Top 10 Trades

Career Profiles Regionally

Welders

What’s It Like?

Welders use manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal pieces together.  They use brazing, soldering and flame-cutting equipment.  Then heat is applied to the pieces to be joined, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond.  They also use metal shaping machines such as shears, brakes and other metal bending and shaping machines.

Welders may use blueprints to determine machining operations.  They check product specifications using precision measuring instruments, and maintain equipment and replace parts when required. 

In the central Vancouver Island region, welders typically specialize in certain types of welding such as:

  • Equipment manufacture
  • Ship building and repair
  • Structural construction welding
  • Custom fabrication
  • Machinery and equipment repair
  • Pressure vessel welding

Training and certification for welders is divided into three levels, C, B and A. The types of metals and the difficulty of the work that are performed increases with each level, with C being the first ticket and A the more advanced.

Money & Benefits

Wages

Designation

Hourly Rate
Level "C"

$20.00 - $26.00

Level "B"

$26.00 - $30.00

Level "A"  

$30.00 - $35.00

Benefits

Benefits are unique to each company.  Some companies have a bonus scheme. Union Shops have union benefits. Larger businesses and government have employee benefit packages, including health care.

Non-Union Rates

With the current boom in the construction industry and associated skill shortages, local labour market research suggests it is an employee’s market. For this reason, it is not uncommon for non-union companies to match union rates and benefits in order to attract and maintain good employees.

Why We're Betting On This

  • Projected skills shortages as baby boomers retire
  • Welders are employed in many sectors in the central Vancouver Island region
  • Welding is a skill that can be applied to many other occupations – there are many ways to advance and learn new skills
  • Due to the construction boom, skilled tradespeople are in particular demand
  • 55,000 construction positions being created over the next three years in BC and up to 7,000 of these positions are on Vancouver Island
  • Local labour market research supports the current demand for trained welders in the central Vancouver Island region

Interested? Where To Start

Getting work as a welder in B.C. is much easier if you are certified as a journeyperson or registered as an apprentice.  As a qualified welder you can work as a self-employed contractor or you can be hired by an employer.

There are three levels of competency for welders:

  • Level “C” welders are people who have training in and are capable of welding various steel and aluminium parts together, in the fabrication, construction, erection and repair of components or structures, in plate and structural applications
  • Level “B” welders train in and are able to weld ferrous, non-ferrous metals in all positions on both plate and/or pipe.  These welders qualify to test for  Portable Pressure Welding Procedures in B.C.
  • Level “A” welders have advanced training, skills and abilities to weld all materials, including specialized alloys, by any manual welding process, in any position

Educational Requirements - Apprenticeship

1. Direct Entry to the job

Through Direct Entry you find a job with an employer who is willing to participate in the apprenticeship program. Both you and the employer must register in the program. See the Industry Training Authority (ITA) website to find out more and download registration forms at www.itabc.ca

2. Level “C” Certification

You can earn your Level “C”, ITA Certification at several training institutions in British Columbia. On Vancouver Island, be sure to check out these:

Educational Institutions

Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo

www.mala.ca/calendar/tradesAppliedTech/welding.asp

Camosun College, Victoria

www.camosun.bc.ca/learn/programs/welding.html

North Island College

www.nic.bc.ca/calendar/trades_technical_and_apprenticeship_training/welding/

 

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