Underwater Welders

Employment for welders is expected to grow by 2 percent from 2024 through 2034, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This is slower than the average (3 percent) for all careers. But the DOL predicts stronger growth for welders in the following sectors that employ underwater welders:

• pipeline transportation of natural gas: +7.4 percent (much faster than average)
• pipeline transportation (all): +5.8 percent (faster than average)
• heavy and civil engineering construction +4.9 percent (faster than average)

“The demand for underwater welders remains strong, particularly in the oil and gas, shipbuilding, and infrastructure sectors,” according to The Ocean Corporation, which provides training for the commercial diving and nondestructive testing industries. “The need for skilled professionals to maintain and repair underwater structures is ongoing, ensuring steady job opportunities.”

The American Welding Society says that the top industries for underwater welders include:

• industrial (e.g., offshore drilling, power generation, open ocean wind turbines, water treatment facilities)
• infrastructure (e.g., dams and levees, marine docks, seawalls, waterway structures)
• transportation (e.g., maritime salvage and recovery, ship building and maintenance, subsea pipelines).