People have been welding for ages—it dates all the way back to the Middle Ages in fact, when blacksmiths would weld different iron tools by hammering them together. Over the years these methods have only increased in efficiency, with more automated methods invented in the last century for students to learn in welding school.
Interested in taking part in this historical profession, and maybe wondering how to become a welder with no experience? You’ll be happy to hear that in order to enroll in a welding certification program, you don’t need to have any previous practice!
The longest course is only 24 weeks, and as a certified welder, you can earn an average salary of $53K. If you keep up the good job, being promoted to a welding supervisor can earn you around $64K. And you want to start searching for a welding certification program now because employment for welders is going to grow by 6% in the next decade!
Here’s what you might learn through various welding programs:
Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and flux core arc welding (FCAW)
- Equipment setup
- Perform fillet and groove welds in the flat, horizontal, and overhead positions
- Use GMAW and FCAW electrodes to weld on carbon steel
Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)
- Padding, fillet, and groove welds in various positions
- Welding with SMAW electrodes on carbon steel
Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW)
- Correct selection of tungsten, polarity, gas, and proper filler rod
- Safety, equipment setup, and GTAW welding techniques
- Perform fillet and groove welds with various electrodes and filler materials
With these skills, you’ll be able to work on small projects, like welding together parts of a car, to bigger projects, such as building a bridge!