5 Things Welding Schools DONT Want You to Know!
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- #weldingschool #rigwelder #welding
About 8 years ago I was at a cross roads. Go to welding school, or keep learning in the field. I researched for months on end, called welding school after welding school trying to get information. I asked about courses, what they would teach me, how much It cost and of course. Everything extra I wanted to learn was more money, by the time I had gotten a idea of the school I wanted to go to and the cost I was completely turned off by the whole thing. Forget learning to fabricate at most of these places! They simply didn’t offer it! So I kept on learning in the field. Was this correct choice? I’ll never know. But I’m debt free and make a decent living.
Here's the AWS website- www.aws.org/home
I have more hr on my machine using it as a generator so true 1/3 weld 2/3 weld
we gotta get a video of your work at some point!
@Meltin Metal Anthony charged the go pro and forgot it lots of cursing air arcing and welding at a insane speed
@@shawnlindquist404 don't forget
I went to welding school after about 15 years in carpentery. My first job in a fab shop, I was immediately recognized as the best cutman/fitter, and they almost never wanted me to weld. I guess the moral of my story is, don't be too good at the things you dont want to do all the time.
sounds like they cornered you.
Simply put, they knew they would not have to teach you anything that you could take to another job.
I've had to pretend I'm bad at sex due to the soreness
I went to Lincoln electric welding school 12 years ago. AMAZING school. 80% weld time. 20% class. I came out with 5 certs and can weld better than most people i work with. You can make 20 a hour just welding. I learned to fit/machine . That is where the money is at. I make 70-80k a year working 4 10 hour shifts a week barley working hard at all. Working on breaking out in to my own thing like meltin metal.
Where is this school located?
good luck. make dat money!@
Which Lincoln though?
@@essayess3 Euclid, OH main headquarters
@rarebeagle2741 cool! Thanks! Good luck becoming independent
You’re absolutely correct, sir. It never ceases to amaze me how many people think that when I show up on a job, I just fall out the truck and weld. As if everything is already cleaned,fitted and clamped together 🤦🏻♂️! I always say and have probably said here, “There’s very little welding to the welding business”.
I did 3 year apprenticeship in Alberta. 8 weeks of school a year which wasn’t too bad but all they teach you is welding 6” plates together in different positions so you do learn to run a bead but 90% of what you actually learn is at work. A lot of guys are lost after school cause they can’t fab and fit. Totally agree with Anthony.
Man I’m gonna have to disagree for the most part. I’m also an Albertan welder b pressure/tig welder and while I do agree maybe some fab work can be taught our program is considerably in depth in all aspects of metal. Learning about different alloys, metallurgy, learning how to read blue prints, learning tig welding carbon/ss/alum, stick welding plates all position with different rod types as well as learning pipe, you fit your own pipe. Mig&flux core, oxy -acetylene cutting projects. You need 4500 hours to complete our apprenticeship outside of technical training. what better place to learn than on the job? Considering Anthony himself has learned through practice on the job. If you are wanting to be fabricator type of welder, then find your way into a shop that will teach you just that. Seek the experience you want.
On top of that our government PAYS for us to go to school. We pay like 900 dollars CAD a semester, plus like 170 bucks in books and the governments funds the rest of the 7gs a semester it costs and if you applied for the grants some semesters it costs you fuck all. If you had to spend HUGE money to go to a school then yeah it should cover everything but our program allows us to work learn the in depths of metal and it’s alloys.
All in all I’m proud to be an Albertan welder, happen to think our welding program is pretty good all things considered. I barely welded through my apprenticeship but I learned to fit/fab/rig through my shop/industrial work throughout my apprenticeship. By the end of my third year I went for my b pressure in school and passed because of our program.
Hey, sorry to randomly comment two years later, but where did you go to school? I'm looking into starting an apprenticeship and dunno if I should go through the normal apprentieship with a good school, or try doing the full proper "pre apprenticeship" program and learning all there is to know before trying to forge a path
100% correct! Fitting, measuring etc. is so important. This applies to anyone getting into welding - I am just a hobby welder and I could not believe the ratio of time spent measuring and cutting and fitting … figuring out angles. Keep up the great content. I bet you have save more than few folks some time and headache.
Totally agree. I was fortunate that the local community College was also an AWS test facility and offered not just welding of all types but metallurgy, how to read blue prints, welding symbols, contractor law, and spent time on codes in the class, then hours under the hood. Had to learn how to measure stuff, cut and create per a specific plan set. Great way to supplement skills I already had
I can second that
@michaelhovanec3300 where did you go? I have a 17 year old who's about to graduate high school
Fullerton community college in Southern California. I dont think they are an AWS test facility any longer
I got my associates degree in welding for free thanks to grant money. We learned all the different processes, plate and pipe tests in all positions, math, fabrication, metallurgy, machining, blueprint reading etc... even got my first welding job through the school. I do wish they taught us more fabrication skills though. Once I started working in a large fab shop building huge projects I had to learn alot on the job. I don't regret going to welding school though.
Where did you go to school at?
@@ericddoran went to a University in Western Colorado. I would have gotten a bachelor's in welding if they offered it
@@MikeP350 what type of fabrication skills did they teach you on the job? Very curious
@@d4edxty Different ways to find square, different techniques of manipulating a work pice via come-alongs or port-a-power, formulas to find hole spacing around a circumference. Ways to calculate unknown angles and rise to run. Alot of basic fab math and methods were not taught in the weld school I went to
@@MikeP350 damn I’m horrible at math. Would I still have a shot at it if I’m bad at geometry and trig? I can read a tape measure, just bad at math.
Couldn’t agree more with everything you said. Went to a night class for welding with welding experience already, I basically did it for tests an codes all were free with the teacher being an AWS CWI so that was worth the money. Then did an apprenticeship with the pipe fitters here an learned more in a month than I ever have. Def got a subscriber after this one
I’ve learned more from UA-cam than I ever did in 2 years of Welding school.
Robert Oppenheimer reportedly said, "A college degree is merely a license to learn." (paraphrased from an old memory) Once you get a degree (or welding certification) you then have to start the "real-world" learning process. Oppenheimer led the Manhatten Project to create atomic weapons, where many super-smart scientists had to create the next level of knowledge. Cheers from Texas!
Anthony, I’m in full agreement with you on this subject. I teach welding at Project Lift a school for boys and girls at risk. I’m a volunteer I do not get paid. I tell my students that welding skill is just a tool necessary for completing any metal fabrication job. I also tell them that there are many skills such as math, geometry that must be learned in order to become a good Welder. It’s amazing to me how many kids today do not know how to turn a wrench or how basic tools work, but our society has made that happen with all the computer technology out there and the lack of interest in the trades. I guess that is why your profession is becoming a great place to be and why I am encouraging all my students to pursue a career in welding/fabrication. Thanks for the show and have a great day!
I'm not against technology like I mentioned earlier in a post. I have various knowledge in different things. I work on my own vehicles, build motors etc. Build houses etc. Operate heavy machinery I'm a computer programmer also having various skills has made me a very wealthy person blah blah blah. The problem is is when you have narrow-minded individuals that think this is the road to success. Don't go left. Don't go right? Stay on this road. That's why kids today have issues with skills or shall I say the lack thereof? America's schooling system is extremely crappy
@@imhungry2387 I'm so happy for you that you found a good mix! Congratulations! And wealthy from them? More power to you my friend! Any tips for a newcomer? I'm just starting out
I sent my 18yr old son this video, he's on his way to a comm-college and enroll in the welding curriculum. I have personally told him similar concepts you mentioned here and I agree. Hopefully he watches it and grasps the concept. Thank you for sharing.
Best way to learn about all types of welding is to master oxygen/acetylene welding (no not brazing) , gas welding teaches you puddle control, heat management, penetration and material properties, welding schools rarely teach flame cutting let alone welding..
How is it going ?
Well said. Couldn't agree more. I took a few small votec classes for a year then I went and got real field experience working as a helper and now I'm in a great career. Most of what I learned was on the job and in the field!
i’m in welding school right now watching this and it gave me depression. luv ur vids Anthony!
How did welding school go? I’m planning on going
This was arclabs, the school I attended. Crappy instructors that only taught you how to watch the puddle. Now I have no skills, no job and 20k in debt. You called it from the beginning.
I’m happy to hear you say “not all welding schools.” I hate dealing in absolutes, but given that caveat, I agree with the rest of the information. Like all careers that exist, there are good teachers and bad teacher, good welders and bad, good schools and bad. As an instructor myself, I’ve quit a local college that wasn’t properly educating the welders and administration wouldn’t work or pay to fix it. I HATE seeing people taken advantage of, and that’s what I’m hearing you reflect as well. The high school is an awesome free opportunity for students to learn, and in the first year I push the welding heavy - mig, tig, stick, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting. That way year 2 I can focus heavy on the fab side, measurement, and warpage reduction, and holding tolerances, and know I’m not gonna have to hand hold them through setting up the machine or swapping out wire every day. I love the job training facility I work at also, because of how hard they work to get funding for every student. They have quality equipment, the opportunity to learn up to 4 different processes, and usually pay nothing out of pocket for the experience. Keep holding inadequate schools accountable!
My welding course was two years now crammed into 9 months.
Lack of welders they say. Lots of textbook material is getting skipped. I'm 51 going to school after leaving garage door install and repair after 20 years.
I originally tried to get into a community college to learn metal trades as they teach more than just welding, but they lost my transcripts so I had to take a combination welding course at a tech college instead. Kids should graduate HS regardless whether they want to learn a trade or not, as unions sometimes require a transcript for algebra, etc. (depending on your choice of trade).
Man last year I went to welding school provided by the army and I had to go through OSHA 30. Also learned how to stick, tig, and mig weld. It was the best choice for me because I learn so much better from doing than reading.
Right. It’s hard to start if no one is gonna give you a hand. Community college is a way. Union is a way. Military the way.
I have been hired several times as a certified welder, next thing I know I doing layout, fitting and fixturing 95% of the time and maybe 5% welding, the response from the company, "we can get welders all day but layout, fitter and fixture guys are hard to find", your video is on point for sure Anthony.
They wanted to hire a fitter to pay them like a welder
Took a certification course at my community college (was very cheap), but only did fillet welds all day, learn more at my first job in the first week than I learned months at a school.
I love u Dana Carvey, WAYNES WORLD ,, WAYNES WORLD... bro ur speaking the truth man, I respect u so much I truly do and admire and thank u so much for all ur help, and for free and it's the realest talk I ever seen on all welding UA-cam channels.... Fr fr thank u sir. 🏆
thanks you for this. ive been stressing to save up the cash to go to welding school on top of my day job ( electrician apprentice ). I ended up getting insight from a friend whos currently going to that school. so far he says its good but all he's been able to learn is how to pass plate tests. Im pretty sure they teach you how to bevel but certainly no other fabrication skills. i printed out the course outline and alot of the real word applications are just taught through a textbook theoritically. I'll just stick to hustling my way into a small company the same way i did with electrical and learn first hand from there. Whats great is that this school allows you to customize your training as well. Once i get better idea of the industry ill make a decsion whether to go and pay for training
I dropped my mechanics career to head to Gillette Wyoming for welding school. I looked all over the US for welding specific schools and chose WWA. They'll teach all aspects of what is welding plus 100% job placement after graduation.
Anthony, Awesome advise I’ve been saying this for years. Our local school teaches to just pass the test for TIG. pipe welding they don’t teach any fabrication skills. Fabrication skills are priceless
my school (just a community college) had the best teacher ive ever seen. we learned mig, tig, flux, stick 7018 and 6010, all processes flat, vertical and overhead, pipe in all processes, using torch, plasma, cnc plasma table, break, shear, you name it. it was a welding program but you learn a TON of fabrication skills also. It was actually a really hard program and I was a welder for 10 years prior to taking it. I am grateful for that teacher.
I couldn’t agree more. I worked with two guys at a fabrication shop, one in his 60’s and one 19 years old and neither one of them could read a tape unless it was the half in or inch mark. I went to school for 2 years welding and 1 year machining at NDSCS and I learned how to weld, how to fabricate, how to read a tape and dial caliper. Learned how to tig, mig, and stick weld all types of metal. Only cost me around $35,000 for 3 years including all tools I bought.
This man is talking facts
Not many welding schools ever touch on welding sheet metal. They only teach heavy plates and pipes.
Body men are master sheet metal welders
Yup this guy tells it how it is and people need to realize that it really comes down to school of hard knocks aka get yourself out there and learn how the real welding world actually functions outside the trade school. Because its a whole another animal and you cant screw up too often or tour out of a job basically. Sometimes its best to start out as a laborer or a helper and really really pay attention to how the professionals do it because when the opportunity comes, then it'll be your time to shine. Oh and be good at repairing welds and cutting tacks off and redoing shit cuz you'll be doing alot of that too especially in fitting when stuff dont fit up right in other words dont be lazy because this trade comes down to blood sweat and tears and experience. Yup welding is just one part of it. Some places will hand ya a blueprint and some tools and say here ya go build this and weld it all from scratch with very little supervision. And when the mentor or supervisor or quality guy you work with says that's off too much, you better know how to fix stuff with a cutting wheel or you may have have to grind out or carbon arc out an entire weld because it failed ultrasonic testing. All i can say is it does take trial and error but its also learning from previous mistakes and just learn one thing at a time. Do a little better each time. But it does come down to doing it on an everyday basis. This trade isn't for everybody just like any other profession. Every welding job is different to an extent you may just be a production welder, or you may do both fitting and welding.
You are My Brother from another mother! Its a good feeling to know there are people like me. Hyper, outspoken, down to earth and highly knowledgeable
I did not go to welding school, I was just a helper in one shop. Theres a guy asked me if im interested to learn welding and fittings. He taught me, I learned, I quit there find better place to improve my new develop skills. Now I make 120k to 140k a year or even more if i want to.
Some of the best advice I've ever heard. I was lucky enough to be in secondary school, (high school), in the 70's. We were tought metalworking, woodworking, technical drawing. All this has now gone in the UK. It was such a good grounding for the future. You can't have everyone working in I.T.
50 years in the trade 4 year apprentice in a shipyard trained in MMA, TIG, MIG, MAG, SAW, Atomic hydrogen, Air arc day release to college with compulsory night school for the last 20 years a CSWIP and CWS welding inspector of that 10 years at senior level can’t imagine doing anything else
thank you for this video. i'm curious about welding and never had the chance to give it a try. I grew up in a big city & didn't get any hands on technical skills. I'm 33 now & going to back to community college for a free intro to welding class. For the first month we're getting an amazing lecture on material sciences, physics, engineering.. subjects I never got a chance to explore in high school. learning about safety and some of the extreme dangers, the risk that welders go through is really crazy. there should be more appreciation for the people that do this as a profession!
Definitely! Good luck on your journey
Same age here. About to start in a week
I’m in welding school currently and you’re 100% spot on, I learned a lot there but a majority of what I learned that is applied to welding was learned outside of school out in the field
Anthony’s candor😂 is why he is quickly becoming my favorite channel.
I've been a welder in a fabrication shop for a year and really wish I saw this video before I had started You're exactly right with it only being 10% of the work and I didn't even know about warping and all this stuff beforehand cuz nobody ever told me in welding school and it's good to hear someone mentioned the money cuz my girlfriend tells her friends that I'm a welder and they're all like oh he must make a lot of money well that's just not the case for a lot of welders
My local vocational high school was great, cwi welding instructor and very knowledgeable from years of trade work. Safety was beyond the standard, wouldn’t allow you to mig weld besides to learn the basics but only a week or two then back to stick and tig, couldnt mig weld any class projects, wanted us to be proficient with stick and tig first before we did any mig welding, even then he would joke about it if we suggested mig welding. He said in production shops and quick little things yes it’s the best but if you plan to do repair work or high quality tig you won’t be any different than someone who never went to school if you only mig weld. besides learning joints and metallurgy basics etc obviously. i practiced with a family friend before school started and I as the only one not sticking rods every strike, so watching videos and getting a good cheapo welder to fail with at home will set you up to know the mistakes before you even touch a decent machine
Agree with everything you said…but what other professionals teach you how to troubleshoot or work through a process? Reality is…they teach comprehensive theory and the “how-to”…experience teaches lessons and lessons grow maturity and maturity grows experience. You have to know what you are doing with anything!! Another great video for the guys starting out. I took welding in Vo-Tech…my instructor was a 30-year Navy Retiree and taught us his experiences!! Walked away with all of the Certs and blueprint reading the high priced useless schools taught, for FREE!’ Ended up landing my first job at a company called Frog n Switch…building snowplows…from cut to paint…I was involved. Company paid for my Bachelors and Masters in mechanical engineering! A bit of knowledge goes along way…but those lessons, experiences and maturity take you somewhere!
My dad was in the army. He showed me one day how they taught him to weld with a car battery if you're ever in a pinch. He is the best welder I have yet to see. He's 87 now and doesn't do much welding anymore. He told me one day something I will never forget. He said, "Any moron can lay a bead. Just like any moron can spray paint. 99% of making a good weld, or good paint job is in the prep work."
Career Journeyman Shipfitter now starting up my own business- I really appreciate your honesty my man you remind me a lot of guys i've worked side by side with for years!
I fully agree with the difference of Fitters vs. Welders- at the shipyards here in VA typically you have just what you describe; a typical Shipfitter isn't just a "trigger puller" like welders- yes they weld but they are full blown fabricators, they install the job in location with whatever means is most effective and efficient. There is a reason why welders literally watched us bust ass moving superlifts into ships location while they just watched.
When someone calls me a Welder its an insult just as the rest of the Shipfitters. In our line typical craftsmen who become welders are fitters who failed math/couldn't read a ruler or a drawing.
My friend you hit the nail on the head you’ve got to know how to fabricate. I’ve been doing this for 26 years and I’ll tell you right now everybody that comes in the shop looking for a job. All they can do is weld. If all you can do is weld unless you’re just starting out like right out of school. You’re not gonna stand out in a fab shop probably not even get a job there cause everybody in there can already weld.
Graduate from IOT and let me tell you could never be more right. The ventilation is the worst in that school along with everything else. I could have seen this video a lot earlier.
I was blessed to attend a really good community college, Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA. They showed me blueprint reading, MIG, TIG, SMAW, FCAW, Brazing, Oxy/acetylene torch, plasma torch, Plasma CNC and CAD, they taught in depth about codes, reading measuring tape and so much more. REALLY good teachers, very humerous and down to Earth. Totally worth my time/money, it cost me less than 800$ at the time!!!!
Good stuff Anthony! Especially the measuring comments!
Seriously the best video i couldve ever watched before i take a step into welding school. I was looking at a local comm college. I watched this video, did research and decided against this particular one and found one 1.5 hours away that will teach what i need to learn. Thanks for this video sir. Helped out alot.
Thank you for this video, I know how to weld well as well as fit up and how to read a tape measure. I found this video looking for guidance on how to get certified to get employed and this video helped a lot. Keep up the good work👍
Welding Department Head told us engineering students that we'd never be welders, that was disappointing. It was a 4 year full time course at our UK institute! Fortunately I never wanted to weld undersea oil pipelines! I just bought a welder and became a marine engineer, boatbuilder in all materials and trades, enjoy transport and earthmoving machinery fabrication and repairs. Variety is the spice of life. Doing quite a bit of welding at my house by the beach in the Philippines now 🏖️ Good luck young bucks! 😎
Excellent video, I love it. No fucking around, no sugar coating. Keep up the honest truth.!!!
Your the shit man 🙌I’m also a central florida guy , over in Lakeland(Polk county ) been field welding for 7 years after finishing up technical school and I must say your right . The only thing we learned in welding school was to pass plate and pipe tests in all processes . We didn’t learn shit about fabrication, and after school I found out real quick that welding isn’t even the majority of the job unless your in a production shop welding and fuck that . I’d rather be in the field
I am glad to be from alberta where we have a decent standardized welder education system
LOL----Estine, all schools are just a steppingstone to understand the basic things...
It's a learning curved to everything during your experience.
I'm am aluminum fitter at a shipyard and working my way to being a combo welder never picked up a weld gun before this year but I've been a carpenter most of my young adult life so fitting came naturally once I figured out the mig machine I've been getting better and better with my weldin
i bought a buzz box used it’s like 70 years old works perfect and i taught myself how to weld and fabricate. i’ve used 6011, 6013 and 7018 so far
Very cool!
@@MeltinMetalAnthony I made a hitch cover for my jeep all from sheet metal. i made the 2x2 tubing and a cut out a jeep grill it turned out awesome
Agreed. I learned mig welding in a trailer factory, you'd be surprised how many people go into that job not knowing how to read a tape. Plan on going to the local career center to get certified, might as well take the basic course and advanced course while I'm at it since it'd be under a grand for all of it
I’m enrolled in community college wanting to weld right now. I start in three days and my whole first semester is machine shop stuff. I weld multiple times a week for my own uses already but I want those certifications. Due to my grades and ACT score I’ll end up paying about $250 per semester and feel comfortable with that investment. I’ve spent more than that on rods and angle grinders.
YOU'RE making perfect sense some are only interested getting your money and don't give a damn if you learned anything
Lol dude you sound just like my dad.... And you are correct sir!!! My dad taught me fabrication many many years ago back when I was 18 and he told me fabrication is most important to know because welding can come easy afterwards. All these years later after working in different shops I can say that is very true. Learning lay outs and forming such as rolling and bending will make you much more money than just welding. I am 36 years old now and am working on starting my own sheet metal fab shop now. I never stepped foot in a classroom other than the shop. I did all my learning with my pops in the shop fucking shit up lol. This is awesome dude... Keep up the great work!!!
I know this video is 2 years old but I just saw it and thank you. Thank you very much.
I've been trying to get into welding school the past 3 years but couldnt/cant afford it. After hearing you speak it sounds like I have a real chance of getting help to learn by hunting for a mentor/tutor this winter!
i fucking love you man not only are you on point with everything you said but bc you tell it how it is not how you see it with no sugar coating.
Im in welding school. have bin for the past couple months.
The accuracy of what you are saying is my predicament to a tee. luckily I was that carpenter/general labour dude before and still am during this school so I still use my square and tape measure but shoot..
they aint teaching much.
im glad you have thous skills. you will go far
I'm a welder at a motorsports fab shop, run a mig all day welding parts. Gotta stack dimes and make it pretty, which is probably the only reason I get paid as much as I do.
Anthony is 100% right. Mig is brainless if you just need it to hold, if you need it pretty it's quite a bit harder, which is the only reason I enjoy my job as much as I do.
I kinda had the idea that I needed to learn how to measure and buy myself a couple of tools. Chop saw, band saw, etc. Then I just watched this video and it confirmed my suspicions lol.
Thanks for the info.
That's right. AWS has determined that every weld process is generally 90% set up and only 10% welding. These weld schools that teach a person to stand in one place and weld all day is ridiculous. They don't have 90% of what it takes to be a welder.
I went to a community College for there 2 year welding course. I had been doing mig and stick for a few years before that, but I wanted to see what I didn't know. Turns out I already knew about of what they were teaching.
But what I seen were the students that were only half interested in doing the work.
I went to 3 night classes at the local community college 4 years ago. I was disappointed that there were 35-40 people and one instructor. Most of the kids (I am older btw) were 6-7 weeks in and couldn’t even do a decent bead on flat plate with no filler (with tig). It was unbelievable. Most of the kids graduating with a 2 year degree in welding couldn’t weld as good as I could in stick, and I only had 14 weeks of practice (1 day a week 3 hours).
Truth is, a good school will teach far more than most companies will be willing to teach. Even apprenticeship programs are limited. Schools can be very broad and open many opportunities. Is this necessary? Not really, but if someone wants to make a career out of welding, why not have all the options available?
Going to a two year program also opens up the opportunity to make that into a 4 year program if someone wanted to get into the engineering aspect afterwards.
You are 100% correct about some schools being bad though. It’s up to the student to do their research not only into the school, but also welding careers so they know what they’re getting into and what they should focus on.
Thanks for these videos. Exactly no one else puts this information out there and especially like you.
I like this guy's energy. He's got moxie !
I was a foreman at a weld/fab shop, we'd have allot recent graduates come apply and take weld test, yes they could lay a good looking bead down BUT they usually had issues with tape measures and absolutely no fab skills, we hired some and taught them real life welding skills and even paid them for learning lol
Learn to measure and use all the tool cut with a torch learning every welding process pass all test and also to prep the material and to make things to where people ask for your business
when i heard 13 a hour to weld and i realized where you're located i think i worked at one of those places
I never went to school for any welding and I’ve been doing it for over 20 years. Sometimes I don’t know all the lingo a lot of welders speak but I know how to get the job done.
I agree 100%. another point to make is: Being self employed If I need a degree or certs of any type I'll hire them..;)
OMG Learn to read a tape. I totally agree most kids have no idea on how to read a tape. Everyone wants to just weld. My first test for new hires are tape skills. AWS has test facilities all over. I have sent 3 employee's to test for a job or two who have never attended a welding school. but were good hands and great welders / fabricator hands.
Mine was 100% free lancaster county career and technology now I’m a union ironworker you are 100% correct as well, welding is just part of the game
I am a hobbie welder, I've been watching you for tips and learned a lot. That said a youngin wanting to learn the basics for free can join the military and pick an MOS that involves welding, or like my stepson, he went to job corp and they got him a basic free training that got him a job and the rest was OJT.
The only thing that helped me and saved me in my career, before I went to school I worked in a Fab shop for about 4 years and learned as much as I could from the old guys, when I did go to school I was so much more ahead knowing how to use a tape in fabricating a long with welding. And your so fuckin right 10% of what we did was weld. School is good but it doesn't beat real world experience
I agree I went to a welding school myself and didn't learn a dam thing besides how to survive on ramen and cheap beer lol. But seriously, they only teach the basics of welding and not the real world stuff. Love the content! Keep doing you man!
I just watched this video Anthony I’m super glad you put that into perspective, I’m in Florida to as I went to weld school a few years back and we were taught how to use all processes on plate and pipe and how fit as well as we learned how to properly read measuring devices also how to read blueprints as well and the school is very cheap to go the cheapest in Florida almost where we learned more the most schools do and I hate seeing people spend thousands of dollars for nothing at all since being in this trade I’ve Hurd stories of people spending 25 grand for two years of school and I’m welding right beside them and they can’t run a straight bead to save there life. And I’m trying to hold my breathe about it and not make those people feel bad with saying dude I literally spent 4 grand and turned out. After 5 years I am now a part time weld instructor at the same college I taught at. Which is beyond my dreams and it’s been amazing, welding really did save my life for the best. Thanks anything love your content my dude.
Anthony sorry!
hey boss I’m looking for a good cheap school in central Florida any recommendations?
Framers get a lot of sideways looks. A good framer holds a lot tighter tolerances than a lot of people think. It all comes down to square plumb and true. It can all be learned, plenty of places.
You gotta appreciate people like him. Straight to the fuckin point. 😂
Also weld symbols on a blueprint. I had to teach myself
It was a bit degrading applying at a few different shops here recently and having them tell me their starting wage was between 16 and 20 an hour. I have roughly 3 years experience and have certs(not that they mean much but in a shop setting seems to be a "requirement" around here so I got them) when Culver's is hiring at 21 an hour starting... I am looking for something until I can get up and running solo and these places complain about not having guys, are running mandatory 50 hour weeks trying to keep up but can't break 20 to start?!?! Get effed. I did find one welding program out here that was good. But laugh at some of the others I've seen. 2 years to learn to weld and like you said, these frickin kids can't even run a torch to make a clean cut or read a tape measure.
I remodeled my house and hired high school kids to help. Literally had to teach them how to use a cordless drill to drive phillips head screws, read a tape measure or use a shovel.
Seems to me that learning algebra and trig along with basics of fabricating measuring, cutting, grinding, welding, riveting, threading connections, cleaning, painting and safety would serve as basics for anyone interested in a career in fabrication/repair industry. So unless you are lucky enough to have a father/uncle show you these things how do you learn? You can try to teach yourself but that is difficult or get a job where you will get trained and have opportunity to learn from experienced people (also not easy, most of the time guys at work don't want to share what they know just make fun of the "new guys"). So going to school of some sort is necessary along with alot of experience.
As for not liking the wages shops are paying there is a lesson .... if the person doing the work is making less than 20 and hour and the shop charges 100, how do you get to become "the shop". It's more skills to run a legit business but certainly worthwhile to learn them and start working for yourself. Very few get rich working for someone else.
Lincoln Electric welding school 1973 10% class 90% welding. 10 week course $300. Stick and Tig then I was employed at American Shipbuilding where I really learned how to weld all-position!
6:09 They had bins of different metal thicknesses for us at Welding school, and we got lots of booth time and personalized instruction, but only the teacher's favorites got to fabricate. But I am thankful for the booth time. It got me a job at a fab shop that got me endless amounts of time fabricating, tacking, and fitting dumpsters and trailers of all kinds using carbon steel and AR steels. Great stepping stone. Now I am in a fab shop where I am exposed to oxy fuel, blueprints from thermodynamics industries, and I am using the CNC table, the bandsaw, the brake press, drill pressing, some lathing, fence fabrication, stick welding, TIG (not so much yet, just tacks at this point), sandblasting, and the all wtih aluminum, carbon, stainless and AR.
You can also go apply to apprenticeships at your local union halls or any mechanical contractor that does new construction installs or retro fits
A community college in Texas has a welding program geared towards fabrication. Which is great.
Hey Anthony this was a great video! I am currently at SAIT in Alberta Canada taking welding school and your exactly right more people likeminded to you need to be teaching the meaning of this trade. Your videos have helped me out lots !
How long does it take in a welding school?
Learned to weld working at my family heavy equipment repair shop after school in the late 90s and then went to production welding in factories ( no fun) and then learned to fabricate so did that but personally i prefer to be a heavy equipment repair welder/ mechanic cause i get more personal satisfaction from it but i worked in repair shops, automotive factories, forges, foundries, oilfields, and ive had to work with weld school grads quite a few times and every single one of them basically only knew how to weld which is ok production welding at a factory but if ur a welder in a fab shop u better know how to fabricate at least a little and welding/repairing equipment/ trailers etc u better know how to turn a wrench and be able to weld tore up rusty steel in hot/ wet/ muddy/ dangerous environment and i never once met a school welder that could do that. Experience is the ONLY way to learn that shit. Thats crazy u welded in tampa, i just moved back to southern Indiana from tampa, last place i worked at there was reliable welding and steel supply off of 30th and goddam it was hot layin on my back in the sand burning rods/wire and torching fixing trailers and dumpsters in the summer
Man I love your shit!!! I went to community college back in 2010 and all I’ve ever done is welding since I’ve welded in Washington Alaska Idaho and Montana! I think your video is spot on! I took my career pretty far but it’s not cause school it’s cause of my drive! Prob helps I worked at a fab shop during my welding school. Keep up the videos im a huge fan!!!!
so correct. i had a damn good teacher in high school shop. learned measuring skills as we built real world projects and sold to public. it doesnt happen much anymore. my biigbest agreement is i know a younger guy spent a ton of money on a welding school in texas, cant fab, cant stick. 3 years of burning wire. wtf? yes in my 100k a year job its mostly wire for speed but i have to stick weld and the stick weld has to be 100%. the wire better is preferred but not that important.
Hey good morning, somehow I’m a subscriber to your channel. Must’ve seen one of your videos along the way can’t remember. But now I will remember you. This is a killer video. You are the man. Been welding most of my life. I suppose Fabing as well etc. kind of like a Blaksmith. Not a professional arc welder. But you are a great inspiration and you tell it like it is. Thank you for helping so many people! Look forward to more of your videos. Stay well and have a beautiful day and keep up the good attitude. Jim
thanks for the sub brother!
I got 4 years of welding school for free at public school. 2 years of shop and 2 of trade school. Learned every kind of welding and always stayed to learn and went in on weekends to keep learning. Do it while you're in high school get an internship then retire by 40. You've already put yourself 4 years ahead of everyone else. If they offer it take it.
I'll be honest, the worst "welders" I've come across are ones that learned in a shop (not an apprenticeship). Because you have to push things out the door all kinds of stupid garbage gets passed off. And then they go somewhere else and they're so used to the garbage they're pretty much untrainable. And then there's the ones with 10 years "experience" who don't know a fucking thing, but because they're been making garbage for so long think they do.
Again, no nonsense advice...thank you sir.
I got it for free lol. Did a school program. I'm certified for MIG, Stick, and Fluxcore. Didn’t have time for any TIG certs. We barely went over metal fabrication and blue print reading. ALL WE DID WAS WELD. I was one of the lucky ones who stayed behind and would build shit out of the scrap yard in the back of the school during the year. All they focused on is welding and IT WAS INFURIATING DUDE. Only half the kids passed their free weld cert test for STICK. Someone was sleeping in CLASS for god knows how many days. It truly is something. I couldn’t imagine paying $15,000 for that class. Rip off dude.
If you are a youngster try to get a free ride with a trade school. Before welding though take a few woodshop classes. You'll learn to work with your hands, learning how to manufacture with wood will give you confidence in metal fabrication once you take that next step.
Learn to read a tape measure, learn fractions and basic arithmetic. The amount of people I see try to get welding/metal fabrication jobs and still can't do basic math is astounding.
I havent gone to welding school and am a production welder and make pretty decent money. Good video!
I am so fucking happy I stumbled upon this video. I'm glad I learned basic measurements when I was younger, I'm 26 now and really wanting to get into pipefitting/welding.
Yep, just welding coupons together. I mean we had to measure out our coupons but thats about it. Luckily when I started in a welding job I had about a year of machining. But alot of the fabrication came into play when I started at a company that builds railing, fences and gates. Not tough welding but a lot measuring and making sure things are gonna fit together right.