r/pipefitter

What are the welding benchmarks for the 11 week pre-apprenticeship orientation? How strict are they, will they let you stay as long as you’re working your tail off, putting in long hours under the hood?

I’m 19 and a first year apprentice. My BA said we have an outage coming up working 5-10s, this will be my first union job. What is an outage tho? I’ve also heard the term shutdown, what is that?

**what is an outage and shutdown**

Im 21 years old and I just graduated welding school but I know once I get onto a real job it’s going to be completely different from school. I love welding and i really want a career with it. I don’t want to look stupid because I only know the basics.

I’ve been taking welding classes at a community college for almost 2 years, but I have no blue collar work experience. I studied hard and scored a mid 90s on my aptitude test. My instructor, who used to be a fitter at 597, said he’ll send Adam Sutter an email if I scored in the 90s. What are the chances I get accepted? How long will I have to wait? I was pretty confident about getting in when I got my test scores but after looking through a lot of these posts I’m not so sure. Somebody said they worked at another union, scored low 90s, had a letter of rec from a foreman and still didn’t get the call from 597, even with experience in the industry. Thanks in advance.

https://preview.redd.it/gc9kreypdlah1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=e75a55a52fcdbf7cd5a2b5dcfd84a30e2746647a

So, I'm hoping for a bit of insight on my current situation. I've been doing temp work for a few years now. About 8 or 9 months ago I decided that I wanted something more. I decided I wanted to enter a trade. The trades that interested me most are plumbing and welding. I started seriously pursuing this a few months ago.

I know how good of a career the local unions in my area can offer. I'm located in Macomb County, MI. The unions in my area I'm looking at would be Local 98 Plumbers, Local 636 Pipe fitters, Local 190 Ann Arbor, and local 370 Flint.

A little about myself... I'm 37 and my work experience is in factories on the line... Production if you will. I don't have experience on the job site or anything like that. After a while I became fed up and thats when I decided I wanted to do this. I decided it was best to apply to the union with some sort of experience so I thought I could get some welding certs and that could allow me to get a welding job or start doing something at least similar to what I want to be doing. I'm just so tired of working these production jobs that don't give a shit about you, treat you like garbage and I'm fed up with it.

I applied to the Michigan Reconnect program and got accepted and Michigan is paying for me to get my welding certs or degree. Currently, I'm on track for the degree, though I may stop and get the certs and then just go get experience. My ultimate goal is the union anyway. So, I'm doing Math for the Trades now and Blueprint Reading. And start my Welding classes in August.

In the meantime I've been applying for jobs in the field to gain some experience. I interviewed with several mechanical contractors in my area. None of them have panned out. I sat down with a large contractor that would try to get me in as a helper at a company in Pontiac. I interviewed today at a company that is a Union contractor that I'm waiting to hear back about. The advice I have gotten is that I need to just go to the hall and fill out an application. I guess what I am asking is what the best way to go about this is. I wanted to apply to the union from a position of strength, not just a factory worker, maybe to feel like I actually have a chance. I know 636 is accepting applications in December and Ann Arbor 190 is accepting application starting January 2. I plan on studying for the aptitude test. I have Barron's Mechanical aptitude study guide and I'm practicing my math all the time, plus I'd argue my Math for the trades class has been helpful and I also will be using Kahn Academy.

I'd say the hardest part of this whole thing is even getting my foot in the door. I don't have experience as a plumber or welder, but I want to badly do this. I have been trying to do this. The contractors I've interviewed have said just go to the hall just go to the hall. If the one I Interviewed with brings me on they said they'd guide me through and take the "backdoor" to the union. Honestly, in my mind I'm thinking I'm gonna end up just studying for the aptitude test and doing the best I can. By December I plan to have my AWS cert in MIG welding and gas and arc. I realize they aren't as valuable as a UA cert but you gotta start somewhere!

I'm really looking for some practical advice. I'll be the first to admit I don't know a ton more about this, how to join, how to do this. I want to do this though. I feel like the way I'm going will work in time. Currently I plan on going to the hall soon and asking about pre-apprentice positions or what I can do. So, again any advice or direction would be great. I am fully committed to this. So, if you made it this far thanks for reading and I greatly appreciate it.

Hey everyone! I just got my ranking for the Local 189 apprenticeship, and it was further back than I was hoping. I’m still excited to have made the eligibility list, but I’m trying to get a realistic idea of what to expect.
About how many apprentices does Local 189 usually take each year?
Does the list tend to move quite a bit because people decline, fail drug tests, or choose other jobs?
For those who have been through the process recently, how long did you wait for a call, and what kind of ranking did you start with (if you’re comfortable sharing)?
Just trying to get an idea of whether I should expect to wait a few months or closer to a year. Thanks!

Currently in the process of applying to local 1 and my goal is to hopefully become a welder/fitter within the union but im not sure h0w much welding local 1 does compared to steamfitters 638 or if u become a plumber and pipefitter or just have to pick one, can someone who knows more than me lmk what thats like please

Other than cleaning pipe and beveling.

Was arguing with someone about this

Hi everyone,

I was looking to get a backpack full of tools to take to the job-site every day. Minus the ones that are required, doesn’t anyone have a list of tools that I should get? For reference, I worked on high rise projects.

Hey guys, can anyone recommend a decent welder that won’t break the bank for stick welding pipe? I’ve heard a lot of the cheaper welders can’t run a 6010 properly. It’s for practicing a schedule 80 pipe test. I’ve heard good things about the titanium 225 but I’m having a hard time believing something that cheap will work well. Tia

I’m a first year apprentice in my local union and local work is slow right now. There’s supposed to be work coming up in July but I want to start working now, I’m contemplating texting our BA and letting him know I’m available to travel anywhere if there are any locals accepting first years. But I’m obviously not gonna travel if I don’t get paid per diem, I don’t need a lot just some to cover a motel or wherever I stay. At my local fist years start at 50% scale so I’m wondering if I do get paid per diem - is it only 50%?

so i’m a pipefitter with about 2.5 years experience in the trade at the age of 25 and i’m working at a large local shop ( about a 20 min commute) making 30 a hr with a consistent 8-20 hrs of ot a week. im also on track to be a foreman and get a 4-6 dollar raise within the next 2 months give or take. it’s definitely convenient and pays the bills but i also just got accepted into my local union’s apprenticeship program and im heavily debating on what i should do. i’m hoping they will let me test in as higher than a 1st year apprentice with my work hours and experience becuase i 100% can’t afford to pay my bills with a 1st years apprentice salary. i know at the end of the day the union benefits are better. any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated

Got hired into Pipefitters Local 533 today as a Service Fitter. I am just so excited and have no one to tell my emotions are spilling out of my body!!!