Self Taught Coded?

[Haydn111]

Hi I am a new member, not sure if this is posted in the correct place, apologies if not.

I am simply wondering to what extent is it possible to become a coded welder in relevant methods to participate in structural / construction welding from simply being self taught? Is it unheard of or would it be plausible with the correct learning and practise of course. I've had a play-about as such with some scrap metal using MIG welding in my fathers place of work, and he has been previously coded for on-site construction maintenance and modification etc. when he was younger. His opinion is (and not one to give me a false sense of confidence) that I am a fairly competent welder using MIG.

I THOROUGHLY enjoy MIG welding and MMA welding, but have not had any experience with TIG just yet. I would like to pursue a career in welding, and hopefully into a more dangerous area of the industry one day (rig work or subsea welding) as I like the idea of it and have no commitments due to being so young currently.

I do not wish to have to sit through a 3 possibly 4 year apprenticeship course. I know this sounds ignorant and impatient, which is why I want to know the level of feasibility to pass a coding test for MMA welding through self-teachings and home-practise, where I can proceed to work from my own learnings and achievements?

Sorry for the long post

TLR - Self taught MMA coded possibility?

 

[Parm]

I can't help you with welding but can shed some light on a couple of points you raise. On the rigs you have to be a qualified welder with demonstrable training, education and experience in the craft of welding. This is important as everything is safety critical. I spend a lot of time on rigs and see more and more that welding is always the last resort if it can be helped

If by subsea you mean underwater welding then first and foremost you must be a qualified commercial diver, have a reasonable numbers of diving experience (recreational diving doesn't count). Once on a working dive boat, dive control will show you what's involved with underwater welding, again this is always a last resort if it can be helped

 

[Haydn111]

Thanks for the answer, the rigs and subsea stuff i think is a way-in-the-future type suggestion at the moment, subject to experience. I understand where you are coming from in terms of last resort type methods, and appreciate the general input. Will have to see about the general welding questions now

 

[blenkie1]

Agree with Parm as far as I know not a lot of welding on oil/gas rigs for the obvious. Everything gets made onshore, shipped across and bolted together. Any hot work needed grinding, etc needs permits, risk assments, etc can be waiting for days for and they try and avoid it if possible.

Coded welding with no training basically no. I had been welding on a big site for British gas for 5 years and thought I was reasonably good till I went to get trained. Got a shock at the level you need.

 

[Kent]

If you miss out on a proper apprentice training program when you have the chance then frankly your dumb. More and more there is a need to prove your qualified to do the job. Four or five years sounds a lot to a young guy I know but frankly its nothing compared to the rest of your working years
Can you teach yourself welding up to the level of coding? I suppose you can up to a level but some of what you teach yourself will have to be unlearnt for the more difficult stuff. Codes should only be taken for a particular job that you are up for and I have seen a girl from the office without any previous trained successfully by a good teacher and what I might call experienced welders fail through simply already thinking they can.

Remember Tiger Woods has a coach, is he not a better golfer than his coach though? So why does he and all the other pro sportsmen have a coach?

Don't slam into the teenage glory jobs as sitting around in a decompression tank for days on end with another bloke talking rubbish and breathing each others farts might not be all you imagine. Moneys good sure but I visited the premises of an old customer yesterday who made his money making gates and railings starting up back in the eighties he now is a very much more wealthy guy than any under the sea hero.

 

[Liquid Metal]

Apprenticeship really is the better way to go. I know it's a long process, but really will pay off in the long run.
I done most of an apprenticeship, 3 of 4 year and was lured away by higher paid work, curiosity etc etc. Wasn't strictly a welding apprenticeship was sheet metalworking too.

Take it from someone who has found out the hard way, trying to get into highly paid jobs ie refineries, and some structural jobs with no apprenticeship but 15yrs experience isn't the easiest thing to do. Offshore, without an apprenticeship plus 20 yes plus experience, forget it I'm afraid.

 

[Parm]

Is it just me or do the young kids these days want the boses job after five minutes work as a novice

 

[Haydn111]

Obviously ive come across as being too eager and barked up the wrong tree here, and i apologise.

Ill crack on and look for an apprenticeship, cause that seems like the only option to have any future career aspirations.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Rig Pig]

A lot of bigger rigs and platforms have a rig welder or fabric maintenance man. As others have mentioned they all have to be coded - normal in stick, we tend to get subbies in for TIG. Offshore isn't the easiest place to get a job, even you have all the tickets and qualifications.

 

[Kent]

Is it just me or do the young kids these days want the boses job after five minutes work as a novice

Unfortunately yes I think your correct. I don't think their change in attitude has anything to do with genetic changes though just expectations they are fed growing up by us the "older generation"

 

[Parm]

Obviously ive come across as being too eager and barked up the wrong tree here, and i apologise.

Ill crack on and look for an apprenticeship, cause that seems like the only option to have any future career aspirations.

Thanks for the advice

Its good to be eagre as it shows a bit of get up and go, however you need to balance this with being realistic !

Start of with getting qualifiations under your belt. Support this witht soem expereince then off you go.

Dont know how old you are or where you are on your journey but you will potemtially see later on in life.

When it comes to getting a job all factors are considered by a potential employer and its the little things whixch you may take for granted can be the differenice between getting and not getting the job

 

[the snooper]

Obviously ive come across as being too eager and barked up the wrong tree here, and i apologise.

Ill crack on and look for an apprenticeship, cause that seems like the only option to have any future career aspirations.

Thanks for the advice

there is nothing wrong with ambition, you just need to find out how to fulfill it

 

[backpurge]

Don't let anyone knock your enthusiasm, you maybe just need to be a touch more realistic to start off with, all the best with yor career fella

 

[Haydn111]

Appreciate what everyone has said, ill focus on getting some learning in for now.

what should i be looking at goin for after an apprenticeship / my learning, since i dont want to work in a quite workshop environment all me working life. Does anyone have any advice on what to look for etc?

Cheers again

 

[HughF]

If you've got enough pipe, gas and time you can teach yourself to 6g a 6" schd40 butt at home... but that won't necessarily get you a job welding pipe (not that there are many pipe jobs over here)...

I left university in 2004 with a computer science HND (failed the final year of the BSc, couldn't be arsed to go back), learnt aluminium TIG in the summer gap on a BOC christmas-tree set and walked into an 'improver welders' job at a local sheet metal firm in the September on £6.50/hr, rising to 8 after I'd been there a while. Yes I could already read drawings, mig weld, stick weld, run an O/A setup, run a drill press, linisher, lathe etc etc

I did it for a year, learnt as much as I could from the time served guys and took the skills onto another area of engineering.

Opportunities are out there but you need to find them and be prepared to travel. If you get the chance of an apprenticeship in this area then go for it because there aren't many of them about!

 

[Parm]

Appreciate what everyone has said, ill focus on getting some learning in for now.

what should i be looking at goin for after an apprenticeship / my learning, since i dont want to work in a quite workshop environment all me working life. Does anyone have any advice on what to look for etc?

Cheers again

In my day job I spend a lot of time in other peoples factories. There is a huge shortage of the experienced staff in the aero industry. Most of them have apprenticeship schemes which are very good across the board. Best one is with one of my clients at southend airport but I can't remember name now. I wlll look it up for you

 

[Kent]

the thing that separates the best from the rest in one word "attitude"

 

[Parm]

the thing that separates the best from the rest in one word "attitude"

True say

 

[Liquid Metal]

In my day job I spend a lot of time in other peoples factories. There is a huge shortage of the experienced staff in the aero industry. Most of them have apprenticeship schemes which are very good across the board. Best one is with one of my clients at southend airport but I can't remember name now. I wlll look it up for you

Not IPE/Ipeco Holdings is it??

 

[Parm]

That's one!! Ipeco have an absolutely brilliant apprenticeship scheme