Specific Trades
Welder
A tradesperson who joins metal parts by applying heat, pressure, or both, using processes such as MIG, TIG, stick, and flux-core welding.
What It Means for Trade Workers
Welders are skilled metalworkers who fuse materials together using various welding processes, including Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick), and Flux-Cored Arc Welding. Classified under SOC code 51-4121, welders work in construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, aerospace, pipeline, and energy industries. Entry into welding can come through trade school programs, community college certificates, or apprenticeships, with training typically lasting six months to four years depending on the path and specialization. Certification from the American Welding Society is the industry standard and is required for most structural, pipeline, and pressure-vessel work. Specializations significantly affect earnings: pipeline welders and underwater welders earn among the highest wages in the trades, while general fabrication welders earn moderate pay. Welding is physically demanding, requiring workers to operate in confined spaces, at heights, and in extreme temperatures. Safety training in proper ventilation, personal protective equipment, and fire prevention is critical. Despite advances in robotic welding in manufacturing, demand for skilled manual welders remains strong in construction, maintenance, and repair work where automation is impractical. Welders with certifications in specialized processes like TIG welding of exotic alloys or pipeline welding command premium wages.
Frequently Asked Questions
A tradesperson who joins metal parts by applying heat, pressure, or both, using processes such as MIG, TIG, stick, and flux-core welding.
Welders are skilled metalworkers who fuse materials together using various welding processes, including Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick), and Flux-Cored Arc Welding. Classified under SOC code 51-4121, welders work in construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, aerospace, pipeline, and energy industries. Entry into welding can come through trade school programs, community college certificates, or apprenticeships, with training typically lasting six months to four years depending on the path and specialization.