Keeping with the spirit of the last post, below are two of the most common areas of freelancing (outside of welding itself) that welders can enter and some tips on how you can start your career in freelance welding.
Freelance Welding Instructor
The basic qualifications to be a freelance welding instructor depend largely on what your client needs. Bare minimum level of knowledge and skill required include:
+ An associate degree in welding or a bachelor’s degree in a related field
+ 2-6 years of experience as a welder – some want work experience and others will accept verifiable recreation time as a welder
+ PATIENCE – Not always listed, but being an instructor takes more than skill and knowledge.
Other qualifications that some clients will expect include:
+ Certification in the welding industry
+ Experience as a teacher – this can mean having teaching certification in the state you instruct in or informal experience educating others
+ Flexibility with schedule – which may mean flexibility in time and/or place of instruction
Technical schools are known to hire welders with no teaching experience, under 5 years of experience as a welder, and no degrees at all
Ads looking for welding instructors usually want fulltime or part-time talent, but – like on job search site Indeed – you can do a general search for “Welding Instructor” or Welding Teacher.” Refine your search by job type; the best options for freelancers include “contract” and “temporary,” though some part-time jobs may offer freelance terms.
Freelance Welding Writer
From print to online media, the options in freelance welding writing are all over – but you’ll need to dig deep for them. Welding is not a broad topic, like celebrities or lifestyles, and you need to have a certain amount of knowledge of the subject to be viewed as credible in the field. You can also choose from different types of writing you can produce- such as articles, blog posts, technical writings, eBooks, and even translations.
NOTE: The best way to land a freelance welding writing gig is to look for them away from job boards. Ask your local welding school if their website needs content, or if the arts & crafts shop down the road would like a writer for a “How To” series on simple welding projects.
Freelance welding writing opportunities for print and online media:
Articles – Online magazines in the engineering industry and other related fields always need writers to produce articles. Articles are also needed by many welding websites.
Technical Writing - Writing that explains a process in a clear, concise manner, such as instructional booklets and “how to” pieces. Those instructions that came with your Miller machines, written by a technical writer.
Translations – Works with articles, blogs, technical writing, etc. Having content in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, etc. makes it easier for your clients to gain profit from more than one area of the world.
Website Content – Website content doesn’t write itself! There are not many job ads that look for content writers specifically for welding; this is where initiative kicks in. Think you can write more entertaining and informative content for MillerWelds.com? Contact the owners of the site with a friendly pitch of what you have to offer and how your writing will help their website.
Have any questions about freelancing as a welder? Leave your questions below.