You might want to start considering it, because it’s a growing industry. According to industry surveys, the average age of welding professionals is 56 years old – that’s right, baby boomers and they’re about to retire!

Over the next 8 years, not considering retirement or attrition combined, the welding industry is expected to grow by about 240,000 jobs. This will place the number of people working in this industry at about 625,000 in 2019.

As listed on the National Occupational Overview, job titles in the welding industry include:

• Materials engineering technicians
• Welders/cutters/solderers/brazers
• Welding/soldering and brazing machine setters
• Operators and tenders
• Welding inspectors/testers/sorters/samplers and weighers

The percentage of growth by industry is:

• Ornamental and architectural 20%
• Heavy gauge manufacturing 27%
• Support for oil and Gas 23%
• Commercial building 14%,
• Ship building & repairing 14%
• Oil & Gas field machinery 21%
• Sheet metal 18%

If you are interested in joining this booming industry, you will most likely need to obtain a degree in the field. According to the National Center for Welding Education and Training website, about 3,100 schools offer Welding programs. These programs are specifically tailored to teach you all that you need to know for the job that you desire. Finishing one of these programs will help you later on as you move on to the job search.

For more information on welding as a career, go to www.weld-ed.org. And for some really cool technology – plasma cutting and welding video visit www.hypertherm.com.

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