Career change to welding

[skut_monkey]

Evening all,

Decided that after years in the wrong jobs ( mechanics, recovery driver, bouncer etc) i've decided that welding is for me

I love zapping up motors in my spare time, currently working on a vw baja bug,
Vauxhall cavalier touring car replica and a rare as hell 50's vauxhall velux pick up truck

Welds are getting better but im booking myself on all 3 courses ( mig, tig and stick)

This will only be to british standards, but will go on to night school for my C&G certs later on


Do people employ nowdays on BS qualification and certification or am i playing a game of chance?


Any heads up will be thankfull

Luke

 

[TechnicAl]

There is another site for "professional" welders. Take a look and maybe ask on there. UKwelder.

* sorry guys........by professional I mean they do it for a living

 

[DrNik]

im not an authority, but you can have qualifications coming out of your a$$ but its what your work is like in the end that counts

 

[SiPMerlin150]

I know how you feel

I agree, I'm 25 and have the Level 2 NVQ Certs in MIG, TIG and Stick.
I weld on a weekly basis repairing rusty MOT failed old cars, tailgates on commercial vehicles, welding anywhere between 1.6mm - 6mm steel, and have had no luck in finding work.

I haven't even got as far as a returned email or phone call regarding any jobs that I have applied for. I'd like to say my welds look good, as I'm sure many of the forum members have seen and commented on.

Its a catch 22, they want young blood in the industry, but they also want experience..these two rarely come hand in hand. Its a tough industry to get into, and sometimes its who you know, rather than mainly what you know too.

 

[Badger1bear]

im not an authority, but you can have qualifications coming out of your a$$ but its what your work is like in the end that counts

Wot e said

I have no piece of paper saying I can weld





But I can and the money ain't bad

 

[DrNik]

i have city and guilds certificates thats says im competent in mig/tig/arc/gas/resistance welding, cant weld aluminium for crap , gas aint good either, refresher course me thinks

 

[Badger1bear]

i have city and guilds certificates thats says im incontinent in mig/tig/arc/gas/resistance welding, cant weld aluminium for crap , gas aint good either, refresher course me thinks

I fixed ya typo Dr Nik

 

[skut_monkey]

I wondered how long it'd take you to say something on here badger,

Hows that truck getting on? Not been on elite or hpoc for a while

 

[andy m]

I recently attended a Intro course, I am 50 this year. My plan is to do items for re sale eventually. Most of the lads on the course were after a few extra qualifications to try an earn a few extra quid ( good luck to them) but there is a recession on and it isn't the easiest trade to get into as others have said employers want experience. Paper work can mean jack at the end of the day if you have no work.
I still want to do what I planned to do but I wouldn't want to be in the trade chained to a machine all day.

 

[the snooper]

There is another site for "professional" welders. Take a look and maybe ask on there. UKwelder.

* sorry guys........by professional I mean they do it for a living

people seem to wrongly assume that the word professional means that a person is very good at what they do, which is totally wrong, cowboy builders are professionals but are not good at what they do

professional as al points out means, that is what they do to earn money nothing more nothing less

 

[skut_monkey]

Sorry to drag up an old thread but......

Passed my bs4872 tig course and im just waiting on the results of my mma course

Anyone got any work in the kent area? I need to keep my skills up