18+ Pros and Cons of Being a Welder (Explained)

A welder is a person who is skilled in joining metals together or fills and repairs metal construction. The term welder refers to the operator; the machine is referred to as the welding power supply.

The welder should study engineering blueprints, calculate material dimensions, identify the optimal welding methods, and should have strong knowledge of metal properties. They might create new products, repair the existing ones or keep an eye on equipment quality.

Advantages of Being a Welder	Disadvantages of Being a Welder
Welders have decent job security	Work environment
Good future job prospects for welders	Long working hours
One can work with their hands	Physical challenges and hardship
They are pivotal to keep our system running	Welding is not without its dangers and discomforts
Welders do not work overtime	One may be subject to stress and lots of travelling
They will see the results of their work every day

Advantages of Being a Welder

Welders have decent job security

An advantage which a welder has is decent job security. As very few people choose this career option.

It is not a popular career choice among the current generation. It has led to an acute shortage of certified welders in the industry. Moreover, they do have a choice for which they decide to work with.

Consequently, they do not have to worry about losing their job and becoming unemployed as there will be a plethora of other companies simply waiting to employ them.

Good future job prospects for welders

With the current rate of industrialization and expansion welders not only have nice job security but skilled welders will always be required in the future as well.

It is an established fact that the labor shortage in the industry will continue to increase because of the above fact.

An increasing number of youths simply want to do white-collar jobs instead of soiling their hands. Going to college is chosen over learning a craftsman skill.

One can work with their hands

As with all other artisans a welding career gives one an opportunity to work with their hands instead of simply sitting in front of a computer and typing all day in a typical office setup.

Though some of us prefer classical offices and enjoy desk jobs. While the indoor environment is comfortable, many professionals crave to work with their hands-on and prefer some hardship at work instead of sitting idly before the computer.

They are pivotal to keep our system running

There is an element of respect as welders are pivotal to keep our system running. The current industry simply cannot move without a skilled craftsman like a welder.

If not attended many machines which break down could not be fixed without welders. It can translate into a drastic event halting the production and therefore in the quality of our life.

Without proper supply, products would become more expensive and will be out of reach of the common man.

Welders do not work overtime

As most workers are in full control of their work, they do not have to work for extra hours. In turn, many welders work about 8 hours or even less.

It translates to an ample amount of leisure. They can use this time with their friends and family or pursue hobbies. In comparison to most people who work in classical office jobs like Bank, Business Process Outsourcing Sector chartered accountants and other finance sector jobs have to work for long hours each day.

Welder has a relaxed life in this regard. They can work to live instead of living to work, unlike many other professionals.

They will see the results of their work every day

One of the biggest advantages the profession of welder has is that they will be able to see the results of their labor each day. In most other professions, one will simply draft a letter, enter data in spreadsheets or prepare presentations which may take weeks or even months.

It can be very demoralizing as we as humans require seeing results to stay moralized and it is the leading reason for many people leaving their work later or sooner.

A welder will not have to face this problem as they will be regularly seeing the end result of their work soon and seeing their progress each day keeps them motivated to continue their efforts.

Disadvantages of Being a Welder

Work environment

The working environment of a welder is very harsh because of the immense heat and machinery. It is vital for a facility to have properly planned safety protocols.

With proper safety protocols and training, companies can mitigate those risks, but a mistake can jeopardize the condition. Welders have to work outdoors in harsh weather conditions.

Many companies however may stop projects in extreme weather events or postpone the projects during extreme weather conditions to prevent accidents that may be caused by those conditions.

Long working hours

As with another craftsmanship welding usually needs longer hours. Therefore welders require working overtime hours. Travel also may become part of their work hours if they have to report to another building or workshop.

Few projects may require one to move to some other areas for some time, though it can be a good way to explore new places in new regions while further sharpening their welding skills and methods by learning techniques from senior welders.

Physical challenges and hardship

Welding projects usually take a long time where one needs to focus and maintain precision with their tools to ensure they have properly welded the joints.

There may be stress because welding in cramped or narrow areas for some time may be physically depressing. Once one has gained more experience, they might devise new methods to increase the efficiency of their welding so they can reduce the time their welding takes.

They may schedule their projects in such a way that allows them to avoid busy seasons.

Welding is not without its dangers and discomforts

A welder is exposed to some of the most common injuries like burns. As welding requires very high temperatures and at a narrow or cramped space risk of burn is relatively more.

They are also prone to other issues like eye discomfort from being around poisonous gases and other toxic materials. For most of their career, they are in small tight spaces, working in muggy and hot weather or welding in very cold or wet places.

Sometimes welders have to put in a lot of physical effort which leads to muscle strain.

One may be subject to stress and lots of travelling

Welding requires a lot of time and companies expect it to complete well in time. The situation gets worse when working on a particular project like a building, bridge, or dam the entire team is on a deadline.

As roles are interlinked and one task can begin after the first one is completed. It translates to working on a lot of long days and overtime hours. Some industries like pipelines require frequent travel from one site to another.