Photo credit: Millerwelds
A career in welding was or somewhat is dominated by men. But in recent times, that seems to be changing since a lot of women are considering building a career in welding.
Since the demand for welders is rising each day as industries evolve. Women have been filling in needs for these high demands of welders.
A weld is a permanent bond form between two or more metal parts.
Using an exact and predetermined amount of heat to fuse a particular type of metal.
Since, welding can be a very stressful job, physically and mentally both. A welder can very easily burn or hurt themselves and it’s something that requires you to use your hands and be physically active.
Highest paying welding jobs Opportunity for women:
However, a career in welding can be very lucrative for some very simple reasons. A lot of women are considering building a career in welding.
First and foremost reason being the pay in welding jobs. Some of the highest paying welding jobs are as follows.
Industrial pipeline welders salary:
Industrial pipeline welders can make from $36,000 up to $100,000.
Underwater welders salary:
Even though underwater welding can be very risky since it requires diving into depths of the body of water with 300-400 amps of direct current to weld.
An underwater welder can make from $54,000 up to $300,000.
Military support welders:
Military support have some of the most dangerous jobs around. Even though they are unlikely to see any combat.
The job pays very handsomely. A military support welder can get paid up to $160,000.
Aerospace welders:
Aerospace welding requires the most skilled welders even though they don't pay as well as other welding jobs. Still the pay is very lucrative.
Aerospace welders can get paid from $30,000 up to $60,000.
Certified welding inspector:
A certified welding inspector’s job is to perform safety checks on welds done by welders.
Look for cracks, defects, and durability of the material to prevent any disasters.
This job requires a bit more experience than other welding jobs. And it can pay up to $70,000.
Do I need an education degree and age requirement:
None of these welding jobs require any college education or a degree.
You can start it at any age you want. The average age of an American welder is 55 years of age.
Which means this career choice isn’t dominated by young people. And trade schools require less time and money than college education. And some of these programs last less than a year.
In order to get started in a welding career and to become a certified welder.
You need to start by enrolling into a welding school. Welding schools offer different vocational programs to choose from.
Such as...
- Professional welder
- Professional welder with pipefitting
- Associate of occupational studies in welding technology
- Welding specialist
- Welding specialist with pipefitting
These welding programs offer technical training and close guidance from professional and experienced instructors.
Is it a wise decision to be a welder?
Welding is a skilled trade and like any other skilled trade, it will continue to face shortage of workers as older workers retire.
And as industries evolve and automation technologies improve, welding will become a more high-tech trade.
With each day, the demand for welding is on the rise.
Welding is also a very flexible and active job. Additional certifications can give them an edge to hone their skills and focus on specific industries and specialization.
For these reasons, a lot of women are considering a career in welding. According to the U.S department of labor women make up approximately 2 percent of welders in the U.S and this number is on the rise.
For the demand, availability, and average pay. It’s safe to say that welding is becoming a much more viable career choice for women. And the numbers are likely to go up in the coming times.