associates they'd probably give you 1 maybe 2 years of credit towards the apprenticeship program. While it may not put you to work tomorrow, it eventually would. Good thing about having a book in your pocket is it usually helps out with traveling and if there is permit work, i.e. through the iron workers, you are able to help man the jobs at full rate. If you are not opposed to the military with an associates you would go in as an E3. Plenty of welding jobs in the service still ;) haha.
haha I've been through the military once already, so that doesn't bother me. I'm not ready to just give up on finding work in the civilian world quite yet.
I was thinking of going to ocean corp for the NDT program they have.
Question I have is, are they worth the 16 grand for the 7 month course? I want to do welding really, but I also want to have the NDT certifications so I have something else. Besides, with having the knowledge in the NDT part, I don't think that'd do anything other then help me become a better welder.
If you are opposed to active duty you could look into the guard / reserve route. The guard / reserve component of the Air Force has the technician program which you are a civilian during the working week. The welding / machinist positions are manned at a WG11 level. I don't usually look at openings in the Texas area, however; different parts of the country often seem to have a need for technicians with a 2a7x1 AFSC. If nothing else if you plan to work construction during your layoff periods it would give you some supplementary income and the income usually will not count against your unemployment if you are on a tour, AT days, or RUTA / BUTA status. Last time I checked the career field was still considered critically manned dependent upon base needs and comes with a $20,000 signing bonus. Food for thought possibly.
You might also want to consider attending the local AWS section meetings. They are held the third Wednesday of each month at Brady's Landing (on the ship channel). It's a pretty good place to network and learn more about the employment landscape in and around Houston.
Don't lie about your experience cause it could come back an bite you in the a$$. I've seen some hands say they've done all this an that but they give them an iso to fab a piece up an they have a blank stare. The truth will come out eventually an it could cost you a job with some contractors. You could talk to the local pipefitters union in houston, think it's local 211 but don't hold me to that. They'll give you cradit on your welding school an maybe some on your other schooling an military experience. They also offer a free CWI prep course for any journeyman in good standing. I'm sposed to do it an take the test in mid december.
By Martin G 
Date 04-30-2009 11:56
Edited 04-30-2009 12:02
i never liked it eather but its just got me in i respect you for it you also might try pipe shops they can teach you a lot about welding and when you get out in the feild you can learn to weld off your back its just alot of them are laying off also i think zachary has a school Houston but i only worked in that area once freeport has a lot of plants you might check there also alot of these contractors hire the next person that calls after a reck was put in so call often
Since when don't paper mills do xray work?
the recycle mills up north i have been in dont x-ray unless its high pressure steam we mostly chased cracks than any thing
Have you tried the major shipyards? I know several of them have weldor training programs. They actually used to hire people and then pay them to go to school for 10-12 weeks. They would rather train them their own way than have someone else do it. Maybe things have changed though. Also I would try looking nationwide on the Internet if you are willing to move.
Only problem is, I don't have the funds to relocate.
That does make it tough. I had to move 1800 miles to take my current job. I was living in Michigan, and you know about the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost there...
Where are you living now? Mabye some people will know of some companies there...But it sounds like you are leaving no stone unturned..
I'm in Houston, TX.
I'm sure their are plenty of stones I haven't turned over. But, I'm doing the best with what I've got to work with. I am calling places, going to places all over town. So, something will have to open up eventually anyway. And in the mean time I'm going to take a pipe welding course at the community college here to work towards getting my 6g certification so I have the qualifications people are looking for. (outside of the experience that is)
I remember now you said something about Houston before.
Have you tried Chicago Bridge and Iron? They are union and pay well. They used to have some good training programs. They work worldwide, but they have some fab shops in Houston. I got a good job offer out of them once before.
I will definitely look into them. Thank you.
You might want to contact Driver Pipeline in Pearland, Troy Construction south of Houston, Benson Pipeline off 45 south, Tanner Pipeline east of Houston on IH 10,
Call the Infinity Group ( Old US Contractors Office) in Freeport, Texas. Also, in Freeport Texas Gulf States Contractors. A guy named Joe Paul Bullard is the guy
that heads up the welders. Don't get down on yourself, you will have to go thru a ton of NO's till you get to a YES... but then that's the nature of the business, and
we all have been there at some point in time GOOD LUCK.
Thank you. I sure do appreciate it.
It depends on what part of the industry you want to get into but don't overlook that people who have an aptitude for welding, are willing to learn, and have a positive attitude also get hired. Most companies would rather hire a pleasant, teachable person rather than someone who is a negative influence and "knows it all".
Times are hard, right now.
Have you tried the shipyards?
Also, Zachry will pretty much hire anybody that can weld, on some jobs.
I've contacted a few shipyards and by looking at roadtechs.com it seems they have not slowed down. There was one down in LA that I talked to, needed to take 3G/4G stick and fluxcore tests. Also another up around VA that was looking. Both said they are all the time looking for welders. I can attest to the difficulty in "breaking out" into welding. But from the countless welders I've talked to, seems to be the norm.
Here is where I went back in the day.......