u/Alive_Ordinary2987

I’m taking the CWI exam in 3 months, I’m primarily a pipe welder but I’ve been a structural shop welder for a couple months now.

I’m familiar with 1104 and D1.1, proficient in code book navigation, excel in math, & have all necessary tools.

• Any advice on what certs would get me onto pipeline or shutdowns?

• Any recommendations on where to start putting my name out there for those jobs?

I know a lot of people say it’s about who you know but that CANNOT be the only way, surely. I’m just trying to work my way up and start getting into the real money. I’ll gladly weld on those jobs if it’s the only way in, then transition to inspection once my name is out there.

Just wanted to share some good news that I’ll finally be welding after starting this path roughly 10 months ago with no real experience.

I was lucky enough to find a helper job in the middle of weld school, being that it was TIG pipe and I hadn’t even got to that part in school. No test, just lucky enough to walk into the right situation willing to gamble on me. $18 an hour for fitter helper and the ability to learn necessary skills, that improve my pay, while in school. Got a raise up to $20 but then found this opportunity.

New job I just got is $26 and change per hour for 36 hours on the weekend, paid 40 hours, and plenty of opportunity for OT. Metal Core structural welding + fitting. Passed the test and start soon. Found out just how hot that sh*t burns lol, had never welded metal core until my test but lined it out on a piece of scrap.

7 months at my first shop, wish it would’ve been longer but opportunity to move up wasn’t moving very fast.

Fitter said he’s sad to see me go, but in this industry how you come into a shop is how the old heads will always see you unless you go out and prove yourself. Then you can come back and have the necessary experience to earn more money.

All in all, I’ll always miss my first shop job to some degree BUT I won’t miss being the helper lol. I like working on my own and fitting/welding.