Welding school--questions

[minkydog]

DS27 has decided he wants to learn welding. He has been so depressed for the past 6 months that he has been unable to work and has been totally at loose ends. Recently, his friend has recommended welding as a stable career field which pays pretty well and he would like to pursue that. DS is quite creative and a hands-on learner.

My dad went into a welding apprenticeship when he graduated high school, so I am not totally unfamiliar with the field. But I'm trying to help DS figure the schooling out. I think he should go to the state tech school about 45 min from us. He would be eligible for the PELL grant and other financial aid. There are bunch of for-profit schools nearby. Most of them charge $8-10,000 for their course. No PELL grant there. I'm going to also look at the local union and see if they have any apprenticeship programs.

If you are a welder or know a welder, could you give me some info? Does an apprentice welder get paid? Is the state tech school going to give him the same basic skills as the for-profit schools? I just don't want to have to pay that much, if he could get his degree paid for at the state tech school.

 

[lizabu]

My DS is a welding apprentice. He took welding in HS and they gave him a co-op in a machine shop and after Grad they took him on as a full time apprentice. He gets paid. He has to apprentice for 3-4 years and then there's a year in college to complete the school portion of the apprenticeship. He's two years into the apprenticeship. I would go with the least expensive school option. It's the least important part of the apprenticeship. The hours on the job are the most important part.

 

[minkydog]

My DS is a welding apprentice. He took welding in HS and they gave him a co-op in a machine shop and after Grad they took him on as a full time apprentice. He gets paid. He has to apprentice for 3-4 years and then there's a year in college to complete the school portion of the apprenticeship. He's two years into the apprenticeship. I would go with the least expensive school option. It's the least important part of the apprenticeship. The hours on the job are the most important part.

I hadn't thought about getting an apprenticeship. That might actually be a good option for him, rather than the tech school. There are a couple unions in this area that do offer paid apprenticeships. Maybe he should look into those too?

 

[lizabu]

To become a welder you have to have so many hours in the field and so many hours in the classroom. I believe it can vary based on where you live. It probably doesn't matter which order you do them in but the apprenticeship can be more difficult. If he can get someone to take him on he should jump at it. If he doesn't find an apprenticeship right away doing the school hours first may help open some doors. It's a huge commitment for an experienced welder to take on an apprentice. If he finds one that will take him on he should go for it.

 

[Colleen27]

Around here, the program at the community college is the best way to get a foot in the door for a quality apprenticeship. Union apprenticeship is the "gold ring" but can be very hard to get and have hundreds of applicants for every available slot. There are non-union places that will train on the job without any prerequisite classroom education but they tend to be shops with higher turnover, lower pay, and worse working conditions. Since the CC program requires a semester long apprenticeship as part of the program, their job placement system is really the best/easiest way to get a solid start in the field.

I'd steer clear of for-profit trade schools. I'm not familiar with any in the welding field specifically but in other fields they tend to have a rather poor reputation and not be taken as seriously/positively by employers as the same level of education from a community college. Plus they are generally much more expensive than comparable programs at accredited non-profit schools.

ETA: Welding is one of the career paths my high schooler is seriously considering, so we've done quite a bit of research on the educational options and career prospects in the field and came to the conclusion that the community college is his best path if welding (or CNC machining, his other interest) is the choice he decides to pursue. No other educational option is as accessible, affordable, and well-respected for a student looking to go into the trades.

 

[joviroxx]

Maybe try looking into the local pipefitters union. If they have an apprenticeship school program, it might be a great place to start. He will learn and work at the same time

 

[DisneyWalle]

My son is also considering a career in welding. (He just started his 10th grade year) About 2 months ago, he started blacksmithing. He joined a local forge council and loves it. So this has definitely created a strong desire to seek welding as a career. We are talking to our local community college where he can start his welding courses as a dual enrollment student. Still deciding if he will start this year or next year.

 

[sunshine1178]

Maybe try looking into the local pipefitters union. If they have an apprenticeship school program, it might be a great place to start. He will learn and work at the same time

If you're in a union area, there may be a local building trades council, and they could tell you which unions hire welders. I know that here, some welders are in the Carpenters union.

If you're not in a union area, locate the ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors?).

Labor forecasts anticipate a shortage of skilled labor, like welders, in the next 10 years, so I think it is a promising career path.

 

[disny_luvr]

My husband is a welder. He went to his local Vo-Tech when he was in high school for three years. Other than that, he hasn't had any formal training; however, he is a certified welder which he tested for a few years ago. He currently works for a CAT dealership and loves it! The company he works for is great and he makes great money (more than I make as a teacher with my master's). Before he worked at this job he worked in local quarries repairing stone crushers and other machinery. The work is a lot of wear and tear on his body. He is constantly on his knees or in awkward positions so he can fit where he needs to make the repair. He always has knee, neck, back pain. I can't imagine him doing this for another 30 years but there is nothing he'd rather do. His current employer taught him how to line bore. That is a pretty popular (and hard) skill that not many companies in our area have employers that can do it. Line boring keeps him pretty busy a lot of days.

Most welders he knows (and works with) haven't had any formal schooling other than Vo-Tech. The ones he does know that went to school went to Penn Tech in PA.

Let me know if you have any other questions, I can ask DH when he gets home from work. It's kind of sad that I don't know a whole lot about his job but I just don't have that much interest in it. He would agree about my job, as he thinks working with middle schoolers all day would be a death sentence.

 

[minkydog]

Well, there's a new development...DH called an old friend of his from HS who has been a welder for about 40 years. This friend lives about 45 min away and we see them a few times a year. DH asked him his opinion about what DS27 should do about getting into welding. DFriend was very positive about it. In fact, he even offered to bring DS on-board as a welder's helper to give him a good taste of the work. He goes to the scrap metal yard several times a week and he needs some help with that, too. DFriend is an easy-going guy and a good teacher. He warned that welding is hot, dirty work; DS is of the mind that he's willing to be hot & dirty to make decent money.

I think DS will like welding. What's not to like? Big tools, lots of sparks. Almost like having super-powers.

 

[Mokat76]

Well, there's a new development...DH called an old friend of his from HS who has been a welder for about 40 years. This friend lives about 45 min away and we see them a few times a year. DH asked him his opinion about what DS27 should do about getting into welding. DFriend was very positive about it. In fact, he even offered to bring DS on-board as a welder's helper to give him a good taste of the work. He goes to the scrap metal yard several times a week and he needs some help with that, too. DFriend is an easy-going guy and a good teacher. He warned that welding is hot, dirty work; DS is of the mind that he's willing to be hot & dirty to make decent money. I think DS will like welding. What's not to like? Big tools, lots of sparks. Almost like having super-powers.

That's terrific! I hope your DS likes it as much as he thinks he will and that it's the start of a great career for him.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Perfect minkydog ! This way your son will be taken under his wing and get a real hands on approach. Seems like so many people are chasing after all kinds of college degrees and the trades are being forgotten. I was just having this conversation not too long ago with my farrier, another dying " art" . I wish your son luck ( hope all else is going well with you & yours )

 

[Gumbo4x4]

This is one if those jobs that is hard, hot, and dirty. But, I believe there is a great deal of job satisfaction. Any job where you build things & can look back at the end of the day and visibly see your accomplishment is a good thing, IMO.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Minky, another possibility....Mike Rowe (from the TV show "Dirty Jobs") has the Mike Rowe Foundation that offers scholarships to various trade schools. They claim that these scholarships are largely ignored and so go wanting. Maybe worth investigating....

 

[minkydog]

Minky, another possibility....Mike Rowe (from the TV show "Dirty Jobs") has the Mike Rowe Foundation that offers scholarships to various trade schools. They claim that these scholarships are largely ignored and so go wanting. Maybe worth investigating....

Thanks for the tip. I'll let DS know

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Thanks for the tip. I'll let DS know

Oops....the correct name is the Mike Rowe Works Foundation. Sorry for the error!

 

[minkydog]

Oh, rats. I just checked. Those scholarships are only open to HS seniors. Oh, well. On to plan B.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Nothing to add - just kept reading this as WEDDING school and wondering why people needed to go to school for weddings. Sigh... old eyes. LOL

 

[minkydog]

Nothing to add - just kept reading this as WEDDING school and wondering why people needed to go to school for weddings. Sigh... old eyes. LOL

Bwahahahaha

 

[leebee]

Nothing to add - just kept reading this as WEDDING school and wondering why people needed to go to school for weddings. Sigh... old eyes. LOL

That's OK… My first thought on reading the title was to wonder why Minkydog was looking for a new career!