Choosing a career, there are lots of things you should think about.
If you are looking for an exciting, rewarding and interesting job, welding is exactly what you need.
Just learn about this career and you’ll fall in love with it.
Article Table of Contents
- 1 Welder’s Duties and Roles in Minnesota
- 2 Reasons for Becoming a Welder in Minnesota
- 3 Average Welder’s Salary in Minnesota
- 4 Where Can Certified Welders Work in Minnesota?
- 5 Top 13 Welding Certification Schools in Minnesota
- 6 Popular Degree Programs
- 7 Similar Career Options in Minnesota
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions
Welder’s Duties and Roles in Minnesota
Working as a welder, your main duty will be connecting metal pieces.
You are going to use various tools in order to heat, melt and join various metal elements.
As you understand, you should have a bunch of various skills.
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 Minnesota
Working as a welder, you’ll have something you can be proud of as the results of your hard work will be seen for a long time.
You are going to create amazing constructions such as bridges, buildings and so on.
Also, this career is an absolutely great choice for people who like working with their own hands.
You’re going to work in open air daily.
One another significant reason is that welding has a big outcome.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job offers for welders will increase by 6% in the nearest future.
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 Minnesota
Welders in Minnesota have a median salary of $42 870 per year ($20.61 per hour) while a median salary throughout the country is $39 390 per year ($18.94 per hour).
The top 10% of welders all over the USA earn about $62 100 annually.
At the same time, the top 10% of welders in Minnesota earn a lower salary which is $58 720.
Where Can Certified Welders Work in Minnesota?
In Minnesota, there are lots of opportunities for welders.
You can work in such fields as:
- Construction of buildings and bridges;
- Manufacturing;
- Aerospace applications;
- Gas & oil field power plants and refineries;
- Shipbuilding;
- Auto & motorcycle fabrication and repair.
Top 13 Welding Certification Schools in Minnesota
Below there is a list of the best welding certification schools in Minnesota.
There are 13 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 |
---|---|---|---|
Anoka-Hennepin Secondary Technical Education Program | 1353 West Highway 10, Anoka, MN 55303 United States | Robert Sand | (763) 433-4000 |
Central Lakes College | 501 W College Dr, Brainerd, MN 56401 United States | David Otto | (218) 821-4773 |
Dakota County Tech College | 1300 145th St E, Rosemount, MN 55068 United States | Joshua Heibel | (651) 423-8479 |
Hennepin Technical College – Brooklyn | 9000 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445 United States | Chris Hensiak | (763) 488-2579 |
Independent School District #728 | 815 Highway 10 Elk River, MN 55330 United States | Patricia Sanford | (763) 241-3400 |
Mesabi Range Community & Technical College | 1100 Industrial Park Drive, P.O. Box 648, Eveleth, MN 55734 United States | Tom Baldwin | (218) 741-3095 |
Minnesota Correctional Facility – Stillwater | 970 Pickett Street North, Bayport, MN 55003 United States | Lou Dessellier | (651) 779-2700 xt. 2576 |
Northland Community And Technical College – Thief River Falls Campus | 1101 Highway 1 E, Thief River Falls, MN 56701 United States | Joel Ziegler | (218) 683-8800 |
Northwest Technical College – Grand Fork Campus | East Grand Forks, 2022 Central Ave NE, East Grand Fork, MN 56721 United States | Brian Suckow | (218) 793-2632 |
Northwest Technical College – Moorhead Campus | 1900 28th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560 United States | Brian Suckow | (218) 299-6546 |
Riverland Community College | 2200 Riverland Dr, Albert Lea, MN 56007 United States | Bob Bender | (507) 379-3343 |
South Central Tech College | 125 SW 3rd St, Faribault MN, 55021 United States | Dean Odette | (507) 334-3965 |
St. Cloud Technical & Community College | 1540 Northway Drive, St. Cloud, MN 56303 United States | Eric McAllister | (508) 416-2270 |
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 Minnesota
These options may as well interest you:
- Boilermaker;
- Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter;
- Sheet Metal Worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a welder fabricator?
A welder fabricator constructs many types of metal objects.
In addition to welding, they are responsible for machining fabrication materials, installing fabricated structures, and forming, bending, and finishing metals.
Welder fabricators earn an average of $38,252 per year, which translates to about $18.39 an hour.
How to be a better welder?
Getting better at welding involves improving the welding skills you already have and developing new ones.
These skills include your knowledge of welding and metal terminology, your hand-eye coordination, and your ability to work with complex welding tools and torches.
While Level 1 welders have expertise in only one area of welding, Level 3 welders are experts in multiple areas.
Thus, it is important to be familiar with many areas of welding if you want to improve.
What does stick stand for in welding?
“Stick welding” is another term for shielded metal arc welding.
The term “stick” came about in the welding industry because the electrode used to weld metals came in the form of a “stick.”
The end of this rod is short-circuited, creating a great amount of heat.
This heat melts the rod’s end, resulting in molten droplets.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Certified Welder
I looking for welding program