See what I mean about the trades...

[Zeke]

WELDER

12 to 15 bucks an hour for a welder with certs that can weld uphill and overhead TIG.

Freakin' ridiculous. People want to know why there's a shortage of skilled tradespersons.

As I said in another thread, I wouldn't steer a young person to work with their hands whatsoever.

[nynor]

with 5+ years experience....

[sammyg2]

Where I work we pay around $35 for a top-line welder with a stamp, a rig welder gets double that.

The reason for that add and for wages being so low in some places?
THE OPEN BORDER!

Drywallers getting $10 an hour. Framers getting $8, because someone broke the law and broke into our country and it willing to steal a job and do it for almost nothing.
Close off the folks willing to come across and work for peanuts, permanently take away business licenses from companies that hire illegals, and the market can reestablish equilibrium.

[Zeke]

It's an "ad" Sammy, not an "add." As in advertisement.

I don't know what you mean by equilibrium. Stopping people from working for less and longer and harder is not going to go away. Not when we have to compete with imported goods manufactured overseas.

But our kids aren't gonna do it. You can't live on 12 bucks an hour with even two people working.

[monoflo]

North Dakota has like 15,000 jobs open that pay 60 to 80k a year --a welder could do well there.

BUT there is ND

Mflo

[fastfredracing]

I think that tradesman can still make a decent buck around these parts as well. I know of a few guys who are welders/fabricators, or machinist that earn pretty well for a blue collar guy. If I had to do it over again, I would have been a plumber.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by monoflo

North Dakota has like 15,000 jobs open that pay 60 to 80k a year --a welder could do well there.

BUT there is ND

Mflo

And no place to live as I understand it. So, if you don't mind living in a motorhome, it would be fine.

I checked CL for ND and there were 6 ads looking for work as a welder and one offering. Maybe not as hot as you thought.

Hell, I was half way out the door.

[MT930]

I just back from NW North Dakota on business (Commercial Location Scouting)

A good clean articulate TIG welder could make $100K + a year. The company would put you in a Ramada Inn every night and give you $20 for food.

I met a Tig/ Pipe Welder in the hotel bar one night he moved up from the Gulf for the work.

I fear it will not last very long. Grab all you can while you can!

It's a Freak Show up there. The money that is getting put in to play in the local economy is unbeliveable.

This picture says in all.

[Zeke]

I just checked South D. Here's a quote from the ONE ad for a welder back on Dec 5:

"We are currently looking for a person that can weld well. Has experience with welding aluminum, stainless and cast is good with metal forming, very mechanically inclined, knows how to run a lathe and mill and that can work on most anything..."

All for 15 bucks an hour.

Somehow I'd have to see a few pay stubs to buy into the 100K thing.

[Tobra]

Milt, I think he had it right the first time, ad-advertisement, add- attention deficit something or other...

[J P Stein]

Originally Posted by Zeke

It's an "ad" Sammy, not an "add." As in advertisement.

I don't know what you mean by equilibrium. Stopping people from working for less and longer and harder is not going to go away. Not when we have to compete with imported goods manufactured overseas.

But our kids aren't gonna do it. You can't live on 12 bucks an hour with even two people working.

What are YOUR kids gonna do? Mine (and their spouses) all do actual work. Maybe your kids can sell each other mutual funds, derivatives, hedge funds?..... That looks to me as if it ain't working out too well.

I started out as an apprentice at $1.96 an hour in a dying trade then made the best of it.....I kinda got in the habit of working and passed it on to my kids. Maybe your kids will get a free lunch from uncle sugar.

You'll always find work as a speel cheker.

[Zeke]

Hey, JP, why the animosity? I worked for a $1.91 at GTE and got 1.96 after SIX months. What does that have to do with working for nothing today? Have you converted that?

Oh, and that was entry level. These ads I'm posting are for fvking journeymen, not burger flippers.

So, what do my stepkids do? Well, one is down at the harbor supervising at 100K/yr (no college) and the other is teaching kids that are not suitable for regular class (read gang members) and getting a master's. She's doing OK given the career she chose.

They won't have to weld, machine, grind and clean metal for what a manager makes at mcD's.

[porsche4life]

Got a cdl and can pass a drug test? I can get you a job in OK making 20/hr and almost guarantee 80hrs/wk if not more

[Zeke]

There ya go. Truck drivers making 25 % more than a journeyman with a trade and tools. When is the last time you saw a driver fix a truck?

Oh, you saw that a few times, huh? Good, that means a few of them know where the hoses go.

[Red88Carrera]

Zeke, what would you say is a reasonable wage for that skill set?

[vash]

zeke, i know you are in the trades.

not sure where you are seeing these low-pay gigs. as part of my job responsiblity, i have to randomly check on the contractor guys i work with. i do EEO interviews and i get a copy of the company's certified payroll. everyone is doing better than the prevailing wage. i have $60/hour operators all the way down to $35/hr labor guys. and this is BEFORE their fringe benefits.

when work was hot and heavy, these guys were doing $150k per year. it was staggering.

pretty sure the welder at the local muffler shop is getting hosed..but our steel pile guys, doing M1.5 welds..they do very well.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

Zeke, what would you say is a reasonable wage for that skill set?

Which one? Welding plus being able to run a mill and a lathe?

Welding in shop with a welding engineer setting up all the procedures should pay about what assembly on a big line would pay. Welding, reading prints, fabricating, fit up, w/o direct supervision ought to be worth 30.

Outside, in the air, under a pipe, whatever, with certs, about 40 base.

[Zeke]

vash, prevailing wage is not helping factory and shop workers. I've worked prevailing wage and the pay was fine. No complaints.

[Red88Carrera]

You should check out the local and national average salaries for welders. Specialty welding aside, the fact is that the field just doesn't pay those numbers.

[futuresoptions]

<--- Ex GTE...