Welders r like the vegans of the trades ... mf annoying... all old retired welder guys I know have fucked up vision and hate sunlight or campfires because the smoke irritates their eyes
I'm 51 years old. I finally decided when I turned 50 it was time to call it a day. My vision and hearing as well as my joints and back are all showing the effects of a 30 plus year career in the welding and heavy fabrication field. I can say despite the issues that have come from that I am as proud as hell to have been a part of it. it was a very rewarding and satisfying way to make a decent living. Kudos to all those still in the trades. Work safe and work smart. God bless you for your contributions to our society. You are very much needed.
@@RyanRediger66As long as you protect yourself from UV light with proper eye protection, the arc cannot damage your vision. Personally, I've gone as far as using 4 layers of UV protective lenses. Using a gold lens on top of everything, you'll be reflecting even more. Speaking of hearing, you'd be suprised how many students in my college just wear earbuds and call it a day. I even had an instructor bug me about it. Sorry, for me it's NRR 32 earplugs or I'm out.
Ive been welding for 2 years and finally hit 49k a year, these welding pages and their "youll be rich just come pay us tens of thousands for a tuition first" pages are dumb as fuck.
Lung problems and vision loss to name a couple. Most welders don’t make near that number either. Quit trying to glorify the job and make everyone think they can get a job making 100k
My first welding job which I’m still currently at in a fabrication shop pays me $15 an hour. Luckily I’m switching to a new shop next week where I’ll be making $25 an hour. Still a long shot from $100k and I know I’ll never be making $100k and I’m okay with knowing that. These guys don’t tell you to make that kind of money you need to have your own rig and be in the pipe industry usually.
You weren't looking in the right places because I've seen and met welders who make over 100k a year. Met a old classmate who was boilermaker and he made 38 an hour plus per diem and plenty of over time. Don't be a Debby downer just because you couldn't make it
HexMagmus in the uk youll be looking at around £12-15 an hour assuming you have your own van all the welding equipment and years of experience using it, he fully qualified and have a very good understanding of reading engineering drawing and have upto date information on welding and safety information needed, and nothing bad on your drivers licence that you must have held for around 5 years. You get paid more for being a security guard which takes 3 weeks and costs less than £200, many security companies will pay over 30k a year which is more than nearly any welding job ive came across in the uk. Uk pay is pathetically low
I’m on 50k a year and am in my 3rd month of my job with just over a year of experience, potentiallyyyy just not a good welder if you aren’t making 100k 😅 or at a poo job
I noticed this too they are honesty the most annoying trade. Hvac and plumbing guys just help each other and are chill and care about making it look clean, then you got welders thinking the world couldn’t operate without them lol
My father and grandfather were welders. My father is damn near on deaths door and my grandfather died at 50 because of the weilding fumes. My father asked me to not become a welder. I am an electrician.
Electricians don't have it easy either. It's very easy to die doing electrical work, and it can happen very quickly. I know of a guy who touched his sweaty arm to something he shouldn't have, and his body was instantly fried. He had decades of experience. It can happen to anyone.
@@Wetoddid1dont worry. According to alot of stats at most only 35% of college students are men. The average i saw from websites was 32% its less than previous generation
100k if you spend 70,000 dollars on a truck with a bed outfitted for welding, a generator welder, every piece of tooling necessary, and spend months away from home welding pipelines. A travel welder is a single man's job.
@@lustysteve1420 I can buy a decent 80s ford f250 under 150,000 any day of the week for under 2k. Just because you don’t want to drive an old truck doesn’t mean you can’t get a cheap truck.
@@cthesavage That and welding messes up your back and knees. My dad was a welder on navy ships, stood at 6'1 but had to jam himself into tiny spaces to get jobs done. Messes with your lungs, joints, and if you forget your mask it can blind you.
A lot of weders get too comfortable and never try to make that 30 an hour with OT or move up to supervisor etc. with hard work you can make that 70-100k a year it’s just not gonna be in your first couple of years
Don’t forget the eyes. My dad was 54 and had terrible cataracts from welding and was completely burnt on the upper part of his chest from overhead structural.
@@Justright2yeah being an alcoholic just comes with the territory, I know plenty of guys welding into their 50's and 60's. Wear your respirator and take care of your body, you will be fine
In the 2020's, you're gonna be wearing a high quality respirator, and certified eye protection. As long as you work safely, the long term effects of welding are essentially over.
I grew up in a village with a few retired welders in their 50s/60s. How did I know they were welders? They told me after thanking me for moving their furniture/mowing their lawn. All had busted backs and one was permanently on o2.
@@YaChoombayou don’t have to go to war to be important. The nurse that nursed one of your family members back to health is just as important as the marine who died fighting for this country. Get off your high horse
Lmao at this whole thing. My pops was a class 1 welder, working on navy ships. He became damn near paralysed, depressed, and addicted to fent all for pay that could barely keep a roof over our heads. Welding is a sucker's job.
I was best friends with a welder in Canada. Supporting a gf and 3 kids. Driving a beater 30yrs old. Nothing wrong with that I’m not knocking it I’m just saying….he was barely making ends meet. He was burnt out after work every day. Sad life
Go get yourself a stem degree! I’m an industrial automation engineer. I work 36 hours a week, 3 days a week, 12 hours shifts, plus all hours after 8 hours is OT. 2 hours of that is paid break so I’m really only working 10 hours a day I make almost a 130k while working 200 less hours a year then a regular full time worker. With just my associates degree in industrial robotics I was making 95k starting with just my university experience. There was a lot of hand on learning and book work. Although I can see why people go down other routes. My graduating class had 30+ students originally but as the semesters went by most dropped out. I only had 3 people out of those original 30 graduate with me with the associates. For the bachelors there was 6 graduates but most transferred from other universities.
Welding 20+ years now Tig,mig and stick don't make that kind of money but I'm also at home every night and weekends!!! Chase that$$$ when your young and single fellas
After 8 years in the field I now switched to the office to do CAD modeling and work prep. Don't like it at all, but might as well just be my specific company. 8/8 guys in the office have literally never touched a welder before. All they do is blame everyone else for their mistakes, and organise shitty meetings that take ages and lead nowhere. Definitely going back to the field. I do like getting home with clean hands and energy to do hobbies. Working in the field had me tired asf everyday, drinking and smoking shit tons of pot... Still felt more true at life if ya know what I mean
I am retired and no longer involved in welding. I was passionate about it and looked forward to the job. I certainly miss it every day. My ability to weld, pass testing and make good money has afforded me and my family with a really nice retirement.
Welding, along with a lot of trade school, physical, blue collar jobs like aircraft mechanics, iron workers, masonry, etc. are extremely rewarding in terms of pay and job security. I get to work with fighter jet pilots on the daily bc I’m a mechanic for the F35 if you couldn’t tell and I’m on track to getting an A&P license. However, with all these jobs come physically taxing effects: hearing loss, muscle and joint pain, carpal tunnel and whatever else as well as the fact that some jobs are pretty damn dangerous and whether you’re deliberately doing something unsafely or by freak accident, your life is over just like that bc it can be dangerous. And plus, a lot of the jobs require long hours: great overtime pay but less time at home to spend with family and friends. It’s unfortunate but the world would not run without blue collar tradesmen, and I’m proud to be apart of it and take pride in my work and hope all y’all other guys and gals do too. If you think your work isn’t important, you’re wrong, somebody’s gotta do it and you’re waking up every day to do a job that not everybody was built for. So take pride in that.
Sometimes you need humans relax and if we can’t weld well people still need infrastructures fixed or heavy machines welded no 1 million dollar machine for fixing a fence or welding a tractor hole
No it’s not tho it’s actually one of tech industry worst invention GM and Chrysler had to replace their machines with skilled workers cause they kept overheating 😂😂 your just mad your in a career field where your don’t produce anything of substance 😂😂
@@spaceandbackThat’s what I said as a roofer making about $45 an hr Then I got a degree in industrial robotics and became an industrial robotics engineer. Now I work 3x a week for a total of 36 hours a week and make almost 130k. Fuck passion I do it for the money.
I'm an IT and even I know that 100k/year is a farce. It takes a long time to get there. You can't say that salary at the same time the internet is meming about welders demanding $25/hour. Furthermore, YOU might be worth 100k/year, but there is always someone willing to do more for less. Lastly, what sacrifices are you making to get 100k/year? As others mentioned, you need to travel, and likely you're going to suffer health defects. Not really something you want to do if you also want to raise a family, or have other non-career related life goals.
The reality is that you have to be on the road and work as a contractor You have to be really good at welding because everywhere you go, you need to pass a welding test, most places is one day, one chance Not all projects pay the same and don't really last long, usually not more than a year. You can make really good money overseas in the middle east but is also dangerous. The contractor that was just killed in Syria by the Iranian drone was a contractor that I worked with overseas. Unfortunately he lost his life chasing the money..
(My dad’s opinion) Long term effect of 27 years in the Union as a welder #1 hearing loss, #2 respiratory issues #3 knee & elbow issues. Left the Union now works for the city as head water department now going on 19 years
Welding may not be as glamorous as some make it out to be, with long-term health effects and lower pay than expected. But for those who truly love it, it's a rewarding and meaningful career choice.
I started a new welding job in a shop for $25. Should get to $29/hour or more this year. Averaging 50 hours a week, i should make 80k gross pay next year. Not bad for pretty easy work close to home
Don't bother asking a tradie his hourly wage. He'll just tell you what he could make working 90 hours a week in the middle of nowhere yet if they worked 40 hours they'd barely make ends meet.
My dad used to work for a company that welded aluminum and if you are a female welder you can make a lot of money. Companies will look for girl in high school or even middle school sometimes and pay for tuition if you promise to come to their company after. The main reason is because their need to show that they have a diverse company with men and women
@Start Now that job was through tradesmen International. Super easy. Now I'm with ameriforce. They are temp agencies that temp out travel work. Call em, say you want per diem and you're willing to go anywhere. They'll hook you up with something in your skill range
Wait till you're middle-aged and trying to support a family... money isn't everything. It's not about if you can make that... It's about making that and being able to have a family
@@danielbeaird6264 way ahead of ya, currently teaching myself software engineering so i can get out of this trade and make more money. Win win win. Make good money while im young, get to travel, and then switch to a better career
My grandfather was a welder over here in Germany. He worked for 45 years before going into retirement at the age of 60 (it was normal at the time he started working to start at 15 years old). He made like 3k a month, so roughly 36k a year. Stop yapping. I mean, the work is necessary, yes, but don't advertise it with fake news or at least specify which 'branch' of the job you do (like travelling or deep sea welding). Welding doesn't pay well, and my grandfather is lucky to have been really, really good at the job. He's still walking fine like he was still 15. And considering the job is, despite all the safety measures, still really dangerous, just don't pursue the career, seriously, you'll destroy your life doing it. God bless you all.
A thing to keep in mind too is hearing protection and wearing a respirator when you weld. Yes us welders make money. Mainly depends what you are welding. But what’s inevitable is the health draw backs. A majority of construction workers surprisingly do not take great care of their bodies. But to the ones that do. Hell yeah. Making bank and feeling great.
Made about 10k a month peak of my welding career, proud of what I built. got burned out, swtiched professions. Still welding for fun Just do what you love!
@@enrgcable4754 Eh, you go ask around and learn about your fellow workers. Many have horror stories and regrets. True, there are some smart tradesmen, but that's not the norm. It's a rough lifestyle.
True. Knees go to all hell quick and respiratory issues are always in and out depending on indoor outdoor job. It's ok I guess if you really love it but there's plenty other work
I am a Welder for 40 years not easy job sometimes is easy but I am doing it because that's all I know I don't like it. Welding in summer time is horrible 😮😢
Don’t forget chronic lung issues from breathing in microscopic metal particles that can never leave your lungs or travel to your brain if they’re aluminum. Wear a respirator no matter how embarrassed it makes you feel. Look up the effects of welding and grinding metal indoors on the lungs.
@@harrisonbuck2749 well clearly you could spare a sub... haha I welded before, also was a woodworker, machinist, and mechanic. I just make youtube videos about why the West is best for fun lol
Yeah I became a welder when I was young, and had the ego to match. But then when I realized I wanted to be able to have kids, welding was not gonna allow that. Many of the guys I worked with either had children with severe birth defects, or didn't have them. I saw the pattern right away
I weld stainless pipe (304’s) and do a lot of 6G & 5G pipe as well for a company here in Tennessee. Make $36.08/hr with usual overtime of 10-15hrs per week. Sounds like a lot, right? A normal business day is 6-230. You work 6-430 or 5 and you’re bringing in the dough. Food for thought. I’m 26 with little to no debt except my mortgage and truck. Bought my home at 25. You choose. You also don’t need welding school. Learned everything i know from hard work, persistence & practice. Best of luck y’all.
How did you get your foot into welding without the schooling? Im in Tennessee also, I’m really wanting to learn it myself but my current situation makes it hard to save much for it. Any tips?
@@Roehdawg sorry for the late response, I started at a company and pretty much practiced whenever I could. I can remember when I first started welding, I spent at least four days a week day in and day out welding on scraps during lunch breaks. At the time it sucked, looking back now, I’m glad I did.
More young people need to see videos like this. Public school in the US makes it seem like going to university is the only way to make a good living. It's important that kids today know that academics isn't the be-all-end-all and that there are other equally great opportunities working in the trades.
I agree but welding isn’t where it’s at bro, it’s a dying trade I like it and plan on learning it as a hobby but it’s not like the market for it is going to get any better it’s only going to get worse from here
I'll admit it. It scares the crap out of me. And I do mma for fun. Plus i like a 9 to 5 lifestyle. But seems thats getting harder to achieve so.. Never know.
I’m a steamfitter / pipefitter. Depending on your trade that will determine what’s left of your body after 40 years of it. For that matter sitting behind a desk can cause adverse affects as well.
You’ll always have a job if your willing to invest your life into the industry. Y’all gotta stop putting it in these kids head that they are always gonna have gravy . I’ve been on several jobs with western welding academy alumni and have to bail them out on simple in position welds
Yep I haven’t worked since hunting season opened October 1st and I’m just now getting ready to go back to work in March but get calls every day and emails out the ass everyday
Don't, I have been a welder for 50 years and my daughter is just graduating from college with a computer science degree and has taken a job that pays 3x what I make. Simple marketing, I cannot mass produce a weld but my daughter can mass produce a program.
You're a developer and you let a welding schools promo vids influence you? They care about you attending, not a minute after you leave do they think for one second about you or how your life as a welder is going.
You’ll always know there’s a welder in the room. How?
He’ll make sure he tells you
That's anyone with a trade tho "yeah I lay bricks" okay ya gonna build me a fackin house? "No" then why do i need to know that
No he gets pissy quick when he can’t smoke or sees anything other than jack
Haaa! True..
Welders r like the vegans of the trades ... mf annoying... all old retired welder guys I know have fucked up vision and hate sunlight or campfires because the smoke irritates their eyes
Probably because we spend years of our life becoming very good at it and it's our passion
I'm 51 years old. I finally decided when I turned 50 it was time to call it a day. My vision and hearing as well as my joints and back are all showing the effects of a 30 plus year career in the welding and heavy fabrication field. I can say despite the issues that have come from that I am as proud as hell to have been a part of it. it was a very rewarding and satisfying way to make a decent living. Kudos to all those still in the trades. Work safe and work smart. God bless you for your contributions to our society. You are very much needed.
Salute to you!
Excellent comment James!
👍🏽🇺🇸
How’s your vision nowadays? I took a course on welding in school and that seemed like the biggest turn off for me.
@@RyanRediger66As long as you protect yourself from UV light with proper eye protection, the arc cannot damage your vision. Personally, I've gone as far as using 4 layers of UV protective lenses. Using a gold lens on top of everything, you'll be reflecting even more.
Speaking of hearing, you'd be suprised how many students in my college just wear earbuds and call it a day. I even had an instructor bug me about it. Sorry, for me it's NRR 32 earplugs or I'm out.
hooray for welders, holding America together🇺🇲
Long term effects of welding:
Slowly becomes the silver surfer over the period of life
What
@@kdkdkdbdkddn3 you transcend death by inhaling toxic fumes and becoming the metal itself
Becoming the silver surfer seems like an upside, considering I cannot surf. 🏄♂️
Or the T-1000
"As soon as i realised the weakness of my flesh, it disgusted me..."
Ive been welding for 2 years and finally hit 49k a year, these welding pages and their "youll be rich just come pay us tens of thousands for a tuition first" pages are dumb as fuck.
Glory to God. May God give you more so that you can bless others.
Join a Union. $30/month Dues. Free tuition. I just hit 190k a year.
@@reyrey0226amen 🙏🏼
You're just working for the wrong people my guy. Location is a big factor as well.
They are graping you
If you're single and suicidal you've come to the right place
Exactly what I am
You couldn't have said it any better.
I'm not suicidal it just looks that way to the untrained eye.
Fuck bro ur right.
@@damiangonsalves540 that's not true
Career welder here audibly started laughing when I saw 100 k a year. That's super funny.
Yeah usually only deep sea welders get that sorta pay but thats a ridiculously dangerous job.
I imagine he is referring to pipeline
Come pipeline in Canada 👍🏼
100k is pretty attainable
Yeah it's more like 65k annually for majority of welders. Top 10% probably make 100k+
Being a welder is the tradesman equivalent of having a BMW 😂. Can't stop yapping
100% agree lol
Lung problems and vision loss to name a couple. Most welders don’t make near that number either. Quit trying to glorify the job and make everyone think they can get a job making 100k
My first welding job which I’m still currently at in a fabrication shop pays me $15 an hour. Luckily I’m switching to a new shop next week where I’ll be making $25 an hour. Still a long shot from $100k and I know I’ll never be making $100k and I’m okay with knowing that. These guys don’t tell you to make that kind of money you need to have your own rig and be in the pipe industry usually.
You weren't looking in the right places because I've seen and met welders who make over 100k a year. Met a old classmate who was boilermaker and he made 38 an hour plus per diem and plenty of over time. Don't be a Debby downer just because you couldn't make it
@@leonelmartinez2486 stem degrees is the way to go
HexMagmus in the uk youll be looking at around £12-15 an hour assuming you have your own van all the welding equipment and years of experience using it, he fully qualified and have a very good understanding of reading engineering drawing and have upto date information on welding and safety information needed, and nothing bad on your drivers licence that you must have held for around 5 years.
You get paid more for being a security guard which takes 3 weeks and costs less than £200, many security companies will pay over 30k a year which is more than nearly any welding job ive came across in the uk.
Uk pay is pathetically low
I’m on 50k a year and am in my 3rd month of my job with just over a year of experience, potentiallyyyy just not a good welder if you aren’t making 100k 😅 or at a poo job
You forgot blowing your nose and realizing the sheer amount of metal dust you snorted
Respirator helps with that a lot
@@brendanmoll4799momma didn’t raise a ninny
Gotta love them fumes
@@taboo7942won’t be laughing when you older
proper ppe or good breath control!!
The ego’s of welders are definitely higher than their pay!
Bruh I’m pretty confident a Welder makes more than you bud 😂😂😂
I noticed this too they are honesty the most annoying trade. Hvac and plumbing guys just help each other and are chill and care about making it look clean, then you got welders thinking the world couldn’t operate without them lol
@@oyeahimfunny i make more than the welder at work now lol. There’s other jobs out there that pay really good too lol
@@oyeahimfunny welders make a lot more money than me, but while I can weld my own equipment, they can't grow their own food
@@supermegadong7597The industrial revolution and all the giant structures that came with it were made by welders....
My father and grandfather were welders. My father is damn near on deaths door and my grandfather died at 50 because of the weilding fumes. My father asked me to not become a welder. I am an electrician.
So telling you to read a book and go to school was out of the question?
@@andrewiglinski148 My father said I should do what I want. Just don't become a wielder. Kinda crazy how you think Electricians don't "read".
Electricians don't have it easy either. It's very easy to die doing electrical work, and it can happen very quickly. I know of a guy who touched his sweaty arm to something he shouldn't have, and his body was instantly fried. He had decades of experience. It can happen to anyone.
@@Viper3048you gotta always be on your toes no matter what. Slipping up can get you killed
@@andrewiglinski148some times spending 40k isn’t worth it
How to get gen z to be welders. Promise lots of money. And use emojis.
Says that generation that pushed colleges and made trades not an option
@@Wetoddid1dont worry. According to alot of stats at most only 35% of college students are men. The average i saw from websites was 32% its less than previous generation
100k if you spend 70,000 dollars on a truck with a bed outfitted for welding, a generator welder, every piece of tooling necessary, and spend months away from home welding pipelines. A travel welder is a single man's job.
Nah you can make that without the truck. You do need to travel however.
Bro you can make that at any fab shop thats like 50$ an hour. If you own your own truck you could be a millionaire
You don’t need the latest and greatest truck and welder. A $4,000 truck and a $3,000 used gas driven welder and a good work ethic is all you need.
@@gingie5246$4,000 truck ain’t no truck 4k rn besides maybe ford rangers with 200k miles
@@lustysteve1420 I can buy a decent 80s ford f250 under 150,000 any day of the week for under 2k. Just because you don’t want to drive an old truck doesn’t mean you can’t get a cheap truck.
As a welder, there's more negatives than positives to welding, and most welders won't be earning anywhere near 100,000
Go contracting, easily make over 100k
@masterraccoon2883 if youre good at your job youll be in demand
@@mooselee902it’s not that simple dimwit
What are the negatives?
@@ralfrudiger7276strain on ur joints from getting in difficult positions, and if you don’t wear your ppe u will get worn down over time
When I worked at Kaiser, I did disability claims. Half the welders/ship builders at NASCO were on disability by the age of 35.
Why? Lung damage from the fumes?
@@cthesavage That and welding messes up your back and knees. My dad was a welder on navy ships, stood at 6'1 but had to jam himself into tiny spaces to get jobs done. Messes with your lungs, joints, and if you forget your mask it can blind you.
I know welders who are well past retirement age who are still doing it
@@ApotheNZwell that's hardly a selling point. If they're well past retirement age why are they still unable to retire?
@@Redskies453 because they want to? I don't know any old people who stop working if they're still physically able, people enjoy work in my culture
Don't forget the cool mask that you wear while welding
i know right!
& there are even cooler ones with fresh air ventilation etc 😭😭😭😭😂
Tagilla man
Hella money apparently is $22.60 an hour according to bureau of labor statistics
Facts
But I saw a guy telling his students he would pay them $40/hr to come work for him. The internet doesn’t lie!
A lot of weders get too comfortable and never try to make that 30 an hour with OT or move up to supervisor etc. with hard work you can make that 70-100k a year it’s just not gonna be in your first couple of years
Pipeline and oil make the money
I get that before I even start schooling. Once I finish and start doing different specialties I'll be getting significantly more.
As well as back pain, knee pain, barely being able to walk during retirement, but yeah keep going on about it
@@barrackhussein464 sure, guy. Work 12-16 hours a day for 5 days and let me know how well your back, knees, and feet are doing.
Don’t forget the eyes. My dad was 54 and had terrible cataracts from welding and was completely burnt on the upper part of his chest from overhead structural.
@@barrackhussein464 not everyone has the time to do 4 hours of yoga every morning
@@barrackhussein464 then why you speaking on it
@@dumbdog2924 should worn eye equipment.
I just passed my pre-test, i start welding school in August. Salute...
Have you read some of these comments?
School you went to school😂😂😂👍
Go for tig welding. Never do mig welding.
Lmao smh... so dumb
Did they let you do your pre-test in crayon? What sort of academic requirements are there to be a welder?
My best friends dad just died from the “long term effects” of welding in his 50s… money isn’t everything.
Alcoholism?
@@Justright2yeah being an alcoholic just comes with the territory, I know plenty of guys welding into their 50's and 60's. Wear your respirator and take care of your body, you will be fine
In the 2020's, you're gonna be wearing a high quality respirator, and certified eye protection. As long as you work safely, the long term effects of welding are essentially over.
Nope. Man didn’t drink at all. I don’t recall the name of it, but something the welding caused.
Lung respiratory problems because of stick welding, breathing the fume of smaw and fcaw are something like long term dangerous tho
I grew up in a village with a few retired welders in their 50s/60s. How did I know they were welders? They told me after thanking me for moving their furniture/mowing their lawn. All had busted backs and one was permanently on o2.
Yeah 50/60 when health and safety was a pile of shit nice anecdote tho kid.
Did you thank them for giving you the world you enjoy? Most people are too weak to be welders, yet the world needs them.
@@mcwaff8661 Hell we didn't have a shield cig but for ear plugs sunglass for welding n no harness yeah 💯
@@YaChoombayou don’t have to go to war to be important. The nurse that nursed one of your family members back to health is just as important as the marine who died fighting for this country. Get off your high horse
@@YaChoomba I guess to each his own, but I don’t see how one can more important to Jan the other when both are needed to make society work.
Lmao at this whole thing. My pops was a class 1 welder, working on navy ships. He became damn near paralysed, depressed, and addicted to fent all for pay that could barely keep a roof over our heads. Welding is a sucker's job.
I was best friends with a welder in Canada. Supporting a gf and 3 kids. Driving a beater 30yrs old. Nothing wrong with that I’m not knocking it I’m just saying….he was barely making ends meet. He was burnt out after work every day. Sad life
Go get yourself a stem degree! I’m an industrial automation engineer.
I work 36 hours a week, 3 days a week, 12 hours shifts, plus all hours after 8 hours is OT.
2 hours of that is paid break so I’m really only working 10 hours a day
I make almost a 130k while working 200 less hours a year then a regular full time worker.
With just my associates degree in industrial robotics I was making 95k starting with just my university experience. There was a lot of hand on learning and book work.
Although I can see why people go down other routes. My graduating class had 30+ students originally but as the semesters went by most dropped out.
I only had 3 people out of those original 30 graduate with me with the associates.
For the bachelors there was 6 graduates but most transferred from other universities.
Welding 20+ years now
Tig,mig and stick don't make that kind of money but I'm also at home every night and weekends!!! Chase that$$$ when your young and single fellas
So would you say do tig mig and stick for the hours or what kind of pay yall make?
@@enrike048 acord or tig and pipes
Been there. Done that. Prefer to do CAD work in an office and come home every day with my clothes, hands and airways still clean.
That’s why read comments.
True
But good to have the skill I guess
After 8 years in the field I now switched to the office to do CAD modeling and work prep. Don't like it at all, but might as well just be my specific company. 8/8 guys in the office have literally never touched a welder before. All they do is blame everyone else for their mistakes, and organise shitty meetings that take ages and lead nowhere. Definitely going back to the field. I do like getting home with clean hands and energy to do hobbies. Working in the field had me tired asf everyday, drinking and smoking shit tons of pot... Still felt more true at life if ya know what I mean
You got soft hands
@@Kreidlerjugendthanks for sharing
I am retired and no longer involved in welding.
I was passionate about it and looked forward to the job.
I certainly miss it every day.
My ability to weld, pass testing and make good money has afforded me and my family with a really nice retirement.
Right on
Way to go!
Welding, along with a lot of trade school, physical, blue collar jobs like aircraft mechanics, iron workers, masonry, etc. are extremely rewarding in terms of pay and job security. I get to work with fighter jet pilots on the daily bc I’m a mechanic for the F35 if you couldn’t tell and I’m on track to getting an A&P license. However, with all these jobs come physically taxing effects: hearing loss, muscle and joint pain, carpal tunnel and whatever else as well as the fact that some jobs are pretty damn dangerous and whether you’re deliberately doing something unsafely or by freak accident, your life is over just like that bc it can be dangerous. And plus, a lot of the jobs require long hours: great overtime pay but less time at home to spend with family and friends. It’s unfortunate but the world would not run without blue collar tradesmen, and I’m proud to be apart of it and take pride in my work and hope all y’all other guys and gals do too. If you think your work isn’t important, you’re wrong, somebody’s gotta do it and you’re waking up every day to do a job that not everybody was built for. So take pride in that.
What do you mean I will always have a job? Welding automation is one of the fastest growing forms of robotics taking jobs right now
Sometimes you need humans relax and if we can’t weld well people still need infrastructures fixed or heavy machines welded no 1 million dollar machine for fixing a fence or welding a tractor hole
No it’s not tho it’s actually one of tech industry worst invention GM and Chrysler had to replace their machines with skilled workers cause they kept overheating 😂😂 your just mad your in a career field where your don’t produce anything of substance 😂😂
Welding robots can only do certain welds, they can't work on pipe or do repair jobs that can't be moved.
@@oyeahimfunny you know as well as anyone else knows that’s reading this, you have no idea what this person does for a living.
@Zero Clutter Art and Design yeah there's a few but robotic welding will not take over the entire industry.
Stability and growth is really what matters. Screw money matters, embrace the passion.
Am not welding for its sake i want to and do any job because it pays fμck passion
@@spaceandback love the process not the end result will come later. Fck your mindset
@@spaceandbackThat’s what I said as a roofer making about $45 an hr
Then I got a degree in industrial robotics and became an industrial robotics engineer.
Now I work 3x a week for a total of 36 hours a week and make almost 130k.
Fuck passion I do it for the money.
@@RoboticsSorcererYou made $45/hr roofing? Did you roof Bill Gate’s house?
@@RoboticsSorcererwhat made you think of taking such a degree?
Welding can lead to serious health issues later in life, not just a high income. It's important to consider the long-term effects.
Ok
Don’t weld kids. It’s literally the WORST thing you can do to your body. I’m glad i gave it up after 10 years. It was killing my quality of life.
Don’t downplay the dangers of stuff.
That’s how you get newbies welding galvanized steel and wondering why they got the flu in July 😂
“Will always have a job”. Tell that to the welders in 2008.
Lungs left the chat
respirator entered the chat
fume extractor entered the chat
supplied air respirator entered the chat
“You will always have a job”😂😂
This is like an army recruiting ad but for but for welding
😂
Ben through both and can confirm 😂😢
Facts
Welders ARE a Army!!!
Im not a welder because my health and well being is worth more than a few extra bucks.
🆗
He forgot the:
Toxic fumes
Cancerous fumes
Bad body health
And last but not least: Risking your health for a pay check
I'm an IT and even I know that 100k/year is a farce. It takes a long time to get there. You can't say that salary at the same time the internet is meming about welders demanding $25/hour. Furthermore, YOU might be worth 100k/year, but there is always someone willing to do more for less. Lastly, what sacrifices are you making to get 100k/year? As others mentioned, you need to travel, and likely you're going to suffer health defects. Not really something you want to do if you also want to raise a family, or have other non-career related life goals.
The reality is that you have to be on the road and work as a contractor
You have to be really good at welding because everywhere you go, you need to pass a welding test, most places is one day, one chance
Not all projects pay the same and don't really last long, usually not more than a year.
You can make really good money overseas in the middle east but is also dangerous. The contractor that was just killed in Syria by the Iranian drone was a contractor that I worked with overseas. Unfortunately he lost his life chasing the money..
thanks for the input
You don't have to be on the road if you simply move to a metro city
Read the welding rod warnings. You see alot of the warnings in 50+ year old welders. Shit is so toxic and nobody wears a respirator
(My dad’s opinion) Long term effect of 27 years in the Union as a welder #1 hearing loss, #2 respiratory issues #3 knee & elbow issues. Left the Union now works for the city as head water department now going on 19 years
Welding may not be as glamorous as some make it out to be, with long-term health effects and lower pay than expected. But for those who truly love it, it's a rewarding and meaningful career choice.
Not me knowing a shit ton of people who work 80-100 hour work weeks with only sunday or friday off making 12-18 dollars an hour
In my area lol
$37,800 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $49,900 is the 75th percentile.
I know welders who make a bunch but they age twice as fast.
Back pain, knee pain, emotional pain when your 7018 gets stuck, juet the wonderful things ive experienced while learning to weld 😅
Pro tip: If somebody tells you he knows a way to make big money easily, he is probably not mentioning some major drawbacks.
I started a new welding job in a shop for $25. Should get to $29/hour or more this year. Averaging 50 hours a week, i should make 80k gross pay next year. Not bad for pretty easy work close to home
Doing this for 60 years is insane
Don't bother asking a tradie his hourly wage. He'll just tell you what he could make working 90 hours a week in the middle of nowhere yet if they worked 40 hours they'd barely make ends meet.
Lol real
My dad used to work for a company that welded aluminum and if you are a female welder you can make a lot of money. Companies will look for girl in high school or even middle school sometimes and pay for tuition if you promise to come to their company after. The main reason is because their need to show that they have a diverse company with men and women
I'm 22 and took a travel welding Job making about 90k a year. The guys saying you can't make 100+ havent hit the road
facts man✅
What company or what do you weld, and are you still with them?
@Start Now that job was through tradesmen International. Super easy. Now I'm with ameriforce. They are temp agencies that temp out travel work. Call em, say you want per diem and you're willing to go anywhere. They'll hook you up with something in your skill range
Wait till you're middle-aged and trying to support a family... money isn't everything. It's not about if you can make that... It's about making that and being able to have a family
@@danielbeaird6264 way ahead of ya, currently teaching myself software engineering so i can get out of this trade and make more money. Win win win. Make good money while im young, get to travel, and then switch to a better career
My grandfather was a welder over here in Germany. He worked for 45 years before going into retirement at the age of 60 (it was normal at the time he started working to start at 15 years old). He made like 3k a month, so roughly 36k a year. Stop yapping. I mean, the work is necessary, yes, but don't advertise it with fake news or at least specify which 'branch' of the job you do (like travelling or deep sea welding). Welding doesn't pay well, and my grandfather is lucky to have been really, really good at the job. He's still walking fine like he was still 15. And considering the job is, despite all the safety measures, still really dangerous, just don't pursue the career, seriously, you'll destroy your life doing it. God bless you all.
A thing to keep in mind too is hearing protection and wearing a respirator when you weld.
Yes us welders make money. Mainly depends what you are welding.
But what’s inevitable is the health draw backs.
A majority of construction workers surprisingly do not take great care of their bodies.
But to the ones that do. Hell yeah. Making bank and feeling great.
This is like that one North Korean tiktok account all over again
It’s been my dream job for 2 years now
Made about 10k a month peak of my welding career, proud of what I built. got burned out, swtiched professions. Still welding for fun
Just do what you love!
The average salary for a welder in the US is just over 40k a year.
welders always have a good sancho when working out town
my man hearted this like he has no idea what it means
@@338renegade wait till comeback home after out of town work and find out
U still get cheated on when ure around so wats the difference?
“Make hella money” HAHAHAHAA
Long term effects of welding: complaining about other people's welds
bro im not lying i got a ad for a welder after this.
Bros got a stop sign for a welding helmet
100k a year, with 60 of it coming from making tiktoks
Starting welding school in a few days super hyped CAN’T WAIT!
The money you make as a welder depends on what type of welding you do and where you do it
Side effects of welding bigger paycheck. Better home. Nice truck. High self esteem. Pretty wife.
Health goes to shit. Barely see your family. Pick up some nasty addictions. Pretty wife leaves you. Takes the home and the truck. Lol
@@sunnysied713not every welder is addicted to substances and can’t see their family
@@enrgcable4754 Eh, you go ask around and learn about your fellow workers. Many have horror stories and regrets. True, there are some smart tradesmen, but that's not the norm. It's a rough lifestyle.
I get that as a pilot
@@ViburaBlanca that works great too
I am a computer science guy, why am I getting recommended welding videos
Because its a sign to be a welder too
Forgot constant back pain, eye problems, breathing problems, and more
Welders are the NYers or 90s Kids of the vocational field. They'll tell you how great it was without you ever asking
True. Knees go to all hell quick and respiratory issues are always in and out depending on indoor outdoor job. It's ok I guess if you really love it but there's plenty other work
Let's not forget about hexavailent chromium, and all the other great chemicals associated with grinding, cutting and welding metals.
I am a Welder for 40 years not easy job sometimes is easy but I am doing it because that's all I know I don't like it. Welding in summer time is horrible 😮😢
Don’t forget chronic lung issues from breathing in microscopic metal particles that can never leave your lungs or travel to your brain if they’re aluminum. Wear a respirator no matter how embarrassed it makes you feel. Look up the effects of welding and grinding metal indoors on the lungs.
Ye we had a welder in the family welded for 20+ yrs dropped dead within 5 days from a humongous brain tumor.
“you will always have a job”
Machines: hi bro
@John Smith 😂
We're a loooong way from that, welder has decent job security
If you can read this, you're smart enough to become an electrician instead of a welder.
My dad has been welding his entire life, turns 80 this year and he's still at it
In india even top class welders make approximately 50 bucks a month ( Maximum ).
Lol that's about how I got finessed into being a plasterer
You should have went with welding. I take home 2 to 5K a week. 🤷🏾♂️
@@tjaydagreatwhat kind of welder are u bro? i’m bout to go to school for it
@1temp-000 I weld pipe and structural. I can MIG/Flux, TIG and Stick. I'm pretty Damm good at stick
When your job is more interesting than the person doing it.
Seriously, a welder is just the blue collar version of a vegan/crossfitter.
And what do you do for a living ey???
@@mgazine1818 trying to make money making yt videos...
You have 18 subs. You should weld. You might make yourself more interesting.
@@harrisonbuck2749 well clearly you could spare a sub... haha
I welded before, also was a woodworker, machinist, and mechanic. I just make youtube videos about why the West is best for fun lol
@@free2chasehappy time to go back to your 9-5 bub, YT ain’t it.
I’m proud to be a welder currently trying to become an underwater welder 😁
nest of luck!
Yeah I became a welder when I was young, and had the ego to match. But then when I realized I wanted to be able to have kids, welding was not gonna allow that. Many of the guys I worked with either had children with severe birth defects, or didn't have them. I saw the pattern right away
I'm looking forward to these long-term effects. I've just started working for a company that does welding.
Who's this man trying to impress?
I weld stainless pipe (304’s) and do a lot of 6G & 5G pipe as well for a company here in Tennessee. Make $36.08/hr with usual overtime of 10-15hrs per week. Sounds like a lot, right? A normal business day is 6-230. You work 6-430 or 5 and you’re bringing in the dough. Food for thought. I’m 26 with little to no debt except my mortgage and truck. Bought my home at 25. You choose. You also don’t need welding school. Learned everything i know from hard work, persistence & practice. Best of luck y’all.
Good stuff, nice one man
How did you get your foot into welding without the schooling? Im in Tennessee also, I’m really wanting to learn it myself but my current situation makes it hard to save much for it. Any tips?
@@Roehdawg sorry for the late response, I started at a company and pretty much practiced whenever I could. I can remember when I first started welding, I spent at least four days a week day in and day out welding on scraps during lunch breaks. At the time it sucked, looking back now, I’m glad I did.
I have been thinking about becoming a welder for a while and thus video helps ngl
More young people need to see videos like this. Public school in the US makes it seem like going to university is the only way to make a good living. It's important that kids today know that academics isn't the be-all-end-all and that there are other equally great opportunities working in the trades.
I agree but welding isn’t where it’s at bro, it’s a dying trade I like it and plan on learning it as a hobby but it’s not like the market for it is going to get any better it’s only going to get worse from here
I'll admit it. It scares the crap out of me. And I do mma for fun. Plus i like a 9 to 5 lifestyle. But seems thats getting harder to achieve so.. Never know.
The faster u get in, the better. U won’t regret it brother.
Those fumes are bad for ur lungs no good for mma
I’m a steamfitter / pipefitter. Depending on your trade that will determine what’s left of your body after 40 years of it. For that matter sitting behind a desk can cause adverse affects as well.
Dude, I just saw a thing that said the long-term affects your body is bad when you wield for a paycheck and I stumbled upon this on my next scroll
Started trade school welding wish me luck 💪
Rooting for you!
How does it goes man?
Currently registering rn bro🤝🏾
@@willygraphics360pretty good is a 8 month training course they taught a little bit of blue prints.
You’ll always have a job if your willing to invest your life into the industry. Y’all gotta stop putting it in these kids head that they are always gonna have gravy . I’ve been on several jobs with western welding academy alumni and have to bail them out on simple in position welds
You forgot pure badassery
And not being able to see more than 5 feet in front of you
Doesn't effect your vision if you wear a mask that's the whole point of them
Yep I haven’t worked since hunting season opened October 1st and I’m just now getting ready to go back to work in March but get calls every day and emails out the ass everyday
What do you do?
Long term affects of welding: Plan A: Rich Plan B: Marvin Heemeyer
I make tha same as this doin security at a government facility. I’m straight
I am a software developer and these videos have me debating a career change.
Don't, I have been a welder for 50 years and my daughter is just graduating from college with a computer science degree and has taken a job that pays 3x what I make.
Simple marketing, I cannot mass produce a weld but my daughter can mass produce a program.
You're a developer and you let a welding schools promo vids influence you? They care about you attending, not a minute after you leave do they think for one second about you or how your life as a welder is going.
Don’t. Develop welding machines instead 🧠
This career is not going to be here for much longer. Software developer will.
Welders get paid shit for the amount of bullshit that comes with it, dont do it