Day jobs?

Swaggy P · 12-18-14, 08:51 AM

That looks like a decent gig to get into. I'm still undecided what I want to do in life. I'm thinking of picking up a blue collar trade like welding. Unionized welders up here working in the Canadian oil sands can make 150k a year easily with only just a few years of training but it is very tough dirty work.

stevegreazy · 12-18-14, 09:10 AM

Originally posted by Swaggy P

That looks like a decent gig to get into. I'm still undecided what I want to do in life. I'm thinking of picking up a blue collar trade like welding. Unionized welders up here working in the Canadian oil sands can make 150k a year easily with only jst a few years of training but it is very tough dirty work.

That is what I do is weld 10 hrs a day..it is a pretty decent job for a 23 year old. My advice if you do decide to pick it up os is experience and it is the same as any schooling you will receive.. if your not scared of heights than I suggest your local iron workers union. do not go to school for it but instead try to get into an apprentice program bc all you need

EDIT:
I penetrating hate typing off the phone. What I meant to say is do not go to school just practice yourself to be able to pass weld tests or get into an apprentice program.

Swaggy P · 12-18-14, 09:20 AM

Originally posted by stevegreazy

That is what I do is weld 10 hrs a day..it is a pretty decent job for a 23 year old. My advice if you do decide to pick it up os is experience and it is the same as any schooling you will receive.. if your not scared of heights than I suggest your local iron workers union. do not go to school for it but instead try to get into an apprentice program bc all you need

EDIT:
I penetrating hate typing off the phone. What I meant to say is do not go to school just practice yourself to be able to pass weld tests or get into an apprentice program.

Yup that's exactly what I was thinking. It's super easy getting into an apprenticeship program up here. There are two big unions in the city where I live. One for iron workers and the other for boilermakers. Both are always accepting new apprentices.

What's the pay like normally for welders down there and what part of the states are you from?

Filmoz · 12-18-14, 09:30 AM

Lawyer

stevegreazy · 12-18-14, 09:34 AM

Well I've only been working for this company for about 2 months and I make 15.25 an hour but ill top out at 19.25 after a year. I've thought about joining the ironworker but to be honest im to scared to walk the beams that high up. I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I've been doing it for 5 years and have never made less than 14.50.

Boilermakers are also an excellent union to look into since you have one close by.

Swaggy P · 12-18-14, 09:41 AM

Originally posted by stevegreazy

Well I've only been working for this company for about 2 months and I make 15.25 an hour but ill top out at 19.25 after a year. I've thought about joining the ironworker but to be honest im to scared to walk the beams that high up. I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I've been doing it for 5 years and have never made less than 14.50.

Boilermakers are also an excellent union to look into since you have one close by.

That's not bad at all considering the low cost of living down there. Yeah and definitely would consider going the boilermaker route, I'm not too big a fan of heights either.

Big Bear · 12-18-14, 10:28 AM

i am a dentist

Ted Sheckler · 12-18-14, 10:41 AM

Originally posted by stevegreazy

Well I've only been working for this company for about 2 months and I make 15.25 an hour but ill top out at 19.25 after a year. I've thought about joining the ironworker but to be honest im to scared to walk the beams that high up. I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I've been doing it for 5 years and have never made less than 14.50.

Boilermakers are also an excellent union to look into since you have one close by.

Kind of stinks that being afraid of heights will hinder your ability to become union ironworker, lots of money to be made there, not to mention benefits. But there is always going to be jobs for good welders, great profession to be in.

stevegreazy · 12-18-14, 10:53 AM

Yea I know it..its not just the heights though. I have a wife and a two year old son and he needs me to be around and with the union im not sure about their travel policy so I just thought better of it. Are you in the welding field at all?

In a couple of years I think im gonna try for my CWI (certified weld inspector) cert....twice the pay,half the work

stevegreazy · 12-18-14, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by Filmoz

Lawyer

Do you specialize in a certain area?

stevegreazy · 12-18-14, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by Big Bear

i am a dentist

Props to you man...I know I couldn't do it

Swaggy P · 12-18-14, 11:06 AM

Another thing Steve, I hear pipeline welders in Texas make big bucks and clear 6 figures a year. Maybe that's something you can look into.

Ted Sheckler · 12-18-14, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by stevegreazy

Yea I know it..its not just the heights though. I have a wife and a two year old son and he needs me to be around and with the union im not sure about their travel policy so I just thought better of it. Are you in the welding field at all?

In a couple of years I think im gonna try for my CWI (certified weld inspector) cert....twice the pay,half the work

Not in the welding field, but I do weld when work calls for it. Used to weld alot more, but not as much now.

Have a couple guys that I used to work with that are ironworkers, I love talking to them about what projects they're doing and that they went from making 15 a hour to about mid 40's. Best move they ever made. But listening to them talk about being that high up in the air doing shit, sometimes makes me tingle thinking about it.

A place we do work with has around the clock welders working, always doing some cool shit, and the guys talk about how they've been offered numerous other jobs. I don't think they are certified or anything, they were just working out in the shop then a guy said "hey we need a welder" and that's how they got started. I think all my friends in the plumbling/pipefitter union have to get welders certifications too, so that's another union type job to look into if you're young and can already weld.

Welding just has always been fun, throwing random shit together, fuking around.

thetrinity · 12-18-14, 11:14 AM

working a union job or being your own boss is sharp, everything else is square, i am only square 3 months of the year

Swaggy P · 12-18-14, 11:45 AM

Yeah welding can be a pretty fun trade to get into. The only negative things I can think about are the health problems that a lot of welders face down the road. I've talked to a few and they complain about sore neck/backs and lung problems from breathing in all that dirty fume all day. Health wise it just sucks.