Want to become a welder?
There are some facts you need to learn about.
We’ve prepared a detailed guide for those who want to become a welder.
Learn about welder’s duties, responsibilities, salary, and training.
Article Table of Contents
- 1 Welder’s Duties and Roles in Massachusetts
- 2 Reasons for Becoming a Welder in Massachusetts
- 3 Average Welder’s Salary in Massachusetts
- 4 Where Can Certified Welders Work in Massachusetts?
- 5 Top 23 Welding Certification Schools in Massachusetts
- 6 Popular Degree Programs
- 7 Similar Career Options in Massachusetts
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions
Welder’s Duties and Roles in Massachusetts
Working as a welder you should know a bunch of technics and have numerous skills.
It’s absolutely important as you are going to use a variety of tools that are used to heat, melt and connect metal pieces together.
Most Significant Welder’s Responsibilities
There are 4 the most significant responsibilities any welder should perform daily:
- Studying and understanding specific sketches, blueprints, and instructions. Also, a welder should be able to follow all these instructions properly.
- Raw structure/material analysis in order to determine appropriate methods required for an excellent result. There are about 100 welding methods such as gas tungsten arc welding, shielded metal arc welding, or gas metal arc welding.
- Usage of appropriate tools depending on the chosen method.
- Maintaining equipment and tools so it meets all the requirements. There is a variety of different types of tools including electric and manual equipment. Sometimes, welders should be able to use numerous combination of tools to perform their job properly.
Reasons for Becoming a Welder in Massachusetts
Of course, choosing a career, everyone has its own reasons but there are some common reasons for everyone who decided to become a welder.
Forst of all, it’s a rewarding career as constructions created by your hands will be there for a long time.
Also, welders work on open air with their own hands.
Finally, there is an impressive outcome which continues growing.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it will grow by 6% until 2026.
If you want to work as a welder, you need to be:
- Detail oriented;
- Technical skills;
- Physical strength;
- Physical stamina;
- Manual dexterity;
- Spatial-orientation skills.
Average Welder’s Salary in Massachusetts
Welders in Massachusetts earn a median salary which is about $48 210 per year ($23.18 per hour).
It’s slightly more than a median salary throughout the country which is about $39 390 per year ($18.94 per hour).
Speaking about the top 10% of welders, their salary throughout the country is about $62 100 annually.
In Massachusetts, they earn about $72 230 per year.
Where Can Certified Welders Work in Massachusetts?
After finishing your training. you’ll be able to find a variety of welding jobs in Massachusetts.
Look for some offers in such areas as:
- Construction of buildings and bridges;
- Manufacturing;
- Aerospace applications;
- Gas & oil field power plants and refineries;
- Shipbuilding;
- Auto & motorcycle fabrication and repair.
Top 23 Welding Certification Schools in Massachusetts
Below there is a list of the best welding certification schools in Massachusetts.
There are 23 schools that were approved by the American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program.
Each school provides a variety of important and essential courses such as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick), or Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG).
It means that you’ll be able to perform your duties properly.
Keep in mind that you need a high-school diploma or GED to start your training.
Nevertheless, some schools are ready to accept high-school juniors.
In any case, to become a certified welder, a high-school diploma is required as well as a bunch of significant skills.
School | Location | Contact Information | Phone Number |
---|---|---|---|
Assabet Valley Vocational Technical School | 215 Fitchburg St Malboro, MA 01752 United States | Neil Mansfield | (508) 485-9430 |
Attleboro Tech Voc High School | 100 Rathbun Willard Dr. Attleboro, MA 02703 United States | J. Thomas Badge | (508) 222-5150 |
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School | 65 Pleasant Street Upton, MA 01568 United States | Kevin Viner | (508) 529-7758 |
Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical High School | 800 Randolph St Canton, MA 02021 United States | Scott Littlehale | (781) 828-5800 |
Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School | 940 Couty St, Taunton, MA 02780 United States | Arnie Thelonia | (508) 823-5151 |
Charles H. McCann Technical School | 70 Hodges Crossroads, North Adams, MA 01247 United States | John Kline | (413) 663-5383 |
Chicopee Comprehensive High School | 617 Montgomery St, Chicopee, MA 01020 United States | Kenneth Widelo | (413) 594-3555 |
Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School | 251 Stonehaven Rd, Fall River, MA 02723 United States | Edward Carreiro | (508) 678-2891 |
Franklin County Tech School | 82 Industrial Blvd, Turners Falls, MA 01376 United States | Jesse Edwards | (413) 863-9561 |
Greater Lowell Tech High School | Metal Fab/Welding, 250 Pawtucket Blvd, Tyngsboro, MA 01879 United States | Robert Sullivan | (978) 454-5411 |
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School | 1121 Ashley Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02745 United States | Paul Mendez | (508) 998-3321 |
Joseph P. Keefe Technical School | 750 Winter Street, Framingham, MA 01702 United States | Peter Dewer | (508) 416-2270 |
Minuteman Career & Technical High School | 758 Marrett Rd, Lexington, MA 02421 United States | Warren Ballard | (781) 861-6500 |
Northeast Metro Reg Vocational | 100 Hemlock Road, Wakefield, MA 01880 United States | Robert Osterberg | (781) 246-0810 |
Old Colony Regional Vocational Tech | 476 North Ave, ATTN: Accounts Payable, Rochester, MA 02745 United States | Douglas Desrochers | (508) 763-8011 |
Plymouth South High School | 490 Long Pond Rd, Plymouth, MA 02360 United States | John W Morash | (508) 224-7512 xt. 1053 |
Quincy High School Center for Technical Education | 52 Coddington St, Quincy, MA 02169 United States | Dennis Thibault | (617) 376-3355 |
Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School | 100 Cook St, Billerica, MA 01821 United States | Joseph Sorrentino | (978) 667-2111 |
Silver Lake Regional High School | 260 Pembroke St, Kingston, MA 02364 United States | Mark A Batchelor | (781) 585-3844 xt. 237 |
Smith Vocational High School | 80 Locust St, Northampton, MA 01060 United States | John Lind | (413) 587-1438 |
Tri-County Regional Vocational | Technical School District, 147 Pond St, Franklin, MA 02038 United States | John M Jones | (508) 528-5400 |
Westover Job Corps Center | 103 Johnson Road Chicopee, MA 01022 United States | Christine Amo | (413) 593-4015 |
Weymouth High School | One Wilcat Way, Weymouth, MA 02190 United States | Glen Bredberg | (781) 337.7500 |
Keep in mind that the information in the table may change so we recommend you to doublecheck it.
Popular Degree Programs
Similar Career Options in Massachusetts
These options may as well interest you:
- Boilermaker;
- Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter;
- Sheet Metal Worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of welder should I buy for beginners?
That depends on the type of welding you want to do.
For MIG welding, the Hobart Handler 140 is a good option.
The Eastwood TIG 200 is a decent welder for beginners who want to do TIG welding.
If you want to do stick welding, you might want to try the Hobart Stickmate 160i.
Those who want to do various types of welding can invest in the YesWelder MIG-205 DS or the Weldpro MIG155Gsv.
How to become a contract welder?
Becoming a contract welder has a unique set of challenges.
Besides undergoing extensive training in welding, you have to know what it takes to run a successful business.
To protect yourself and your business, it is important to have liability insurance.
Once you have found a client, you can sign a contract together.
You can either write the contract yourself or, for more complex ones, hire a lawyer to do it.
What do you yell before welding?
“Watch your eyes!” is what welders yell in their shops to let others know they are about to strike an arc.
This helps prevent people from getting a flash burn, which is a burn resulting from the sudden intense heat from the arc’s ultraviolet radiation.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Certified Welder