Welders and Welding Technicians

Employers

Approximately 438,900 welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers are employed in the United States. Workers in welding occupations work in a variety of settings. About 63 percent of welders are employed in manufacturing plants that produce fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, machinery, and architectural and structural metals. Most of the remaining welders work for repair shops or construction companies that build bridges, large buildings, pipelines, and similar metal structures. All welding machine operators work in manufacturing industries.

Starting Out

Graduates of good training programs in welding often receive help in finding jobs through their schools' career services offices. Online job postings and the classified ads sections of newspapers often carry listings of local job openings. Information about openings for trainee positions, apprenticeships, and government training programs, as well as jobs for skilled workers, may be available through the local offices of the state employment service and local offices of unions that organize welding workers. Job seekers also can apply directly to the personnel offices at companies that hire welders.