If you are thinking about going to welding school then chances are you have to be asking “is it really worth it”? That all depends on what you want to do with your career! Going to welding school opens the door for many other career opportunities but before you decide you need to be prepared. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
How much money do you want to make?
Do you want to travel for work?
Do you want to eventually have a white collar job?
Money is the main reason most people choose welding as a career. We all have heard the stories of how much welders make and the best part is you don’t need a college degree. Most of these stories are true and welders can earn as much as a doctor. I personally have made over $3500.00 a week welding as an employee. Yes the money is great but that is not what most welders make. Many welders make about $35,000.00 a year or $15 an hour. It is not a good living but many people choose these types of jobs because they are close to home. If you are in it for the money and want to make the big bucks you need to be willing to work 70 plus hour work weeks and be willing to do whatever it takes.
When it comes to welding jobs, traveling is the name of the game. Making big checks and traveling for work go hand-in-hand. The reason welders are able to make so much money is many projects are in places where there is no available labor. That means companies work their welder’s 84 hours a week (12 hours a day 7 days a week) or more and pay whatever it takes to get the job done. Traveling welding jobs are best for people who don’t have a family or like staying in one place. It is comparable to the military lifestyle. Most high-paying jobs require traveling at least 500 miles to the location and sometimes overseas. If you want to make a good living and don’t mind traveling then welding school may be for you.
One of the great things about a career in welding is all of the other opportunities it has to offer. The reality of welding is it is a hard-living that you may not want to do your whole life. But you can always go into other areas and earn a good living doing so. Welders can become inspectors, project managers, engineers and even business owners. Before you decide to become a welder you need to ask yourself if you are willing to work hard for the rest of your life? If not then make sure you get a 2 year degree and take the math classes seriously. After that you can decide if you want to get into inspection, engineering or even become a welding instructor.
Deciding if you want to go to school for welding is really up to you. Before you decide think about yourself 20 years from now. Is this where you really want to be? Welding offers many opportunities but most people do not take advantage of them. The one thing I can say about going to welding school is student loans are not a big deal. I paid all of mine off in less than six months after graduating. If you take your training seriously you should have no trouble getting a job as long as you are willing to travel for the work. In the end do your research and have a game plan before you jump on board.