Last Updated on October 24, 2021 by Antonio H. Johnson
One of the well-paid and high-demand professions of the modern world is welding. The application of welding is prevalent in almost every field. You, too, can become a welder with no prior experience in welding. Becoming a welder with no experience is somewhat challenging, but if you follow our steps, which we will describe in this article, you can go from novice to professional.
Well-trained welders can earn a fortune, and with enough job experience, welders can become very successful. If you’ve just graduated from college or if you’re looking for a new route in the profession, welding can be an excellent choice for you.
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In this article, we’ll take you through a journey to become a professional welder from being an absolute newcomer to the field. But you have to be a person who is willing to work hard and consistently. Welding is the job of hard workers.
Contents
The primary steps to becoming a welder with no Experience
Let’s start by busting a myth. People often say that a specific certification or unique talents are required to become a welder. This is a huge myth, and it’s not at all true. Anyone can become a professional welder with proper guidance and proper training. You can enroll in schools that will also provide you with a certificate upon completion of the course.
Let’s look at the primary ways of becoming a welder with no experience:
Consider joining a welding school
Since you’re a complete newcomer to the profession, you need to know what welding is, what are the safety measures, what kind of equipment there are, different types of welding, and so on. Enrolling in a welding school will provide you with this information. Welding schools will also give you a certificate if you can pass the courses. This certificate will surely be a boost for your welding career.
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Find your type of welding
There are numerous welding types out there for starting your career as a welder. Some of the beginner-friendly welding methods are TIG Welding, MIG Welding, Stick welding. These are the most popular welding types among beginners. You can pick either of these types to start your welding career. But if you want to go to a specific field of welding, you may have to learn the type of welding that suits that field.
Earn the required certificates
In specific demanding welding posts, certain certifications are required. Although certificates are not needed for all welding jobs, some particular certificates are required for some professional welding jobs. You also need to pass a skill test to get employed successfully. A certificate from your welding school or the American Welding Society is excellent to have in your arsenal.
Becoming an apprentice
After gaining some knowledge about welding, you can consider becoming an apprentice for a professional or experienced welder. Being an apprentice, you can earn a lot of practical experience. Gaining hands-on experience will rapidly improve your skills. It will also make you well prepared for the fieldwork.
Standard Equipment Required for Welding
1. Welding Helmet
A welding helmet is the absolute necessity of welders. Welding helmets shield welders from the sparks, the radiations, and also the welding torch. The immensely powerful radiation released from the welding torch can cause rapid harm to your eyes and skin if you don’t have your welding helmet on.
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2. Safety Goggles
Even though you might have your welding helmet on, it is highly recommended to wear safety goggles beneath your welding helmet. They’re available for low prices in the market; make sure to grab a pair before you start welding.
3. Welding Gloves
Another vital element of welding is welding gloves. It’s an indispensable factor of protection in welding. Welding gloves are fire-resistant. Your hands stay closest to the welding torch; the welding torch is extremely hot. If the welding torch somehow comes in contact with your skin, it’s bound to cause irreversible damage.
There are different types of welding gloves like Standard MIG Welding Gloves, Heavy MIG Welding Gloves, TIG Welding Gloves, etc. You can find welding gloves in various styles and sizes. Get a good quality welding glove before your welding operations.
4. Welding Jackets:
Wearing a welding jacket are also an integral part of safety while welding. Welding jackets that have fire-resistant properties and are comfortable are best for you. We advise you to wear cotton welding jackets containing fire resistance properties for doing a light level of work. If you’re considering doing heavy work, then you should get a leather welding jacket. Leather welding jackets ensure excellent security. But beware, welding while being beneath that leather will make you feel pretty hot.
5. Boots
Wearing leather boots is a must for every welder. Leather boots protect welders from fire. Sparks are caused while welding. Leather boots ensure that these sparks don’t cause you any harm.
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Educational Costs for Welding
You can get an education in welding at a local community college or enroll in a four-year Welding Engineering course at a university. Hence, the cost varies depending on where you want to study.
Generally, welders tend to start welding education at local community colleges. Local community colleges cost about 5,000 to 15,000 dollars and usually take about 18-24 months.
People looking for advanced learning in welding enroll in universities. They tend to take on 4-year courses in Welding Engineering. The cost of this degree may go up to $100,000.
Income of Welders
Welders generally, on average, earn quite a handsome amount of money. The 2015 Bureau of Labor states that welders earn about $41,000 annually on average.
Over the next decade, we expect the growth of welding job opportunities to be 4% in the USA. From this statistic, we can see that welders earn about $19.70 per hour on average.
Underwater welders, on the other hand, earn a lot more than other welders. It takes more experience and skill than most other welding fields, and the average salary of underwater welders is about $54,000 per year.
The income of welders varies largely from region to region.
Skills you need to develop to become a welder
The job of welders is both quite technical and physical as well. The welders generally fuse metals to create a new object or to repair a certain thing.
Welders have to have keen focus and concentration. Welders have to observe the intricate details that usually not everyone would notice. Since chemistry is a core concept of welding, welders have to have adequate knowledge of metals’ chemistry.
Welders need to be good in mathematics and schematics as well. Considering the different dimensions, taking into account the complicated locations, welders have to figure out ways to deal with these situations.
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Learning the operation of both auto and manual welding equipment is also necessary for welders. Due to the demand for specific situations, welders might have to direct the procedure manually.
You need to have excellent analytical skills to become a professional welder. Try to develop these skills gradually with patience.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Welder
What is the starting income of a welder?
Answer: The wages of welders generally range starting from $28,150 to $68,590 per year.
Which welder is best for beginners?
Answer: MIG welding is the best welding type for beginners.
Can welding be a good career path to choose in 2021?
Answer: Of course! welding is an excellent career path to pursue in 2021 because it doesn’t need a degree to become a welder, and the training times are relatively short, and welders are paid well. So, welding is a concrete path to pursue!
Does welding have health risks?
Answer: Welding fumes contain contaminants, and the UV radiation from welding might cause melanoma and lung cancer. So proper protection is indispensable.
Which welding field is most risky?
Answer: Underwater welding is the riskiest welding field among all types of welding.
Conclusion
You must’ve already realized that becoming a welder with no experience is not impossible from our article. Welding is a profession that demands an excellent work ethic and resilience. It’s a fantastic career choice. Becoming a professional welder will take time, but it’s undoubtedly worth it because professional welders are in high demand.
To be a professional welder, you need to have the proper training and experience; you need to pay extra attention to the details.
Remember, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little extra, so make sure to become more skilled and precise with time, and hopefully, you’ll have a bright future ahead.
Hi, this is Antonio. I’m a welder. I Love welding and writing blogs about welding. I know, choosing the best welding tools is very difficult. That’s why I have created this blog to teach people the basics of welding, what the best welding tools are, and where they can find it at a cheaper price.