A welder interprets engineering working drawings, standards and symbols to prepare and join a range of metals of various gauges using electrical and electrical/gas shielded processes.
Welding professionals need to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of various welding equipment and processes, metallurgy, and electrical processes in order to choose correctly from among them depending on the material being joined. Also very important: they need to thoroughly understand safe working procedures and personal protection equipment.
The skill set of an expert welder is broad; so, too, is the range of industries in which a welder can work, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, transport, marine engineering, and construction, service and leisure industries. A welder has opportunity to work in diverse locations and situations, ranging from a bench in a factory, to shipyards, power stations, petro-chemical plants, and off-shore gas or oil rigs or terminals.
Today’s expert welder has options to specialize in one or a number of welding processes and environments, and may train to work with exotic alloys. Modern welding is evolving quickly, and currently includes exploration into the exciting field of ”virtual” welding.