If you’re looking for a skilled trade career that ensures stable employment, reasonable pay, and flexibility, welding may be for you.
Welders use intense heat to fuse metals such as steel, iron, aluminum, or thermoplastics. They also calculate part dimensions, inspect workpieces for defects and specifications, study engineering drawings and blueprints, maintain equipment and machinery, and more.
Liberty Staffing helps Southern Ontario job seekers find employment in the welding industry. Contact us for help with your job search!
Are you considering getting started as a welder? Here’s what you need to know.
Why Welding?
Canadian highschools haven’t promoted trades such as welding as a strong career choice since the 1970s. As a result, much of the blue-collar workforce is retiring, and there is no one to replace them, creating a demand.
Some of the many industries that need welders include architecture, agriculture, construction, mining, aerospace, transportation, and oil.
Welding is one of the few careers that doesn’t require a university degree but allows you to possibly earn up to a six-figure salary.
Pre-Apprenticeship Welding Training
Your first step to becoming a welder is to enroll in a welding pre-apprenticeship program at a college or university. This classroom training gives you a better understanding of the job requirements before you start working.
Classroom training takes place in tandem with an apprenticeship. The class time is usually about 720 hours, and the on-the-job training is about 5,280 hours, totaling about three years.
Find a Trainer
Before starting your on-the-job apprentice program, you must find a skilled worker or trainer to take you under their wing. To find a trainer, also called a “journeyperson welder,” you can search the Canada Job Bank or the Government of Canada’s apprenticeship page.
Become an Apprentice
As an apprentice, you will assist your trainer while they teach you the skills required by the welding trade’s Apprenticeship Training Standard. During this practical, on-the-job training phase, you will perform a variety of tasks such as:
- Test pipe systems to ensure they are functional and safe
- Assemble pipes and other fittings
- Install, troubleshoot, and maintain pipe systems
- Test installed systems
- Measure, cut, and thread pipes
- Use and maintain tools and equipment
As you develop each skill, your trainer will sign the relevant section of the training standard to indicate you met the training objective.
Pass the Certifying Exam
Your last step to becoming a welder is to pass your certifying exam, which consists of a practical test to demonstrate your skills and a theory exam to prove your knowledge. Contents of the exam can vary by province or territory, and each has its guide to help you prepare.
If you do well on your provincial exam, you can qualify for the Red Seal endorsement, which allows you to work as a welder in most parts of the country.
Once you’ve become certified, you’ll need to be qualified at least once every two years by the CWB group, an industry-supported private sector organization. CWB officials usually conduct these practical tests at your company’s facility.
How Can Liberty Staffing Help?
At Liberty Staffing, we understand how labour-intensive a job search can be; from identifying positions to tweaking your resume and creating tailored cover letters. Liberty Staffing can make the job of finding a job easier. Your next job is one step away!
