I am 20 years old. I got a mig welding job in a local fan shop while I was in high school. After 6 months I was promoted to head welder/second shift plant foreman. After working at this fab shop for 3 years I got tired of the BS that comes along with working in a small family owned bussiness, and only making $10 an hour. So I got a job on the pipeline as a welders helper cuz they want you to start at the bottom so you can figure out how things work on the pipeline. Even has a welders helper I make more in 1 week then I did in a month at the fab shop... But I've spent more time laid off then I have actually worked since I joined the pipeline. The jobs I have worked have been short jobs (about 1-3 weeks long) then I spend 1.5 mo laid off. So by the time they find me another job I've already went threw all the money I made on my last job paying my bills while off work so I have to try to find a way to borrow around $1000 for a hotel room and living expenses until a check comes through cuz most my jobs are 3-6 hours from my house... With all that being said I'm thinking about spending this off season getting my stick and tig pipe welding certs and trying to get a job in a pipe welding shop a lil over an hour from my house. Starting pay in this shop is around $35 an hour (I make $30-$39 an hour depending on where job is at as a pipeline welders helper). If I got into this shop I would spend a lot less time laid off and, be home every night (which would be cool cuz I'm really not a big fan of working on the road) clearly if I stuck with the pipeline eventually when I started welding I would make more money than I would in the shop. But I would still bring home around $2,000 a week. Its pretty well year round work and I would be home every night with my family when ever I have one. But if I stay on pipeline the more seniority you have the less time you spend laid off. So I could give my family everything they could ever dream of but not be there with them ever... What should I do. My family could live comfortably if I worked shop job or have everything they could ever want besides a father always being around to help raise them... Please help me
hey mate ive grown up on a farm and didn't see my dad a lot when i was younger but we still tried to have family time but now as i am older i understand why he took that job because now he has his own place and is happy cause he took the job that paid him a lot and now where taking holidays a lot more and now hes driving trucks and enjoying the family time in the weekends.
honestly man id be taking the well paid job and give you family some fun and afford to.it will help you out in the long run.
Callum
Hey elite,
Welcome to the Original AWS Welding Forum.
Pick whatever job you will enjoy. Nothing worse than dragging your ass out of bed every day to go somewhere you don't want to be. It will wear on you and your family over time. I would pick a lesser paying job, but like the work. Your family will always be home waiting regardless of your pay. This all assumes that you make enough to get by.
My 2 cents
Tyrone
In my case I chose the higher paying job with more hours and less time with the kids. I can tell you I kinda wish it had a balance, sure the pay is good and they have everything but I kinda wish I could spend the money a little more with them. Plus the wife is always going to tell you "you are never home you really need to spend more time with us"
just my opinion.
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