Vermont Welding Careers
Welding is an excellent career choice for those who want to work in a trade and gain skills that are transferable from state to state. Through training and experience, welders specialize in the cutting, forming, connecting and fitting of metal materials. Any industry that requires metalwork requires welders, and you can find them working anywhere from bridges to construction sites to underwater settings. Welders learn hundreds of techniques and use powerful heat tools in their work. Vermont offers numerous training options for future welders, and Vermont welders earn high incomes compared to the national average welder income.
The Path to Welding
To become a welder, you need to hold at least a high school diploma or equivalent. After high school, many welders pursue short- to long-term training, which can last from nine months to two years. Some welders train on-the-job as a welder’s apprentice or aide to gain experience. It’s essential you understand the basics of welding before you pursue work, including safety standards, blueprint reading and some basic welding techniques.
Welding Educational Opportunities
There are several welding classes and programs in Vermont that offer basic to advanced technique training, including:
- Advanced Welding Institute (AWI). This trade school in South Burlington, Vermont, trains students to become structural and pipe welders. AWI follows American Welding Society (AWS) standards to offer quality training. New classes start on a monthly basis, meaning that new students can begin education anytime throughout the year. Career and job search help is also available to students and graduates.
- River Valley Technical Center. This school in Springfield, Vermont, offers a two-year Industrial Trades I program that teaches the basics of welding including blueprint reading and safety procedures. The Industrial Trades II program allows students who have completed part one to gain more advanced and specialized welding training. High school students can also begin work as welders’ apprentices to gain valuable experience in the field.
Certifications for Welding
The career field of welding does not require certification, but training and earning credentials through the AWS can certainly help welders improve their employability. Welders can demonstrate their skills and knowledge at an AWS-approved testing facility to earn AWS certifications. Certified Welder (CW), Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and Certified Welding Educator (CWE) are just a few of the nine professional welding certifications offered by the AWS.
Vermont Welder Salary and Employment Statistics
Welders in Vermont earned a mean income of $20.04 per hour in 2017, slightly higher than the national welder mean income of $19.35 per hour, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Though the Projections Managing Partnership (PMP) predicts that Vermont welder employment will decrease 2.3 percent by the year 2026, surrounding states such as New Hampshire and New York show more promise with projected growth rates of 4.1 and 8.4 percent, respectively.
Your Future as a Welder in Vermont
The highest number of Vermont welders worked in the Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area in 2017. However, welders earned the highest incomes in Burlington that year, where they earned a mean income of $23.50 per hour.
Welders in Vermont have options for many paths, including structural, pipe and combination welding careers. Whether you are interested in working on automotive parts or building construction or in any number of other industries, there is bound to be a welding path to suit your unique skills and interests.
FAQs
How much do welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn in the state of Vermont?
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in the state of Vermont made an average of $42,070 per year in 2019. Entry-level welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earned around $32,390 and some experienced professionals earned salaries as high as $55,510.