A Career in Welding at Webster

If you’re looking for a career that can provide you with a strong and steady income, welding is a great option. Welders are in high demand across the country, let alone in our own backyard, right here at Webster. 

How Much Do Welders Make?

At Webster, the welders pay range is $15.21 - $23.76. A Webster qualified welder also makes an additional $2 an hour to their base hourly pay.

What Do Welders Do?

Welding is a hands-on skill that allows Webster to manufacture the highest quality metal products. You’re melting multiple pieces of metal together with heat to make a stronger bond. There are all kinds of applications for welding.

At Webster, we use Webster Qualified GMAW (mig welding) Welders in our Sheet Metal, Enduro Flite, Vibrating Conveyors, Sprockets and Attachment Welding departments. The Sheet Metal and Vibrating Conveyor departments are more like a fabrication shop with a variety of joint configurations, while the other departments are repetitive joint configurations changing only by the size of product.

Welders wear fire-resistant gloves and a protective helmet throughout their workday to protect themselves when welding. They also usually wear fire-resistant or leather clothing and boots. Welders are given work instructions to begin their projects and they are expected to follow these guidelines to complete the job with precision and accuracy.

Is Welding Safe?

Like we mentioned above, in welding, you’re melting metal together with heat. That kind of high heat can be dangerous. There are other factors that can make welding dangerous, like electric shock, over-exposure to fumes and gases, fires or explosions, and improper eye protection, but all of these dangers can be avoided by following proper safety procedures.

Webster takes the safety of our team members seriously. That’s why we invest time and resources into ongoing training and safety precautions so that our welders and other employees are fully equipped to protect themselves and others from physical harm.

What Kind of Training Is Required to Be a Welder?

Welding jobs do not require the investment of thousands of dollars in higher education, and at Webster, we do not require any specific certification in order to join the welding team. All you have to do is pass the Webster welding test prior to employment. The test consists of a t-joint in the horizontal position with a fillet weld placed on both sides of the joint using the GMAW (mig welding) process. 

If that sounds like a foreign language to you, you can still apply as a welder. If you aren’t able to pass the welding test but show potential, we will hire you into a non-welding position and continue to work with you and train you until you’re able to obtain a positive test result.

Outside of on-the-job training, area trade schools provide welding certification and training programs that can help you fast-track into a welding position. Vanguard Sentinel Career & Technology Center in Tiffin and Fremont offer a training program in welding, and Terra State Community College in Fremont offers a 24-hour-long program to receive a certificate in welding, a great place to start to enter the welding industry.

Generally speaking, though, if you’re able to read blueprints, follow instructions, operate power tools, pay attention to details, solve mechanical problems, and obey safety protocol, you can excel as a welder.

If you want a job that makes a big impact by transforming metals into usable products, welding might be a great fit for you. Explore our current openings or read more about how you can advance through the ranks at Webster!