Just looking for a bit of advice.

[Micky89]

Hello, Gents.

I work as a sheet metal worker and make elevator cars and entrances, I get daily use with a MIG welder and prefer that part of my job to the extent of wanting to be a welder and get into the welding side of things more.

At work I may also be able to gain experience with TIG and stick welding, but there isn't as much work done with those so it wouldn't really be that often and the 2 oldest guys tend to do it all (one being the foreman). So I'm wondering whether it is worth doing a little course in TIG? I have looked into it and the total cost of a 3 day course will be about £900. I'd be up for doing it but my only reservation is whether I'd be able to put my new skills at work at the place I am. If it turned out to be the case that I couldn't, would I even be able to get a TIG job elsewhere with very limited experience in TIG and only MIG exp?

I'm thinking these week courses and the likes are my only real option as I'm now 23 and too old to get onto an apprenticeship. Would a C&G course be better for me?

I really want to break into welding properly, I just don't really know the best ways of going about it.

Any help you guys could give me would be appreciated,

Thank you,



Micky.

 

[Lewis Medlock]

total cost of a 3 day course will be about £900

Nooooooooo! Don't do it (I hope that's a typo?)

Or is that the shower of sh1t on this thread: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34852

I'm thinking these week courses and the likes are my only real option as I'm now 23 and too old to get onto an apprenticeship.

No you're not. I started a welding apprenticeship when I was 37, it wasn't easy to get a job and the only way to get a start was to pay for the course myself.

At 23 you're still going to attract part funding so you'll be a good bet for a potential employer- a far safer bet than a fully funded 16 year old who can't provide a reference to say he/she can get out of bed in the morning.


Don't spend stupid money on courses but do speak to your local technical college, they'll have contacts with local industry and may get you a start. They also be able to advise on City and Guilds courses which don't cost the earth and are recognised.


Good luck with it Micky


Jim

 

[Micky89]

It was about that price. Well I asked for a quite for the three day course followed by an attempt at getting coded to ASME IX and it came to £1000 plus VAT.

What kind of money could you expect to earn as an apprentice? I'm on 7 quid per hour where I am now and that will grow with time but after talking to the guys there I feel that it's the sort of place were you become institutionalised and wouldn't be any good elsewhere. They teach you ONLY what they need you to do.

What is your opinion on myself gaining coding to get a better paid job elsewhere? I will definitely look into apprenticeships.

Cheers, Jim.

 

[robwizard]

I do city and guilds TIG night class. The level one was about £400 and lasted like 5/6 months, level 2 was a bit more and then level 3 (which I'm doing now..) is 26 weeks and was about £850 or something..

 

[Micky89]

Ah that sounds alright. You already working in welding? What you planning on doing once your level 3 is done?

Is there any way to skip level 1 if you've done some TIG do you know?

Micky

 

[Lewis Medlock]

What is your opinion on myself gaining coding to get a better paid job elsewhere? I will definitely look into apprenticeships.

This has been discussed on the forum before. Codings show that on the day you performed a very specific joint in a classroom (allbeit to a very high standard). This is great if it's backed up by the underpinning knowledge and experience to apply your skills in the workplace but codings don't cover this.

The money would be much better spent on securing an apprenticeship where you'd gain a wider range of skills which would set you up for the future. If you land the right job the employer will pay for any codings required.

Is there any way to skip level 1 if you've done some TIG do you know?

Probably, you'd have to speak to your local college.



These lot were recruiting apprentice welders not so long ago, if you're prepared to live away you could do a lot worse.

http://www.alstom.com/uk/working-at-Alstom-UK/apprenticeship-academy/

Jim

 

[Ed.]

What about approaching the military services, as they need welders and could very well pay for the lot as they would train you to a high standard and also give you a reasonable job as well, assuming you could handle the requirements and conditions!