The Current Job Prospects For Welders In The Welding Industry

The manufacturing sector depends heavily on welding, and welders are essential in building and maintaining machinery, equipment, and buildings. They are also in charge of applying heat, pressure, and electricity to fuse metal components. For people interested in the welding industry, welding is a specialized trade that calls for training and certification and has many job options.

Welder job is expected to expand by three percent between 2020 and 2030, the fastest average growth rate. This expansion is driven by the rising demand for the welding industry across several industries, including construction, manufacturing, and energy.

Construction is one of the businesses that employ the most welders and is expected to grow over the next several years, especially in the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors. Welders, for instance, are needed to build bridges, pipelines, and other infrastructure projects and install and repair wind turbines and solar panels. Between 2020 and 2030, the BLS predicts a 4% growth in the number of welders engaged in the construction industry.

Another significant employer of welders is manufacturing, which is predicted to grow over the next few years, although more slowly than construction. According to the BLS, manufacturing welder employment is anticipated to increase by 2% between 2020 and 2030.

Additionally, it is anticipated that the energy sector would open up employment chances for welding programs, notably in the field of renewable energy. The oil and gas sector is a prominent employer of welders, notwithstanding the COVID-19 epidemic and the move to renewable energy sources. The industry’s slump has resulted in job losses and declining demand for welding services but is anticipated to rebound.

Job Prospects

Welders have strong employment prospects for a variety of reasons. First, the sector needs more skilled welders. Second, job vacancies will arise for younger welders as more welders retire. Lastly, the need for welding is rising across various industries, spurring job development.

Shortage Of Skilled Welders

One of the leading causes of the rising demand for welders is the need for more skilled workers in the industry. This shortage has a variety of sources, such as:

• Ageing Workforce: As more welders enter retirement age, work opportunities arise for younger welders.
• Lack of Training: More welding training programs should be needed to fulfill the demand for welders. This is because it’s believed that welding is a low-skilled occupation.
• Technology is evolving, and many older welders may need more skills to use the new welding technologies being created.
• Offshoring: The number of jobs in the US has decreased due to the offshoring of workers.

Retiring Workforce

As was previously indicated, as more welders reach retirement age, welding job vacancies are being created for younger welders. The median age of welders in the US is 40.8 years old. As a result, there will be many retirements and opening up positions for younger welders.

Demand For Welding

The demand for welding is increasing in many industries, which is driving job growth. Some of the industries that are driving job growth for welders include:

• Manufacturing: Many products, including cars, planes, and appliances, are produced using welding.
• Buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure projects are built using welding.
• Oil and gas: Exploration, production, and transportation all include welding work.
• Transportation: Ships, railways, and other equipment are built and repaired using welding techniques.
• Agriculture: Farm equipment is manufactured and repaired using welding.
• Mining: The mining and processing of minerals both utilize welding.
• Utilities: Power plants, pipelines, and other utility infrastructure are built and repaired using welding.

Skilled welders generally have good career prospects, with employment expected to increase across several industries. However, robotics and automation, increasingly employed in manufacturing and other sectors, might threaten welders. On the other hand, welders with extra qualifications and abilities, such as familiarity with CNC equipment and robots, may be advantageous in the labor market.