Did you know that there are only around 400,000 welders in the US?
The average age of these welders is 40 years old. Eventually, a large portion of these welders
will retire, and where does that leave the business of welding?
Well, for one thing, it leaves an opportunity for people who are looking to switch careers and
find a job that is as challenging as it is rewarding: welding!
But, how does one look at becoming a welder? Where do you start? And ultimately, what are the
benefits of going with a welding career? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know.
The Benefits Of Becoming A Welder
Let's take a moment to make an important comparison:
There are 400,000 welders in the US, yet there are over 3 million software developers. That
means that less than 0.2% of the US population are qualified welders. So, is being a welder the
new career for you?
Benefit 1: Joining The Skilled Labor Force
Just a brief look into the numbers above shows that the welding workforce is small, and welding
is a highly specialized skill. The demand for welding work will never dwindle, so neither should
the workforce.
The first benefit is that you become a part of this skilled labor workforce and can be pickier with
the way you find skilled labor jobs and which ones you choose to accept.
Benefit 2: It is a Launchpad
Since welding is such a highly specialized skill, it is used in a wide variety of industries. You'll
find welders in construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and believe it or not, even the industry
of art.
Once you are a qualified, smart welder, the world is your oyster in terms of choosing an industry,
and even changing your mind as time goes by.
Benefit 3: Its Not A Degree
Many people go into their field with the requirement of tertiary or university-level education, but
one of the benefits of going into welding means you don't have to spend years doing this.
Some welding courses at reputable institutions, as well as some apprentice time, will get you
what you need to be qualified, so you can virtually jump right into your new welding career.
Benefit 4: See Some Exciting Places
The great thing about being a welder means that the world literally opens up to you.
Specialized projects will be open to you from places all over the world, and it will allow you to
see different countries and continents. Largely dependent on the sector that you choose as well
though, but if you're in the military, you will likely be traveling, as well as oil and gas could send
you to some interesting offshore places.
So, Is It Worth Being A Welder?
You may think that becoming a welder seems like an easy route, but let's be realistic, any career
path is going to take some hard work and elbow grease if you really want to be successful.
Even welders, as specialized as they can be, put in hard work at the beginning stages of their
career in order to find themselves in high-paying positions with lots of options.
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