Best path to becoming a CWI?
I love welding. This may change as I go into the industry since I’m fresh out of high school and have no real-world welding experience, but right now I find the trade and everything related to it (minus eating smoke) very interesting. This fall, I’ll be going to college to get an AAS degree in welding.
Now, unlike a lot of people who work blue collar, I actually care about my health. In my high school welding class I was pretty much the only guy that actually wore a respirator when I was welding without good ventilation. I don’t want to spend most of my career behind the hood breathing in all of those fumes and just being in such close proximity to so many carcinogens. I want to be here for for a good time *and* a long time.
A little later on down the line after I graduate college, I’d like to become a CWI. It’s more of a management position, they don’t spend as much time breathing in fumes and smoke, meanwhile I’d also get to learn a lot. I’m not sure if they get paid more/same/less than a welder, but not getting cancer seems like a good trade off. Like i said, i’m very inexperienced, so if I’m mistaken about any of this please let me know.
With all of that out of the way, is CWI a good career path for someone like me? And what would be the best way to go about achieving my goal?
TL:DR
I like welding, don’t wanna die though. I’m interested in more of a management position (CWI) to still be involved with something I’m passionate about. Is this good career path? Best way to do it?