Underwater Welders

High School

In high school, take courses in shop (including metalwork, blueprint reading, mechanical drawing, and metallurgy), chemistry, and physics. Mathematics classes (especially geometry and trigonometry) will also be useful. During your high school years, you should also take diving classes.

Postsecondary Education

To become an underwater welder, you’ll need to learn how to dive. Dive training is offered for children as young as age eight, and divers who are at least 15 can earn adult certifications for open water diver, advanced open water diver, and rescue diver. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ offers a list of diving schools on its Web site, https://store.padi.com/en-us/education/learn-to-dive. Many commercial diving education programs include training in underwater welding.

Aspiring welders train for the field by earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in welding technology, welding engineering technology, or a related field at welding schools or technical colleges. A list of welding schools can be accessed at the American Welding Society’s Web site, https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/directory.

Many people train to become welders by completing apprenticeship programs, which typically last one to three years. Trainees must complete 144 hours of related classroom instruction and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training during each year of training. Registered apprenticeship programs are offered by the United Association-Union of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders, and Service Techs and other organizations. The U.S. Department of Labor offers information about apprenticeship training programs on its Web site, https://www.apprenticeship.gov/career-seekers.

Training to become a diver and welder is offered by the armed forces. Visit TodaysMilitary.com to learn about training opportunities in the U.S. military.

Certification

Certificates in welding, metalworking, and related fields are offered by welding schools, community and technical colleges, and other providers. Visit the American Welding Society’s Web site, https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/directory, for a list of certificate programs.

Other Education or Training

The American Welding Society offers in-person courses and webinars. Recent classes include Welding Fundamentals, Safety in Welding, Math for Welders, Introduction to Nondestructive Testing, Metallurgy, and Career Readiness. Nonprofit organizations (such as Women Who Weld), welding schools, and technical colleges offer welding courses. Diving classes are provided by diving schools.