Welding is a hands-on trade where you join metal with heat, and you get good by putting in hours under the hood, not by reading. Most welders have a high school diploma or GED, so you can start without college. Employers hire on what you can show in a weld test, not on a degree. Your path: learn shop safety and how to read a weld symbol, practice the four main processes (SMAW/stick, GMAW/MIG, FCAW/flux-core, GTAW/TIG) in all positions, pass a qualification test such as AWS D1.1 structural steel, then specialize in pipe, aluminum, or inspection for higher pay. Nothing here legally requires a li
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Stage 1 of 4 · about 12 weeks
Work safely, read basic drawings and weld symbols, understand how an arc works, and run consistent beads and simple fillet joints in the flat position with stick and MIG.
Welding safety and shop habits
Welding can burn your eyes, skin and lungs and start fires. Employers rank safe habits first, and the first task in this job is using safety equipment and safe work habits. One careless habit can end a career.
Reading basic drawings and weld symbols
A welder works from drawings, not guesses. The symbol tells you the weld type, size, and where it goes. Getting it wrong means rework or a failed part.
How an arc works and how to set up stick and MIG machines
When you know why an arc behaves the way it does, you can fix problems instead of guessing. It also helps you select the right electrode, wire, gas and settings, which is part of the job.
Metal prep, fit-up and clamping
Most bad welds are made bad before the arc starts. The job includes cleaning the metal and aligning and clamping parts, and good fit-up saves hours of grinding and repair.
Running beads and flat-position fillets with stick and MIG
This is the core hands-on skill. Steady beads and clean fillets in the flat position are the base for every position and code test you will take later.
Visual self-inspection and quality habits
Employers need welders who catch their own errors and report faulty equipment or material. Looking carefully at your work is the quickest way to improve and the base for later inspection skills.
Then 3 more stages (about 138 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 10 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.