Want to be a welder but don’t want to go to college? Well, it’s alright. But how can you get certified in welding without school? We’ll see that.
You might not want to attend school due to many reasons. One reason can be that you might not be interested in going to college at all. Or you might not want to pay the enormous sum of money as college fees.
But now, the main question is “Can we learn welding without going to school?”.
“Is it possible to do without proper schooling?”. And if it is possible then we need to find the answer to this question: “How can we get certified in welding without school?”.
Today we are going to find out if we can learn welding without proper schooling.
Contents
How to become a certified welder without school?
First, let’s answer the question of whether we can do it or not. Yes, you can.
We are living in the age of technology and advancement. Here, everything is now easy. If we want to find information about anything, we can do that easily. Similarly, it is now quite convenient to learn different things.
Can I learn welding on my own?
Internet is one of the most reliable tools to learn to weld. You can find tons of videos guiding how to weld different metals. Besides, you can also learn it from your friend or mentor.
So if you don’t want to avoid schooling, this can be the best start for you.
Easier welding techniques
Now coming to welding techniques, some are easy to understand. Some techniques can be learned simply because they are not hard. Only a little practice is required to be experienced in a certain type of welding.
Let’s take an example to see how straightforward it can be.
MIG welding
The simplest type of welding is MIG welding. It is famous because it is easily understandable. No complex equipment is required. All the machinery and tools are simple and are effortlessly available.
Proper safety and correct use of tools can result in a good weld. You will find it interesting and practice will make your weld more sharp and clean.
Will the first weld be a good one?
Another question that follows is “Is the important that the first weld has to be good?”.
Not on the first try. Because you are only experiencing it the first time and you still need more practice and time to have a solid grip on it. You can only get skilled if you keep practicing. Gradually, you will improve with the passing time.
Other welding techniques
If we talk about other welding techniques which are many, all need a lot of practice, skill, and time to get professional in them. And the best way to learn them is with the help of an instructor.
Having a teacher can save you from a lot of trouble. But you don’t have to hire a paid professional person who can teach you these skills.
If you know any person who is a welder in your family and friends, ask them for help. He can show you how to weld using a certain method. Now the rest is on you. You can start practicing to improve yourself in welding.
Basic knowledge of welding
If you have a basic knowledge of welding, you can do better. Research about different types of metals and their mechanical properties.
On youtube, you can find countless videos about every type of welding method. Everything is thoroughly explained in these videos. They even show practical work as well so you can learn efficiently.
Well, it depends. Certain factors play an important role in deciding that. Some of them are:
- The time you are investing in learning to weld.
- Availability of equipment and machinery.
- Money to spend on supplies.
- Also depends on whether you get any project or not for you to practice.
How to become a certified welder without schooling?
If you want to join a formal welding program, it will take seven to eight months to complete. There, you are given different options and you can choose a certain one according to your interest.
Now everything depends on you if you choose not to join any program. You will certainly need help and guidance while learning to weld. Indeed, it is possible to do it without attending school.
You can certainly become a certified welder. For this, these three things will help you out:
- Training
- Certification
- Job experience
Training
It is indeed difficult to get into the field of welding. Your connections matter as well as your skills and ability to get inside this field. So you have to consider every choice effectively. If you want to get better at welding, we advise you to do the following things:
Get a mentor
First of all, find a mentor who has a better understanding of this profession. A mentor can be proved very beneficial to starting your career. He can teach you different methods and techniques of welding.
Find someone who is in this field for a long time. They will not only teach you skills but also let you know what type of job is suitable for you. They might also help you in finding work. Besides, you can also learn from his experiences.
Join a welding union
Joining a welding union can straightforwardly help you in advancing your welding career. Welding unions are strong and resourceful organizations. They help their workers in finding jobs and building their careers.
So joining a welding union can be proved as a valuable decision. Even if you don’t get a chance to join such an organization, still you can get a lot of information.
Apprenticeship
It is a formal program in which you learn welding by getting real work experience. You get a chance to work on different ongoing projects.
Unlike school programs where you have to pay so you can learn, you don’t have to pay anything. Instead, you get paid for working and learning.
Certification
Now coming towards getting real work in the field, it will get difficult for you without any certification. Most people hire those welders who have proper schooling and certification to work.
Without certification from a certified organization, you will not be able to get standard work. Even if you have the ability and skills, you will not able to find work.
Here we will discuss some certifications that you should get if you want a proper job.
Certified Welder Credentials
First of all, you will have to get a certification named certified welder credentials. American Welding Society offers this certification.
The best thing about this certification is that it doesn’t restrain anyone. Anyone can take the exam even if he/she has not attended school. In the exam, you have to perform different types of welds to show your ability and skills.
To perform well, you have to practice. Going straight to the exam hall and performing won’t do any good if you have not practiced.
Welding job with a particular company
If you want to join a welding company, then you should first need to know their selection criteria. Some companies require you to get certain specifications to work with them.
They do this because every company is working on a different type of metal using different welding methods. So thorough research on these specifications is advised before applying to a certain company.
Job experience
To get the certification, you must be practicing a lot. And the best way to practice is to find a job. You will have direct access to metals and welding tools at the working site. All you need to do is work and practice.
Coming towards finding jobs in this field, there are some entry-level jobs you can do to gain experience. Let’s find out what these jobs are:
Construction work
If you have strong stamina and are willing to work outdoors, construction work might be best for you. You can find jobs on any construction site that work on flooring, roofing, framing, etc.
Here you will have a lot of exposure to welding metals. Following proper safety measures and efficiently using welding tools, you can improve your skills.
Repair shops
Secondly, you can also work in auto repair shops. It is one of the best ways to get your skills polished. In repair shops, broken and damaged parts of machines and auto bodies are repaired and taken care of.
You will get to know how to handle metals like steel and aluminum. You will also be able to learn to braze and grind which are the most commonly used techniques in such places. So if you want to succeed in a welding career, these techniques can be helpful.
Manufacturing
Here you will get to know how different products are made in an assembly line setting. The work is specific and you might have to do the same weld again and again.
So here you can find the best opportunity to excel in your skills and to improve them. In manufacturing, techniques like MIG welding or spot welding are mostly used. You can easily get a job if you have a little knowledge about these skills.
FAQs
Some of the most frequently asked questions are:
What is the easiest welding technique to learn?
MIG welding is one of the simplest and easiest methods of welding. The tools required for this technique are pretty simple and are easily available. With a little understanding and guidance, you can learn MIG welding. Of course, practice is required to improve your skills. All you need is a feed wire and run it through the machine at a speed that you can preselect. And you will get clean welds.
Is welding difficult to learn?
It depends from person to person. It can be moderately hard to very hard. As you know it is a hand skill so it requires practice and time to have a complete grip on it. You have to continuously learn and practice and it can take years to become professional in a certain type of welding.
Wrapping up
You can choose any way discussed above according to your circumstances if you want to learn welding on your own. But learning without proper schooling will be more difficult. Don’t be worried. Just keep working on it.
One thing that we have mentioned again and again is practice and the time you spend on practice. It is the only thing that can make you skilled.