As the demand for skilled trades professionals continues to rise, more students are considering welding classes to embark on a new career path. In fact, the American Welding Society (AWS) states that the average annual growth of new welding jobs is projected at 82,500 per year between 2024-2028. Welders are trained professionals who rely on heat as well as specialized welding techniques to connect metal together, ultimately working to create parts and products.
If you are someone who likes to work with their hands and who enjoys the process of creating, then you may want to consider enrolling in a welding class.
Why Choose Welding Classes?
Welding classes provide you with an opportunity to enjoy hands-on welding training as you learn more about the technical and practical skills required in this trade. At Florida Technical College, our welding classes cover a wide range of topics, including welding drawings, welding and cutting, shielded metal arc welding, flux core arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, aluminum welding, and pipe welding. Throughout these classes, you can begin to develop a proficiency in the most in-demand welding skills while also discovering your personal interests and strengths within this profession.
Introduction to the Welding Profession
Welding schools provide you with an opportunity to gain the foundational knowledge and develop the critical skills needed for a career in the welding profession. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), welders specialize in the cutting and welding of metal to create or repair parts and products. Currently, there are nearly 432,000 welders in the United States, and the demand for skilled welders is expected to remain consistent between 2022 and 2032. The BLS estimates that there will be approximately 6,200 new jobs for welders each year over the course of the next decade.
In-Demand Skills and Job Prospects
Welding may be a hands-on profession, but welders also need to have advanced mathematical skills and scientific reasoning skills to succeed in this dynamic field. Knowing what type of skills are required can help you decide which welding schools offer the welding classes you need to accomplish your career goals.
Technical Skills and Training Requirements
Welders primarily focus on cutting metal and using heat to join metal together, which means that a career in welding requires a variety of practical and technical skills. Most aspiring welders can acquire the welding skills needed by enrolling in welding classes, which allow them to receive the hands-on training that they need to obtain a welding certification.
These are some of the most pivotal skills for welders to acquire:
- Mathematical Skills — Welders need to have an advanced understanding of mathematics to create welding drawings. Welding drawings must be incredibly specific, requiring welders to be able to complete precise calculations to accurately complete the job.
- Dexterity — Welders must have the strength and stamina to work with their hands on a regular basis. Dexterity and steadiness are a must if you are going to pursue a career as a welder.
- Technology Skills — In some cases, welders work with robotic technology and other welding equipment to weld metal together. Welders must be familiar and proficient with the most advanced welding technology to gain the competitive advantage in this field.
- Welding Skills— To achieve welding certification, aspiring welders must complete hands-on training through welding classes to become proficient in beginning and advanced welding skills. Welding skills that may be covered throughout your welding classes include shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux core arc welding, and gas tungsten arc welding.
Creative and Meaningful Work
On the surface, welding may seem like a practical, hands-on career, and in many respects, it is. However, this can also be a very creative and inspiring profession, giving skilled welders an opportunity to engage in meaningful work close to their hearts. Whether you are interested in creating parts and products for a major company, or you are considering a career as a welding artist, you will find that you can get creative in this field to develop new and innovative metal products and installments.
Hands-On Creativity in Welding
Welders are skilled professionals who can take raw, metal materials, and utilize expert welding techniques to create new and innovative parts. There is endless opportunity for creativity within this hands-on profession. For example, welders can explore their creative sides by:
- Considering a career in sculptural welding, which allows welding artists to use the leading welding techniques to create decorative sculptures that evoke emotion and tell a story.
- Specializing in metal fabrication, which allows welders to develop and design furniture pieces crafted from metal. Demand for custom, specialized pieces is on the rise, giving welders the opportunity to pursue this entrepreneurial endeavor.
- Developing a customization business for bicycles or cars. Welders have the specialized skills needed to fabricate custom parts for cars or bikes, allowing them to launch a business in which they create custom components for customers who want to enhance their vehicles.
Contribution to Industry and Economy
Welding metal together to create new parts or components may seem like a small task, a process that could easily be overlooked in the grand scheme of things. However, many aspiring welders are surprised to find out that their profession plays a critical role in advancing the increasingly complex and interconnected economy. Metal fabrication and welding helps move some of the largest industries in the economy forward, including:
- Construction — Welding is necessary to construct large structures, particularly those that require steel and metal components.
- Infrastructure — Welders work to create the steel structures necessary for infrastructure development, particularly when it comes to building bridges. At a time when the country’s infrastructure is aging, skilled welders have never been more important in the infrastructure sector.
- Defense — The defense industry relies on expert welders to develop weapons, vehicles, and other military equipment needed to protect our country.
- Medical — Welders play a surprisingly important role in the healthcare industry, as they work to create valuable medical equipment, such as hospital beds and surgical tools.
These are just a few of the industries where welding is essential. Welders will find that they can easily secure employment in nearly every industry, thanks to the increased demand for skilled trade workers across the country.
Work-Life Balance and Career Freedom
With opportunities for traditional employment as well as entrepreneurial endeavors, welders enjoy a deep sense of freedom when it comes to carving out their own career path. This career, known for its designated hours and regulated working conditions, offers professionals an opportunity to enjoy a sense of work-life balance that can be hard to find in other fields.
Career Flexibility and Personal Fulfillment
Most welders enter the field because they enjoy working with their hands, and they want to work in the skilled trades. As a result, welders find their careers to be deeply fulfilling, because they can see the result of the hard work and effort that they put into the job each day. In addition, they have the ability to specialize within the welding field, allowing them to pursue niche positions in welding that can lead to further career growth and advancement opportunities.
Welding Diploma Program Overview
The Welding Diploma program is designed to provide students with the practical, technical, and academic skills needed to pursue welding certification and begin a welding career. The program uses the NCCER Welding curriculum, which ensures students develop proficiency in essential welding techniques, including Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, Flux Core Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, and pipe welding techniques.
On average, this diploma program takes about 12 months to complete, and students have to earn 61 credits to graduate with their diploma. Courses required as part of the program include:
- Safety and Craft Skills
- Applied Math for Welding
- Welding Drawings
- Introduction to Welding and Cutting Process
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding I and II
- Flux Core Arc Welding and Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
- Pipe Welding I, II, and III
- Aluminum Welding
This comprehensive program aligns with the American Welding Society’s SENSE standards for entry-level welders and complies with the U.S. Department of Labor’s apprenticeship standards. By progressing through four levels of training, students gain the necessary competencies for certification and become proficient in both foundational and advanced welding skills, equipping them to explore various career paths within the welding industry.
Begin Your Welding Training at Florida Technical College
At Florida Technical College, we offer a skills-based Welding Diploma Program that allows you to become proficient in the technical and practical welding skills needed to become certified in this field. Our comprehensive welding training allows you to prepare for a new career path, one in which you can work with your hands and see the result of your effort after a day on the job.
Request more information about our degree and diploma programs today.
These examples are intended to serve only as a general guide of possible employment opportunities. There are many factors that determine the job an individual may obtain and Florida Technical College cannot guarantee its graduates any particular job. Some positions may require license or other certifications. We encourage you to research the requirements for the particular position you desire.
