Must-Have Skills as a Welder
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We give our workers access to a variety of opportunities with a range of organisations. We specialize in sourcing skilled and experienced workers for the following industries:
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What Do Welders Do?
Welders are responsible for designing, cutting, and permanently joining metal parts together through the application of appropriate welding techniques. They manage the machines that manufacture and repair metal structures, tools, and equipment.
Importance of Skills as a Welder
The construction industry is rapidly growing worldwide, and welders are actually in demand. This universal need for skilled welders is because they can work on a variety of industrial, manufacturing, and construction settings. For a role that is prevalent in different industries, it is just right for you to grasp the skills needed for you to succeed in the role.
There is so much diversity for Welders and we hire skilled workers who are detail-oriented, can work on a range of blueprints, and can handle different kinds of metals to fabricate. We make sure that our Welders have sound mechanical proficiency, the required physical strength and stamina, and good coordination skills. If you are wondering about the specific skills needed to be a top tier welder, let’s go through the essential competencies you should have!
TYPES OF WELDING SKILLS
If you want to excel in your welding career, learn to master these skills and highlight them throughout your job:
Mathematical skills
To be a great welder, your math skills should be on point. You would be knowledgeable in calculating dimensions, reading blueprints, and understanding diagrams.
When you have excellent math skills, you are able to produce more precise components of the welding process. These numbers you’re going to deal with are highly critical for the overall efficiency of the product.
Attention to detail
As a welder, you should have a keen eye for detail. From equipment to tools, you should be able to examine if there are any flaws to take note of. It is part of your role to clean grease or corrosion of the welding materials. You would also need to double-check if your equipment is working properly before use. On top of that, you should also keep in mind to follow the best techniques to ensure a stronger structure.
Physical Strength
Given that welding not only requires mental skills, you should be well-equipped for the amount of physical work involved. Not all working conditions may be comfortable for a welder, so to endure throughout the day with much strength is a skill you must have.
Welding means you would possibly pick up and lift heavy materials, and it could be a repetitive task. The act of welding itself may also not be convenient for your posture. To make it several hours a day is a lot of effort for both your mind and body, so you have to be willing to bring your best self to work.
Manual dexterity and Hand-eye coordination
“Manual dexterity is the ability to use your hands in a skillful, coordinated way to grasp and manipulate objects and demonstrate small, precise movements.”
This important skill allows us to use our hands at our commands which enable us to perform various tasks. In welding, the goal is to produce high-quality welds, and this is where the power of manual dexterity topped with hand-eye coordination comes in. To master this skill effectively requires a lot of experience, patience, and persistence.
When you are deeply familiar with how different welds work with various welding techniques, you can create smooth and strong outputs. Along the way, your manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination will improve, which will then build your skills to master the craft of welding.
Organizational skills
While welding could be physically demanding, a part of the role is to complete administrative tasks. This is where organizational skills come in from documenting outputs to maintaining inventory. Welders also do the planning and managing of projects. This leads us to the next 2 skills that are important, as well: Communication and Teamwork.
Good communication
To be a valuable asset to any welding team, your communication skills should be excellent. With any welding project, it is certain to discuss blueprints, clarify details, or ask questions. To produce an efficient output involves a lot of communication behind the scenes. This also shows how you can work effectively with your co-workers.
Teamwork
Even if you are tasked to work on a single workpiece by yourself, most welding projects are actually part of a larger whole. To get a whole project completed, you will be working with several people like your other team members, supervisors, and others in your work location. As established, you are a good welder if you are a team player.
HARD SKILLS OF A WELDER
As a welder, there are certain hard skills that put you on the top of the stack and are greatly beneficial when you apply for a new job:
Blueprint Reading
In welding, there are blueprint symbols used between the foreman, welding engineer, and the welder. These symbols indicate how to process and finish welds, so this is one of the top skills you must have as a welder.
MIG Welding
MIG Welding is for working on large and thick materials. This skill consumes less time, thus leading to lower production costs.
Fabricating
Fabrication out of raw materials through bending, shaping, welding, and cutting and knowing how to do it right is, of course, a skill you should master.
Steel Manufacturing
When steel is manufactured, it involves production of pig iron; production of liquid steel; hot rolling and cold rolling; applying a metallic and/or organic coating. If this is a skill you have as a welder, it’s a plus for you.
Grinding
In this skill, the welder grinds down the surface of the workpiece to ensure its quality. When you are able to smooth down roughness or fix unacceptable outputs, this is a great skill to have as a welder.
TIG Welding
This is for welding particularly thin materials and is better for smaller projects in order to produce clean and precise welds. As a TIG welder, you should master timing and balancing materials on both hands.
Torching
Torch cutting is when you mark the line and fine-tune the arch before you gradually perform the cut as you light the torch. This skill is highly beneficial for a welder, and it’s a method that doesn’t take much time.
Arc Welding
This skill is where you are tasked to heat the corresponding parts to melt and join metals. The arc welding process can deliver extremely strong bonds no matter the thickness or thinness of metals.
BUILD and MASTER these Welding Skills!
If you are new in the industry or have been a welder for years, it is important to continuously work on your skills to make you consistently efficient as a welder.
Here in Chandler Personnel, we want to help place you at the best jobs and that is highly dependent on the skills you have to offer.
Ready to work and need help with your resume? View our CV Collection for Welders and check downloadable templates you can use.