If you’re interested in attending one of the 16 Top Welding Schools for Certification in West Virginia, this article is your home base. In addition to helping you find good technical schools in West Virginia, it has the basic knowledge you need to successfully find a good school and land one of the best welding jobs in West Virginia.
Table of Contents
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- Responsibilities of a Welder in West Virginia
- Why You Should Be a Welder in West Virginia
- Essential Skills of a Successful Welder
- How Much Do Welders Make in West Virginia?
- 6 Industries Where Welders Find Employment in West Virginia
- Essential Welding Equipment For Work in West Virginia
- West Virginia Welding Certification: The 16 Top Welding Schools for Certification in West Virginia
- Welding Certification in States Bordering West Virginia
- Careers Similar to Welding in West Virginia
Responsibilities of Welders in West Virginia
Although you probably know what welding is, here’s a quick recap: welding is using heat to connect two pieces of thermoplastics. Simply put, welding involves the permanent connecting of two pieces of metal. Welders accomplish this by using different pieces of equipment to melt metal and melting them together.
Roles & Duties of a Welder:
- Initially, welders study the specific blueprints to learn about a new project. When you attend one of the welding trade schools in West Virginia, you’ll learn blueprint reading.
- Welders also examine the raw materials to figure out the best course of action in welding method and exact dimensions. You’ll learn about the most popular welding methods as you study to become a Certified Welder.
- Then, welders decide which welding equipment/machinery will work best to carry out the plan.
- Lastly, welders ensure that the welding equipment and machinery meets each project’s requirements. Depending on the project, the equipment/machinery could be manual, electric, or a mix of both.
Here’s Why You Should Be a Welder in West Virginia
As the video below explains, there are several good reasons to become a welder in West Virginia.
When you choose a career in welding, you’re constantly learning new things, and there’s always more to learn. As you participate in different projects, you get to try new things and help create structures that millions of people will come to rely on in everyday life.
From a practical point of view, getting a certification in welding makes good financial sense. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects welding careers to grow by 6% between 2016 and 2026. In other words, there will be about 22,500 more jobs created in just ten years.
The 6 Essential Skills of a Welder
As you consider obtaining a certification of welding in West Virginia, it makes sense to evaluate your personal strengths. If most of the characteristics below sound like you, that is a great sign.
- Detail oriented
- Manual dexterity
- Physical stamina
- Physical strength
- Spatial-orientation skills
- Technical skills
How Much Do Welders Make In West Virginia?
Well, one thing’s for sure. Welders in West Virginia are well-compensated.
Overall, welding jobs in West Virginia pay a median salary of $43,690 per year, or $21 per hour. This is higher than the national median average of $39,390 per year, or $18.94 per hour.
In the United States, welders in the top 10% of national median pay make more than $62,100 annually, while welders in the top 10% of median pay in West Virginia make more than $70,350. (Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2016.)
In What Industries Do Welders Work in West Virginia?
As you saw in the video, there are numerous industries in which welders can work in West Virginia, including:
- Construction of buildings and bridges
- Aerospace applications
- Manufacturing
- Shipbuilding
- Gas & oil field power plants and refineries
- Auto & motorcycle fabrication and repair.
What Type of Equipment Do Welders Use Working in West Virginia?
The list of popular welding supplies and equipment is quite long. Below, however, is a quick list for your perusal. It’s important to make sure you have the right equipment to bring with you to welding classes at vocational schools in West Virginia.
- Welding magnets
- Frame Jig
- Speed square
- Welding safety glasses
- C clamps
- Angle grinder
- Soapstone
- Auto-darkening welding helmet
- MIG Pliers
- Metal brush
- Sheet metal gauge
- Safety gloves
- Metal file
- Welding Clamps
Top Welding Schools for Certification in West Virginia:
Now, the part you’ve been waiting for: the following table details the welding certification programs currently approved by the American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program in West Virginia.
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As always, the information within the Top Welding Schools For Certification In West Virginia is continually changing so we encourage you to contact them directly with the information supplied.
Looking For Welding Information On States Bordering West Virginia?
Now that you’ve seen where to find tech schools in West Virginia, here’s a list of information regarding welding schools in states bordering West Virginia:
Similar Careers As Welding In West Virginia:
As you look at technical schools in West Virginia with welding classes, it’s important to remember that they offer other equally interesting programs.
For example, they offer programs to help students find careers as:
- Boilermakers
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Sheet Metal Workers
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are plenty of Top Welding Schools for Certification in West Virginia to get you the training you need to find a high paying welding job. Additionally, West Virginia’s many neighbor-states offer good technical schools for welding.
Whether you decide to pursue a career in welding or not, remember to bookmark Trades for Careers for all your technical career information!