New boy seeking advice

[Mr Tazman]

Hi folks, wondering if someone could help with some advice for a career change.
I am 28 and have decided to try and looking to get into the welding game. I have no experience, apart from trying a MIG welder a few years ago on a scrap piece of metal.
After talking to people at the Job Centre, I have put my name down for a 3-4 week full time course that they are currently arranging (which also guarantees numerous interviews/test welds, providing you attend the whole course).
I have been told that there are various routes to take in the course. It covers MMA, MIG & TIG, and you can do all 3, 2 of them, or just concentrate on 1, but they encourage MMA and MIG.
My overall aim is to work as a pipe welder (which is normally TIG, and sometimes MMA???), and I realise that in this is a competitive industry, and would not necessary look to get this type of role immediately, but getting into any company to be a TIG welder would be a good start, even if it takes a few years to be paid at a good level.

Obviously after a 3 week course, I am not going to be a top-notch welder, but I am just wondering/seeking advice on how I should approach it.

I know that MIG and TIG are very different, so would it be a good idea someone new to welding to start with TIG as a career, or would I be better off starting with MIG (which I know is the easiest to get to grips with) and get into the industry as a MIG welder first before trying to progress?
Thanks in advance

 

[Wedg1e]

I guess the risk might be that you get a job as a MIG welder and find yourself so busy that you never get a chance to train on TIG. The term 'MIG monkey' exists precisely because it's a relatively easy skill to develop and for general fabrication, car repairs etc. it's perhaps the most wide-spread process. If you dedicate yourself to being a pipe welder then it could be feast/ famine, you'll work 25 hours a day for months and then maybe sit on your hands for a while till the next contract comes along.

Decisions, decisions... but have you thought of training as an NDT technician? The world loves Quality Control of new stuff and inspection of old so it's booming at the moment: with wind farms being built and major surveys of existing oil storage and pipelines. I know for a fact that certain facilities in Scotland are on their last legs and will - as in MUST, the HSE and Environment Agency will see to it - be renewed imminently (we've just compiled a 1000-page pipeline report on one facility alone that has the word CONDEMNED on almost every page). One of our customers in Denmark set up as a 2-man partnership purely to inspect bits of wind turbines less than 10 years ago and is now second or third largest NDT company in the land.
X-rays, ultrasonics, eddy current, mag particle, dye penetrant... take your pick. A bit like welding, different processes for different jobs and the more you can do, the more versatile you are, the more work you get.

 

[tomsutton529]

If you want to pass the details of those companies to me Wedg1e im sure my boss would be happy to sell our services.

 

[Rig Pig]

I guess the risk might be that you get a job as a MIG welder and find yourself so busy that you never get a chance to train on TIG. The term 'MIG monkey' exists precisely because it's a relatively easy skill to develop and for general fabrication, car repairs etc. it's perhaps the most wide-spread process. If you dedicate yourself to being a pipe welder then it could be feast/ famine, you'll work 25 hours a day for months and then maybe sit on your hands for a while till the next contract comes along.

Decisions, decisions... but have you thought of training as an NDT technician? The world loves Quality Control of new stuff and inspection of old so it's booming at the moment: with wind farms being built and major surveys of existing oil storage and pipelines. I know for a fact that certain facilities in Scotland are on their last legs and will - as in MUST, the HSE and Environment Agency will see to it - be renewed imminently (we've just compiled a 1000-page pipeline report on one facility alone that has the word CONDEMNED on almost every page). One of our customers in Denmark set up as a 2-man partnership purely to inspect bits of wind turbines less than 10 years ago and is now second or third largest NDT company in the land.
X-rays, ultrasonics, eddy current, mag particle, dye penetrant... take your pick. A bit like welding, different processes for different jobs and the more you can do, the more versatile you are, the more work you get.

Sounds like a good time to buy shares in Belzona!