I'm about to graduate high school and start my weldimg classes up in Alex city at CACC. If there is any out there what's is y'all's advice as far as making a career?

work for yourself or find something else to do. my .02

I know 3 guys that went to welding school. 2 of them are now in the military and one sales cars last I heard. You can make a living but its not easy. To be honest it sucks. I welded for a little bit. After you cook your eyes a few times you start looking at things a little differently.

Bunch of people may tell you other wise but look at getting into a union trade such as ironworking, boilermaking, pipefitting they make very good money and weld everyday, and a good welder can make very good pay... now it aint the easiest job, its hard work but being young you can learn alot real quick from any of these guys..... its what I did is staryed in ironworkers union worked through it for 4 years learning everything I could until I seen a job opening at USS in the maintenance department!

Being able to burn a rod isn't going to get you very far. If you are a naturally driven person and love to build and fabricate you can do well.

SKILLED craftsman and hard work will make good in the future. Like other have said it will not be easy. Far from it. My .02 is don't get in debt with big jacked up 4x4 and play things so you don't have to work 6 days a week!

Possum Hunter gives sound advice. My old man did ironwork/boilermaker work for 30 plus years. Guys that have a trade and are good are getting fewer by the day. It is like Mike Rowe says in the Build Alabama commercial. More folks want to be in the corner office, than know how to build it. I think getting your associates degree is a good way to go. Eventually you will be able to teach and have a good retirement from doing so. Working out of a union local will require traveling to where the work is, but you can make a good living. If you do it, my advice is to stay single as long as you can. Buy a good truck and travel trailer. You can can make a really good living, because so few folks are willing/wanting to learn a good trade these days.

There are a lot of people who just weld, that have a tough time making a living. Anything you can add to that that will help set you apart, such as fabrication skills, the ability to pipe fit, or whatever other skill you can pick up.

If you're willing to travel, you can make a very good living as a welder. If you want to be close to home, it's a tough life. One of my best friends owns his own rig truck, and he knocks down about $130K annually...but he's gone 8-9 months out of the year.

Don,t just go to welding school. Put everything you have into it, learn as much as you can about all kinds of welding and get certified on everything you can. A certified welder can get a job fairly easy especially if you are willing to travel and chase the money. There are also a lot of manufacturing jobs around here. Once you get on with a company work your butt off, be dependable and honest and you can move to other positions within the company.
It is very hard for companies to find a good hardworking employee these days. Nobody wants to work anymore. I started off as a welder for the company I work for 30 years ago. I'm in engineering now (no degree just field experience) and I haven't struck an arc in 20 years.

Amazing blaze. At heating and a beating welding service.
http://youtu.be/rLnN-hqgfxY

Once you graduate, head out to West Texas. They were hurting for welders with their own rigs that could work in the oil fields. Try to pick up any fabrication experience you can.

If I was you I'd learn all you can about welding and practice alot in Tig, Mig, and stick. If you live in Wetumpka Id go down to Local 52 pipefitters and pipewelders union hall in Montgomery and ask to apply for there apprenticeship. If you get in Its a 5 yr trade school and they'll teach you while they put you to work. You'll start out at about 60% pay scale but If you pull your weight and learn It'll pay off. It's what I did about 7 years ago and now I have UA pipewelding certs in every process, and can fabricate also. I make a good living and what I've learned can never be took away from me.

This is the best advice you'll probably get. I did basically the same thing. Busted my ass, worked OT every chance I got, learned all I could and finally got the chance to move up into an engineering slot at a good salary. Now I will 5 8hr days and go home. Was well worth the 8 yrs of hard work to get here.

Got to agree with possum hunter and the rest of the guys. Get all parts of it. Fab work will get you a long ways ahead. Get all experience you can. You will make a good living.

Others have given good advice. Keep in mind that the average person changes occupations 5 times in their lifetime. Welding is an honorable profession and a good starting point to lead to the next opportunity. I started exactly how you are and it led to other opportunities to capitalize on. One thing I will say is if you prefer a quicker progression, consider going in to the electrical, HVAC, industrial instrumentation training. When you learn to weld, don't expect that you go on most jobs and they hand you an electrode holder and that's all you will be doing. It gives you an advantage to get hired to do other mechanical. Most of the jobs out there now are considered to be multicraft positions with welding being a plus.

Now, if you want to travel and make big money you can do that as well. Consider investing in a truck rig with top notch equipment and you can do pipelining and such or without a rig you can learn to weld boiler tubes and make top money. Don't know about the union deal but you can start as welder non union making top money if you can pass the entry test. Just keep in mind that a traveling job is a tough way to make, keep family together. It is tough way to save money and keep it with the dormant type of lifestyle because it can be sporadic as to job availability.

Here's another school of thought, get an associate degree in electricity commercial, industrial, instrumentation get a job get some experience and go offshore. Been doing the millwright stuff for 13 years through an apprenticeship program where I work, Electricians do the same but in their field, a lot of our E\I's have left for the oil field for some serious $$$

Learn to fabricate and you'll make something out of yourself. Certified welders are a dime a dozen.

Correction GOOD certified welders are a dime a dozen.... I know plenty of certified welders includeing myself.... but the all around everyday good welders are a dime a dozen... anyone can weld in a booth and get certifications...

That's why I said certified welders are a dime a dozen. Apparently one doesn't have to be a good welder to get certified. I hired one that couldn't make a bead with a MIG welder after I set the machine for him. He had papers though. I'm not talking about the first time he tried MIG welding, I'm talking about any time.

He gone.