asme 9? way to go?

[Gavin_d]

Cheers guys, Ive applied to go for a higher nvq at college on a part time course. The tutor said I can fast track it due to experience. It will only take 6 months and the course is £400 odd. I just can't beleive how difficult I am finding this process. If I paid to do training and codings I will be leaving my self with no money and spending all my savings so don't want to risk it.

Oh my other question is if you don't mind guys. On the college course I can only do one process. I mig everyday so not that one but don't know weather to go stick or tig. Would prefer tig but in pipe welding most of it is duel process.

 

[Kent]

Depends, what you should be looking for is your next job (the next step along the ladder). If your next job is likely to be in a fab shop I should say TIG, if it likely to be out on site MMA. Pay wise and potential staff wise in my area lads who can work outside with stick as well as in the shop with MIG will be slightly more in demand and slightly better paid. Now if you then gained a level of coding with your own money for MMA you might be further up the ladder to where you want to get. Depends totally on you though and where you prefer to be inside or out.
Times change, its been over 20yrs from when I left it all behind and became my own boss in another line of work and back then TIG guys got a lot more jobs to apply for and quite a bit more money round here (mainly for catering equipment that was going all stainless and aerospace) But then again all those guys over say 35 yrs old had good MMA experience. Now its a different thing and relatively few young guys have much about them with a stick welder in their hand.
My wife actually asked someone we know if I could get on a contract if I re-took the codes when I was founding this company, I must admit she did it because the opportunity arose but I went bonkers about it - its just not as good or as profitable long term as many like to make out. Frankly I know two multi millionaires from making gates and such and not one pipe welder who even got close, guess what you don't need much more than you already have to start up in that game

 

[Richard.]

I would aim a bit lower, if you turn up at a job with your freshly gained ASME 9 in your hand they will expect you to be able to do it all without any training. Are there any local engineering companies that would give you a trial period to see what you are capable of.

Please don't take my comments as being negative but it would be a shame for you to waste a lot of money on a qualification that may well be irrelevant for companies in your area's requirements, the other thing to remember is, I think unless you have documented evidence that you have been welding using the same material and process as is stipulated on your ASME cert during the last 6 months your certificate will become worthless

This is exactly right although it's a lovely coding to have opens a lot of doors if you cannot show documentation to prove you've been using the standard by the 7th month it becomes useless. Have a good game plan in mind before forking out or it could be a costly move with no return on your investment.

 

[wheresmejumper]

One coding on your book wont do much for you.you would need about 5 at least,to be attractive to an employer.
them running out isnt the end of the world i dont think though.if you have put in the (sometime 100's of) hours to become proficient at a particular material/ process,it shouldnt take you a couple of days practice to sit it again.i think you can get it done here for about €100-150