Welding?

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I spent a year and a half going to a trade school to learn graphics communications, which turned out to be worthless because 1. they trained us on equipment that hasn't been used in over twenty years, so we were completely unprepared for jobs in that field when we graduated, and 2. printing press work is the most boring job you will ever have.

I've always regretted not taking their welding class instead, since they always had the highest rate of students getting decent jobs. I'm starting to wonder if that might still be a possibility. Maybe I could take some classes on my days off. But I don't want to pay for classes that are ultimately going to be as useless as the GC ones were, so are there any welders here? What are some things you think I should consider before doing this?

I'm not a welder but I know someone who recently retired as one. He made a great living and his body isn't trashed like some career construction workers I know whose bodies are.

I too would like to learn to weld. There is a place in my town that's a collective. A place where people give classes on any number of topics for very little cost. They have a metal shop section of the large building and give welding classes there. Do you have any place like that where you are to try welding first?

I've done some searching, and the only place I can find is a trade school not far from here. A welding class that lasts a few months costs $6000. I wonder if I can get the people who sponsored me to go to trade school to sponsor me again to go there? Probably not, but it's at least worth a try.

Man alive, that's a lot of money for a relatively short course! Bummer. It might be worth you to try to see if you can swing it. I've always thought the coolest jobs in some respect are jobs that a person would be in demand for and be able to do anywhere in the world. I would imagine welding would be one of those jobs where an excellent welder could probably find work anywhere and could move from place to place at his desire. Check it out!

I know a really good commercial painter who vacationed in Hawaii years ago and met a wealthy rental property owner. She needed help, he extended his trip and it ended up being something he's done for years (paint for her in Hawaii for months during the winter. Makes good money and has it as a working vacation).

If you can get into an apprenticeship program in a union, you can earn a low wage while also attending the classes, and after a few years be making a good living. I don't know if there is a welder's union.

But those apprenticeships are full time jobs. Can you handle full time?

You can make decent money in an apprenticeship. I’ve taken free welding classes as Journeyman upgrade classes . I’m in the carpenters local.

Anyhow my friend makes exceptional money as a boilermaker. He welds for a living.

I don’t really think there is much Union trade work in Arkansas though.

For about 1/10th the cost of tuition, you can buy an electric arc welding kit. Ask someone who welds to show you the basics. Then start welding together bits of scrap iron, just for practice.

Another reason I didn't do well in printing was because you had to do so much math on the fly. They would need 900 sheets of blankety-blah paper cut to 9 inches by 12 inches, and stacks of paper measuring 3 5/8 inches = 100 sheets, so how many small sheets can you get from each big sheet, and how many big sheets will you need to get that amount, and how thick will that stack need to be, and while you're figuring all that out the other pressworkers are putting in requests for even more paper that you'll have to figure that all out on. Also, the managers say calculators aren't allowed on the floor for some stupid reason so you have to do it all on paper.

So, will welding have anything like that?

There is an opportunity to make big bucks producing welded scrap metal sculptures.

Example: Scrap Sculptures.