Welding Manufacturing PWI

Learn About Being a Welder

Author Headshot - Megan Podell
Megan Podell
Aug 09, 2021

Are you or someone you know interested in a career in welding?

Welding is one of the fastest growing professions in America. Many industries are looking to hire welders.

PWI’s Production Manager, Adam Yutzy, is here to answer your questions about welding. Adam started out as a welder, and now oversees all of PWI’s production.

Is schooling required to become a welder?

Schooling is NOT required to become a welder. In my experience, it’s easier to teach somebody new to weld. Trying to teach someone with previous experience can actually be more difficult because they can have bad habits from their previous job.

What is a reasonable entry level salary for a welder?

For somebody just starting off in welding, a reasonable salary would be between $20-$21 an hour (which is roughly $40,000 to $42,000 a year). But at PWI, if they can catch on quickly and work hard, we will usually bump them up within 90 days.

How do I get started?

If you have a friend who knows how to weld, you can spend some time with them and learn how to weld. Or here at PWI, we will provide on the job training.

What are or were some of your favorite projects to weld?

Probably the top project for me was building motorized bridge cranes. I also enjoyed building mezzanines or anything custom. Custom projects were challenging because we usually had to figure out how to make everything work together.

What qualities make someone a good fit for welding?

Some qualities that make someone a good fit for welding would be having a good work ethic and not being afraid to get dirty. If you enjoy figuring things out and if you care about your work, then you will be a good welder. 

magnifiercross