The world is evolving on the mechanical wheels that the construction industry controls in a broad idea. Metal is the most essential element that keeps the wheel spinning, and the welders are the people who keep the world attached.
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Perfect welding is the foremost important thing for a strong, rigid foundation for any kind of construction, and that requires professional welders. If you’re passionate about Welding and creating things, it can be the best idea to transform this passion into a profession.
You can get tremendous opportunities to build a lucrative career if you can weld professionally and know how to become a certified welder. You can get to know how to get started with welding from the welderfreak blog. For now, I’ll talk about how you can get professional certifications on welding. Stick to the article if you’re planning to get your hands on the welder and earn money by becoming a professional, certified welder.
How to become a certified welder
Becoming a professional welder and getting certified for it can be a bit harder than doing DIY projects with a welder. Here is how to become a certified welder, the processes and steps you have to go through and follow:
Getting yourself ready
The first step to becoming a certified professional at any career is to know what you’re signing for! The duties lying on the welding track will include a lot of knowledge alongside the practical applications of all kinds of welders and metals. Today you may have to deal with an easy weld for iron. But tomorrow it may become a hard task for aluminum, stainless steel, or a brass.
So, let’s put it together, you have to know every combination of joining any metal using any welding machine. You have to be able to deal with different welding positions with different machines and situations at a construction site. As you’re going to deal with a lot of flame, heat, and hard temperature, make sure you’re okay with that, too.
Is Welding okay as your career?
Now that you have a little insight into a welding career that there are many obstacles to face and hardships to encounter, it’s time to decide if you’re ready. If you know what you’re up to, if you’re still feeling passionate about Welding, let’s get to know what you can gain from it!
- The first great thing about welding is, you don’t need any university degree to become a professional welder.
- You will get a job quicker than almost any other profession because the industry needs more professional welders!
- Getting short training is just enough to get started, even if you want to start your very own welding business!
- There is an enormous demand for welders, and if you’re passionate about it, you can earn up to $63000 a year in the USA doing it!
Steps to become a certified welder
Now that you know what it means to be a certified welder or how well you can make your living through it, it’s time to know how you get on it.
1. Get a high school diploma
The first step of becoming a professional welder is going to a high school and getting a practical lesson on welding. Most of the vocational schools offer practical welding certifications from 6 to 18 months fo vocational welding course.
You will learn about Metal fabrication, Blueprinting, and of course, Welding; different types of them such as Arch welding, Flux-core welding, Gas tungsten welding, and so on. Some private institutions and community college programs also offer a diploma in welding and provide an equivalent degree.
You can get to one of them and get your degree as well. It will take the same period as the first option; 6 to 18 months in the course.
2. Getting the extra knowledge
While getting a diploma in a high school, you will get some extra knowledge about welding. Once you get familiar with welding’s practical lessons, you can specialize in a specific industry and get more fluent at that. You will get familiar with the different situations you may encounter while welding in real-life construction sites to get ready.
Another thing you will learn about in the diploma high school is the related science classes to welding. These science classes will include the temperature knowledge of welding, how to control the heat, and how not to weld. You will also learn about the safety precautions about Welding and the things you need to keep yourself safe while Welding.
3. How long it takes to become a professional welder?
As I mentioned earlier, it may take anywhere between 6 to 18 months to complete a welding diploma degree. However, that’s not the only option you have if you have less time to start working with welding. Community colleges, private programs, and govt. Diploma high schools offer these short-time welding courses.
You can also go for a full-length 4-years bachelor’s degree in welding and welding science after the high school degree. If you go for a bachelor’s degree, you will get to know a much higher level of welding knowledge. A high school degree cannot earn as much as a bachelor’s degree may get you.
4. Getting a professional welding certification
The AWS certification is the most accepted professional welding certification; thus you should pursue that at first. The API (American Petroleum Institute) welding certification is another renowned option.
However, if you’re looking for other options, the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) welding certification can be a great choice. You can also go for an online welding certification, but they may not be as important or recognized as the first three would get from the employers.
You can also train yourself for DIY welding jobs for personal projects by reading the professional welder’s sites like the welderfreak blog.
Final words
According to the AWS (American Welding Society), the manufacturing industry has steadily increased welding jobs since 2000. A professional welding certification can help you get your welding job pretty earlier than other career choices because the industry needs more. However, the takeaway here is, if you want to get paid with the highest paycheck in the welding industry, you may consider getting a university bachelor’s degree in Welding.
You can also get a head-start and start practicing welding and get to know how to become a certified welder. Some extra knowledge in the specific welding type may give you some extra facilities while interviewing. For example, if you’re getting more familiar with pipe welding or thin metal fabrications, get some additional credits.
