STUDENTS

Profiled Individual:

Tiffany Dunlap
Pipe Welder
The Shaw Group
Aquasco, MD

It was my grandmother's idea. She read about the increased demand for welders. At first I dismissed the idea, but I was working in a clothing store then, and I knew I didn't want to do that forever. So I tried a welding class.

High School:	Hannah Pamplico High School Pamplico, SC
College:	Florence Darlington Technical College Darlington, SC

The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that sometime during the 25th century B.C. Glaucus of Chios invented iron welding. Glaucus would be pleased to know that welding is still one of the best methods for fusing metals today.

In the modern world, welding is utilized in numerous industries, offering exciting career opportunities to both women and men. Individuals entering this dynamic field can enjoy upward economic mobility while traveling the world to ply their trade or settling down in one place and starting a family.

As this infographic Tulsa Welding School developed indicates, training to become a welder can be completed in as little as seven months. While some may choose to spend several years in a university, welders are able to begin working and earning in less than a year—and there is plenty of room for advancement in the field.

Some people prefer to stay in one place. For them, there are many welding jobs all across the country. One of the reasons behind the demand for skilled welders, notes The Fabricator, is that many welders are retiring faster than young men and women are being trained to replace them. The author of the publication cited research suggesting that America’s job crisis is as much a matter of a lack of good jobs as it is a shortage of skilled workers to fill available positions. One researcher noted that almost “100 percent of welding school graduates find jobs.”

The states with the most welding jobs are Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Illinois, and Wyoming.

For those who prefer adventure, welding is a career that offers opportunities to travel. Just as in the United States, there are plenty of welding jobs available in foreign countries. For example, eHow reports that Trust International, a company in the petroleum industry, recruits welders for China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries. Most of the overseas jobs pay as well or better than companies in America. For those wanting to work in the Middle East, the pay for a welder can be excellent.

Welders can work on ships as they travel around the world. There are also civilian welding jobs in support of the U.S. military that have plenty of travel involved. Those who specialize in underwater welding are compensated generously for the risks they take on the job. Moreover, the demand for skilled underwater welders is high across the globe.

The duration of overseas welding contracts can vary, but some last anywhere from six months to two years. The best paying jobs are for industrial pipe welders, oilrig welders, underwater welders, and civilian workers in foreign locations under U.S. government contracts. The salaries range from $50,000 to $200,000 per year.

Whether a welder opts for a life on the road or to settle down in one city, welding can be a rewarding career path with numerous opportunities for growth and advancement. Check out the infographic below to learn more about the exciting world of welding.