Monday, February 10, 2020

Top Four Reasons to Become a Welder

Anywhere there is metal, welders are needed

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Anywhere there is metal, welders are needed. Check out these top four reasons to become a welder.

1. Endless career pathways

Like many trades, there is so much you can do beyond working on a large industrial site or in a small fab shop.

Work with portable rig welders and contract out your services
Potential to advance to various supervisory positions
Earn your Blue Seal certification for business competencies
Complete a bridge-to-teacher program and earn your bachelor of education
Work in quality control (QC), as a welding engineer, or as a welding inspector
Work as a subject matter expert and consultant
Explore the artistic side of welding
Open your own repair shop
Work in shipyards, as military support, or in the motor sports industry (NASCAR)

2. Unreal travel opportunities

A welding apprenticeship can take you anywhere, from large scale industrial sites to remote pipeline locations. Highly skilled welders are in demand globally, so if you have the skills, you could find yourself travelling to foreign countries, performing underwater welding, or even getting the chance to work in outer space. Anywhere you find metal, you will find welders.

3. Excellent pay potential

Depending on the demand for your skills and the environment that you choose to work, the average hourly pay for welders in Alberta is between $25 and $45 an hour. However, that number could be much higher if your job is overseas, under seas, or on the seas. Even local welders often report six figure earnings comparable to that of a doctor or a lawyer. The higher the demand for your skills, the higher your earning potential.

4. Future demand for skilled welders

Over the next ten years, it is estimated that over 261,100 tradespeople will retire in Canada, while only 221,300 will enter the field, resulting in a significant loss of skilled workers. Due to the aging population, the overall number of people who are considered to be in their working prime (age 25-54) is expected to decline. Additionally, the increase of young people with university degrees over trades certifications will make it increasingly difficult to replenish the retiring workforce.

It is predicted by BuildForce Canada’s 2019 Construction and Maintenance Outlook report for Alberta that starting in 2020, “the availability of workers [welders] meeting employer qualifications may be limited” and that “employers may need to compete to attract the needed workers.” This trend is relatively consistent up until 2028, maintaining a steady need for skilled apprentices and journeypersons in the welder trade.

Interested in welding? Check out our welding courses.

Top Four Reasons to Become a Welder

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