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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:18:32 PM EDT
[#1]
Smart move. Around here welders arecin HIGH demand thanks to shipbuilding.
He will also have minimal student debt and will be making good money. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:20:01 PM EDT
[#2]
Sounds like he may be heading in a direction that can be rewarding in many ways.
If he has not already done so get him involved in some practical math so that he will understand how Trig can apply for lengths of certain angles. Between welding and plumbing knowing some math is very practical. I wasted 7 years in college between Jr College where I did great in lower level classes only to transfer to the 4 year and suddenly hate my majors. Went up through Calc 3 on my own just to hopefully understand the shooting world a bit better. But it wasnt ever something that fit me as a person and I wasted far too much time to basically wind up with an AS in business. All because I was listening to my dad's mantra of "you need a degree" while I stubbornly tried to do what he wanted. My relative happiness increased when I blew off school and started to do what I wanted. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:20:49 PM EDT
[#3]
Welders are highly valued... if they are good.
Add in commercial diver and he might travel the world while making great money. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:21:57 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Only welder I know has shot lungs and bad knees from the trade. Son needs to buckle down and get an education. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:22:29 PM EDT
[#5]
My 21 year old is an apprentice sprinkler fitter. He loves the money and is very financially responsible. He will retire young. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:22:48 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Tell him to give me a call when he can run a sanitary bead in stainless. 
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:25:05 PM EDT
[#7]
Around here it's turd herders in high demand.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:25:08 PM EDT
[#8]
College isn't for everyone. The fact that he is willing to NOT be sucked into the thought that he has to have a piece of paper to make it is great. Plus, as was said, he is young enough so if he does change his mind, he will be able to do so.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:26:02 PM EDT
[#9]
Have him learn to weld, part of welding is knowledge but it also is a bit of natural talent. Be sure to get a decent math back ground so you can learn how to do fitting correctly. Also you need to learn your metals and their properties.
If nothing else it is a skill you can use to continue building other skills. I made good money build bike frames, high vacuum components and race cars, while working on my degree in engineering. The real money welding is in pipelines, refineries and construction. Thing is you need to travel around the country. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:28:42 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I wonder if they're as awful as Air Force trained machinists. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Bet the Navy trains welders... |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:28:42 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
An engineer who actually understands machining and welding is priceless. Lots of engineers design stuff that can't be built. Get both. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted: I'm an engineer and I've been trying to convince my son to move towards skilled trades instead of engineering. He still has his heart set on engineering, but I'm making him put himself through school with the skilled trades. He's 16 and is learning welding and vehicle repairs now, might be on a construction crew through the summer. Get both. What was cool was that in the first semester, you had to take a required class in which you had to learn how to weld, cast, use the lathe, drill press and mill. For each module, there was a piece that you had to manufacture in order to pass. The logic was that you needed to understand and know the limits of various manufacturing techniques BEFORE you started designing shit. That part was really fun and interesting. The math and statistics classes, however, could go to hell.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:29:58 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
My Son is 15 and a middle of the road student (Bs and some Cs). He came home and asked me to sign a slip saying he can attend a trade school in conjunction with finishing his HS diploma (day is split, regular HS classes in the morning, Trade school in the afternoon}. This will last his Junior/Senior year. He chose welding because his friend's parents are in construction and talked about how they need welders and see a growing deficit of them in the area. So, Welders, How is this trade treating you? The trades may not be for everyone, but for some it is the best life path they can take. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:31:25 PM EDT
[#13]
I'm with the kid on this one.
Good for him...smart play imo Get all the hand skills you can while you can. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:31:42 PM EDT
[#14]
Welders, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, crane operators, etc ..... are all in high demand here
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:31:46 PM EDT
[#15]
OP,
Show him this thread. Lots of knowledge here. I was in LE for too long in my life and realized it wasn't for me. Decided enough was enough and started up masonry. Trades will always be needed, and with the right mentorship and tenacity, he will do just fine. Congrats on having a well grounded kid. A man's got to know his limitations in order to succeed in life. It sounds like he's head and shoulders above his peers in recognizing how life actually is. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:32:50 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
... That part was really fun and interesting. The math and statistics classes, however, could go to hell.  So how did you get your PhD in Economics? Sleeping with the entire dissertation committee?
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:33:56 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Welders, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, crane operators, etc ..... are all in high demand here OOOOOOOPS ... I didn't mean to quote myself LOLOLOLOL my bad op |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:35:14 PM EDT
[#18]
Good for him. College isn't for everyone and we should really disavow the notion that if you don't go to college you are destined to work at McDonald's your entire life and die broke and destitute.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:35:45 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Another thing is that he can always go to college later, when he will be more mature and it will be much easier, if he decides to. I dropped out of college when I was young, and joined the army. College was for me, but just not at that time. My dad, a mechanical engineer, paid for school by welding in the summers. His uncle was with the union and tried like hell to get him to join and skip out on college. So, a skill led to a successful engineering career down the road. In my case I was really bad at college on the first try. I left and went to work for an offshore drilling company, got my stuff wired in a straight line and did really well in school after that experience. Your son sounds like he is smart and has a good plan. The only thing that I would tell him is not to be afraid of new opportunities and expanding his skills in the future. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:36:09 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
There are better trades such as a commercial electrician. I trained as a welder and it’s ruff on the eyes. I always wanted to learn electrical. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:37:36 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
sounds like you raised a smart kid. Congrats. Grade point isn't necessarily a reflection of intelligence. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:39:09 PM EDT
[#22]
Tell him they are paying $27 an hour for a welder in Wyoming
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:39:41 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
MY kid is going to COLLEGE. (someone had to say that so I figured we'd get it out of the way) Good choice on his part. Ask him about being an electrician, though. The fumes can be brutal in confined spaces. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:39:45 PM EDT
[#24]
Good on him.
In addition to being super OCD on safety/personal protection, I'd have him set up/fund his own retirement with automatic payroll deductions. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:39:46 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sound like a smart kid. Maybe he should look into getting SCUBA certified as well. I’ve heard there can be good money in underwater welding in the oil industry. Little will he know it may help him out in the future. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:40:14 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Nothing wrong with that. If he doesn't like it, he'll be young enough to start something new. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:40:43 PM EDT
[#27]
If my son goes that route I'm fine with it so long as he understands he's not done once he gets a job. Trades are no different than any other career, you need to set goals and advance your career to be successful.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:40:57 PM EDT
[#28]
Good on him for planning, solid head on his shoulders. Also, continuing education isn’t impossible during earning a living.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:41:39 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So how did you get your PhD in Economics? Sleeping with the entire dissertation committee?Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
... That part was really fun and interesting. The math and statistics classes, however, could go to hell. So how did you get your PhD in Economics? Sleeping with the entire dissertation committee? |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:42:13 PM EDT
[#30]
Does he like Scuba Diving? If so he can combine them and make great money.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:42:25 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I thought about this. I’ve always wanted to get SCUBA certified. Sounds like a father/ son thing for us to do together. Little will he know it may help him out in the future. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Sound like a smart kid. Maybe he should look into getting SCUBA certified as well. I’ve heard there can be good money in underwater welding in the oil industry. Little will he know it may help him out in the future. 
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:43:01 PM EDT
[#32]
My cousin is a dumb welder...
He went to trade school, earned his certification and then went to work for the US Sugar Corporation. He paid his dues and earned enough money to start working for himself. He is contracted through the state and the Sugar Corporation now..... Here is his feelings when someone calls him a dumb welder... 
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:43:43 PM EDT
[#33]
OP, if you he wants to be a welder, you should enroll him in drug and alcohol rehab right now and start buying prepaid legal service cards.
I say this in jest; but he should know that poor decisions are rampant in the welding trade. The guys who stay on the straight and narrow are the ones who do well. He needs to understand this. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:43:45 PM EDT
[#34]
It’s good honest work that pays well. College is not for everybody...
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:44:03 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
No. He needs a degree in liberal trans feminisim arts.  |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:44:40 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Air force and blue collar work don't mix. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Bet the Navy trains welders... 
BTW your son is smarter than most people out there. I went to college but wish I had gone to a trade school instead. That is what I ended up doing anyway I would advise him to take some college classes though, just in case he tries to start his own buisness. Accounting, Business. Community Colleges have those in the evening. I took them and they helped a lot |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:45:04 PM EDT
[#37]
If he plays his cards right he will make more money than many of the dipshits I went to college and grad school with.
A welder in the pipeline industry makes damn fine money. I know a guy who does that and drives around the country doing jobs with his pickup, trailer, tools and dog and has a more interesting life than I do and probably makes more money than I do too. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:47:01 PM EDT
[#38]
My brother said they have a standing opening for welders. If they can walk in the door and weld they have a job.
I live very close to a large beam manufacturer and they have not removed the "hiring welders" sign since I moved here 1.5yrs ago. I have no experience around welders, but those two observations suggest he will not have difficulty finding a job. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:50:30 PM EDT
[#39]
As a mechanical engineer working in a field which employs welders, definitely go into welding. Become and expert when you're young and enjoy living debt free with a car and a house before you're 30.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:50:30 PM EDT
[#40]
I have an advanced degree and make very good money. I’ve told my son to be an electrician.
Of the 10 or so welders I know that have at least 20 yrs on the job they like their jobs but have all had neck problems and most have had c spine fusions. I recommend young welders go back and work on a business degree at some point so they can run a desk and have young welders work for them Ymmv |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:52:02 PM EDT
[#41]
My friends are quite shocked when they discover that I'm not a licensed electrician.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:53:03 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Never been on a B-52 Flight line I see
BTW your son is smarter than most people out there. I went to college but wish I had gone to a trade school instead. That is what I ended up doing anyway I would advise him to take some college classes though, just in case he tries to start his own buisness. Accounting, Business. Community Colleges have those in the evening. I took them and they helped a lot Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Bet the Navy trains welders...
BTW your son is smarter than most people out there. I went to college but wish I had gone to a trade school instead. That is what I ended up doing anyway I would advise him to take some college classes though, just in case he tries to start his own buisness. Accounting, Business. Community Colleges have those in the evening. I took them and they helped a lot I'm still going to give zoomies a hard time!
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:54:09 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My friends are quite shocked when they discover that I'm not a licensed electrician. In all seriousness, there are a lot of opportunities for a welder. Not everyone needs to go into debt and go to college. My daughter, who I thought would follow in her parent's footsteps, wants to decorate cakes and make pastries. A cousin of mine is a welder with Shepler's in Mackinaw City and welds on the ferry boats. My nephew got certified in MIG and TIG. Not sure if he's still with it or not. Northern Michigan is hard for work in general. Custom Fab shops, auto industry, general welding companies, specialty welding companies. You can make a great living. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:54:37 PM EDT
[#44]
A friend of mine in his early 20’s just took a job in nowhereville IL as a fab welder. His first real job outside of working for his parent’s small vegetable farm. He will easily *clear* more than 80k this year.
I should have been a welder... |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:55:47 PM EDT
[#45]
If he does go the welding route make sure he specializes in a niche area such as stainless or titanium. He does not want to be a welder doing piece work for $12/hr in a dirty and dimly lit shop all while destroying his body. It can be an extremely physically demanding job depending on what exactly he is doing. Personally, I'd probably become a sparky over a welder. Less toxic fumes to breathe.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:56:06 PM EDT
[#46]
Be happy he wants a job at all.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:56:38 PM EDT
[#47]
Buddy from high school went to tech school for welding.
6 quarters ~ 18 months went to work for a manufacturing firm did some structural welding for a steel erection firm [yes it was union] went back to be a weld inspector went to work for an inspection firm - worked in Alaska did some inspecting of pipeline currently part owner in an inspection firm [water front structures, underwater, big industrial] I haven't seen him since he became an inspector |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:56:40 PM EDT
[#48]
Let him find his own way.
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:57:09 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Bet the Navy trains welders... We had a 1 “nuclear welder” that did a few qual welds for proficiency and that’s it. |
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Posted: 3/22/2019 3:58:16 PM EDT
[#50]
Good kid. all the trades are hungry right now for talent.
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