Welders and related machine operators operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metals. A welder can be either an artisan or a precision production worker. This group also includes machine operators who operate previously set up production welding, brazing and soldering equipment. The great variety of work, techniques and work settings offered by this occupation may be appealing to those seeking variety in their day-to-day activities.
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People in this occupation:
- are employed by companies that manufacture structural steel and platework, boilers, heavy machinery, aircraft, ships and other metal products, and by welding contractors and welding shops
- may be self-employed
- should have good manual dexterity, analytical ability and a high level of design sense, as well as strong technical and artistic interests
- should have a sound understanding of computerized machinery and be capable of following instructions precisely
Common job titles
- brazer and heater, metal
- brazer, torch
- burner, lead
- machine tender, type-soldering
- operator, automated welding machie
- operator, battery lead-burner
- operator, hydrogen braze furnace
- operator, welding machine
- straightener and heater, metal
- technician, welding - aviation
- tender, side seaming
- welder, acetylene / blowtorch operator
- welder, assembler tack
- welder, boiler / pressure vessels
- welder, cable
- welder, dielectric
- welder, downhand - pipeline
- welder, fabrication
- welder, fit-up
- welder, flash butt
- welder, general
- welder, hand arc / hand electric arc
- welder, industrial
- welder, journeyman / journeywoman
- welder, laser beam
- welder, lead
- welder, machine
- welder, maintenance
- welder, metal
- welder, radio-frequency
- welder, rig
- welder, tack
- welder, thermite
- welder, vibration
- welder, wire
- welder-assembler
- welder-fitter, jig
- worker, welding lay-out
- brazer and heater, metal
- brazer, torch
- burner, lead
- machine tender, type-soldering
- operator, automated welding machie
- operator, battery lead-burner
- operator, hydrogen braze furnace
- operator, welding machine
- straightener and heater, metal
- technician, welding - aviation
- tender, side seaming
- welder, acetylene / blowtorch operator
- welder, assembler tack
- welder, boiler / pressure vessels
- welder, cable
- welder, dielectric
- welder, downhand - pipeline
- welder, fabrication
- welder, fit-up
- welder, flash butt
- welder, general
- welder, hand arc / hand electric arc
- welder, industrial
- welder, journeyman / journeywoman
- welder, laser beam
- welder, lead
- welder, machine
- welder, maintenance
- welder, metal
- welder, radio-frequency
- welder, rig
- welder, tack
- welder, thermite
- welder, vibration
- welder, wire
- welder-assembler
- welder-fitter, jig
- worker, welding lay-out