Automotive welding classes can be heavy in math and science so if you are still in high school, be sure to focus on those as well as taking auto shop or welding classes as electives. Once you get to your welding trade school, you can expect to learn the following welding techniques:
Trade schools all across the nation offer not only automotive welding classes but general welding classes and degrees as well. This is because welding techniques and equipment are generally the same through many different industries. So, once you learn the techniques you will be able to translate that into auto body welding or another industry. Nonetheless, all automotive welding schools are listed at the bottom of the page.
Here’s what you can expect to learn while taking auto body welding classes:
As with most programs, when you finish automotive welding school you can earn a variety of awards or certifications. Most welding schools will provide a certificate of completion while others will offer an associate’s degree program. On top of this, your program should set you up to complete many different welding certifications that meet the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) standards. This will set you up well as you look for a job as an auto body welder. Once you find a company, many of them will fund your extra training or any costs that come with certifications.
Although it will vary from school to school, there is typically one requirement to get into and automotive welding program, a high school diploma or a GED. Some schools may require students to interview for the program while some will require an essay and some will accept anyone who applies. Along with that, some schools may require students to take other general technology courses before actually starting the welding classes. Be sure to check your local trade school to see what requirements they have.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019), there will be over 430,000 jobs for welders in the US by 2028. This is a 3% increase which is a little slower than the national average of job growth but still good. This means there will be about 15,000 job openings by 2028 with many more as the current welder labor force is a bit older and looking to retire soon. This outlook plus its good pay opportunity with the average annual salary of $41,380 and the average hourly wage of $19.89 makes for a great job opportunity for those fresh out of high school or those looking for a career change.
It is very difficult to verify which welding school is the very best. That being said, some of the most popular welding schools, especially for auto body welding are Universal Technical Institute and Arizona Automotive Institute.
Depending on the program, school, and level of certification, becoming a welder can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Different certification levels will require more training than others which is why the variation is so large.
The difficulty of welding greatly depends on the work setting and the person doing the job. Welding can be a very physically demanding job which suits some individuals more than others. Along with that, welding can be very mentally taxing with long hours and tough working conditions. So, it can take a while to get used to the work, but once you get the hang of it, welding can be an extremely fulfilling career path.
The average hourly wage for welders in the US is $19.89 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Along with that, welders make on average $41,380 per year.
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