Tyler Hilliard

English Pd. 5
10/12/14

Career Paper
The career I choose is to be a welder. My job is to permanently join pieces of metal
together using heat. I can use hand welding, flame cutting, hand soldering, or brazing equipment
to weld or join metal together. I can also fill holes, indentions, or seams. This may be done in
manufacturing of a car, the building of a bridge, the creation of a boiler, or in any number of
industrial jobs. Welding is an essential trade as it creates a stronger join than bolts or rivets.
Welders melt together the edges of two metal objects. When the edges dry and harden they form
a permanent bond or weld. There are two basic types of welding, arc and gas. Arc welding
sends electrical currents between two metal objects to melt their edges. By connecting a wire to
the metal being worked on and then another to a welding rod, the welder creates a powerful
electrical circuit when the rod is touched to the metal. This produces enough heat to melt the
edges of the metal and the rod. In gas welding, the welder uses a gas flame from a blow torch to
heat metals to the melting point. Sometimes a third piece of metal is also melted in as a flux to
strengthen the weld. Gas welding is generally used for smaller jobs or repairs. Timing is very
important with every weld and it takes a lot of stamina. Some pieces of metal will weaken if
heated to long and welders cannot go too quickly or the weld will be weak. Metals dry very
quickly at room temperature; it takes just a few moments for the two pieces of metal to fuse to
one another. Some welders are manual welders, meaning they do all of their work with handheld
tools. Many work in construction they build bridges, ships, cars, pipelines, or repair old
structures by strengthening existing welds. I can work in many different industries. The

majority are found in manufacturing and construction. The areas of the manufacturing industry
that employ the most welders include transportation equipment manufacturing, machinery, and
architectural and structural metals manufacturing. Job sites for welders include construction
sites, shipyards, and car factories. I would often have to travel a lot to remote places like mines
or oil refineries. Many welders work outdoors on high buildings or scaffolds, in dark mines, or
in shops and factories. My work week usually consists of eight hour shifts, five days a week.
Sometimes I could be called in on weekends to complete extra work that needs to be done. I
must be able to lift heavy objects and machinery. Ill have to stand in one place for a long period
of time. I have to be very careful because I could burn myself from the sparks that fly off the
metal. Im paid on an hourly basis but the amount I earn varies widely on my experience level,
location and industry. I can earn from about eleven dollars to twenty five dollars an hour. Those
who work on pipelines can make very high hourly wages. Most earn from twenty three thousand
to fifty thousand dollars a year. I can advance to supervisory positions or become a welding
inspector where they can earn higher wages. I belong to a union which negotiates my wage and
benefits. The entry wage is $14.71, the median wage is $17.49, and the high income is $21.16
for Pennsylvania. The outlook of this job is an increase of 10.2 percent. There are no
educational requirements to become a welder. As competition for welding increases, employers
look for people with high school diplomas and formal training in welding. The type of training I
receive depends on the type of welding Im doing. Those in low skilled positions in
manufacturing are usually trained on the job by senior welders. Welders who need a great deal
of skill and knowledge receive more in depth training. This training is provided through
apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeships give you on the job training and take classes at the
same time. A high school diploma is required for an apprenticeship and it lasts about three or

four years. Applied mathematics and drafting are valuable skills in this field. Courses in
metallurgy, physics and chemistry can also be helpful.