Whos hiring and where, pay, hours, Certification tests given, tig, mig, stick?
BreakPads?
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    Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:10 pm

If I'm closer to the local hall will they let me practice there? I got about a million questions I could ask lol
kermdawg
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Unfortunately I dont think so. Hey its worth a shot though. Whats the worst they could say, No?

Are you still in school or did you finish up already?
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BreakPads?
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Well I'm 19 and moving from Michigan to Phoenix, I was set up with a college up here to get my welding engineering degree, but due to some shady dealing we lost out on a house and were pretty much homeless, sob story much lol. Alright I plan on as soon as I get down there to get registered for some classes (trying to find a damn school down there is ridiculous) I'd like to be able to find work while I'm going to school though.
kermdawg
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If your just trying to "find some work" while your goin to school, call the union back up and see if their taking any pre-apprentices/helpers. Itll be a good way to get your foot in the door down there, and hell, if your a pre-apprentice you might just be able to shmooze your way into the weld shop to practice, if you impress/befriend the right people.

Unfortunately your best bet these days to get work, union or non union, is through people you know. Think hard, do you know -anybody- that could put in a good word for ya, anywhere? 10 bucks an hour aint nothin to shake a stick at if you aint got nothin else comin in, and noone dependin on ya. Cost of living's pretty cheap down there.

Remember something else-employers can't legally ask how old you are. Thats the beautiful part about welding, if you can pass a weld test, you got a shot at gettin the job. Of course not as good a shot as the guy thats been doin it for 20 years. But your not walkin in there with nothing to show the employer either. Hard part is gettin to take the weld test. Remember, before you go blowin 200 bucks on a cert test at a lab, certs are only good for 6 months. As far as I know, thats all of em. Structural and pipe.

Anyway, if your desperate for work, ask the hall if their takin pre apprentices. Its way better than unemployment, i think they start around 15 bucks an hour, and there probably workin overtime. Pretty much all ya do is push a broom, drive a forklift, and fetch parts all day. Aint gotta know shit, but again, if you can weld and prove it to the right people i.e. your GF/Super, they'll put in the word and make your ass a welder, if they like ya. I can almost guarentee it. IF you know what your doin :) Good luck again brotha.
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BreakPads?
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Thanks again, i guess im just slightly nervous haha, its my future and a career that ive always wanted. i gotta find a school down there that has the programs i need even if its a cert program. hows the union on training after you get in?
kermdawg
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Best in the business. Im sure you could go ask for the class list they have at the JATC, and most of their classes are free to journeyman, and apprentices.
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BreakPads?
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I'm really excited about this, thanks for all your help and advice. You're definitely on my list of people to ask question lol. I gonna see about doing as well as possible with that test and get my ads some security for my future
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Just so you know...

You don't want to "bust out" a weld test. That's slang in the industry for a "fail".

I busted out my first x-ray on this job today. Film showed a 1/8" inclusion. I ground out the section and found nothing, so re-welded it and called it good. I think they smashed a bug with the film. :D I suppose it might have been a cold lap in the root, but it was round, like a tungsten strike. I dunno.

I've been here six weeks and this is my first busted x-ray, so I think I can live with it.

Steve
BreakPads?
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Thanks Steve I appreciate any help or advice given, which reminds me. Any other advice you have about training possibilities, union related experiences or any tips on welding are more than greatly appreciated, I'm a firm believer in learning as many ways as possible to skin a cat. Thanks fellas - Kyle
kermdawg
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Dont ever clean anything with brake cleaner before welding. It will create phosgen gas, and it will kill you.

Dont ever weld or cut on a tank that ever contained anything flammable unless it is backpurged. It will explode and kill you.

Learn the proper ways to handle Compressed Gas Cylinders (CGC's, or oxygen and acetylene) tanks properly. If you dont, they can kill you.

Always try to get some sort of fan if your stick or flux core welding. Your lungs will thank you.

DONT use a fan or even try to weld with TIg or MIG if theres any kind of breeze. You'll just waste your time. It doesnt take much to blow that shielding gas away.

Dont ever do something on a job you dont think is safe or right. Ask questions. Make sure that line is the right one. If you dont feel safe tell your foreman to get someone else to do it. They will. They wont fire you for it either. If they do, sue the fuck outta em :)

Remember, welding is a skill. Not everyone can do it. In fact, alot of really skilled hands I've met on the job can't or won't. Dont ever stop practicing and dont ever stop learning. My old boss, 60 years old, said he learned somethin new everyday, and if he didnt, he wasted a day.
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BreakPads?
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Thanks fellas I've been TIG welding aluminum the past couple days for the experience, and that has been fun
03ramit1
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breakpads, if you looking for a welding program look into arizona automotive institute. thats wehre i am going to school for combo welding. i just started the course a few weeks ago, but bassically its a 10 month program and they cover MIG, TIG, Stick, Flux core. let me know if you have any questions about the school.
BreakPads?
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well guys ive made it to phoenix, and we're slightly settled, so im gonna start working towards getting into the union, and meanwhile im gonna look for work around the area. so if anybody has any friends and family that would let me walk in and take a weld test, let me know.
kermdawg
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You ever go down to the hall and talk to an organizer?
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BreakPads?
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have not got the opportnity to yet, but what do I need to do and ask when I'm there?
BreakPads?
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Alright Steve I gotta go to a local college and take three exams for placement on their waiting list, and to make sure I'm mentally capable haha. Then I have a wait before I can get in. I have to get 100 hours on the job training, and then i start my apprenticeship program. So that's definitely cool, so I'm going to start working on some simple algebra and adding and subtracting feet and inches to freshen up, and hope to do well on their exam and get placed. I guess there's 200 people on the list so I have to score high
kermdawg
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Ya dont mess around on that test. I would highly suggest practicing your fractions, and converting architectural measurements to engineering measurements. i.e. going from feet and inchs to decimals. I think fractions is by far the biggest thing on those tests.

The test I took didnt have any serious algebra or anything on it, but some geometry/basic trig wouldnt hurt ya. Brush up on your areas and perimeters, as well as your area/volume of cylinders(tanks), cubes, and cones/triangles.

And ya, theres 200 plus people and usually they only take the top 10-20, depending on how much work they project they have comin up. Fuck back in the day we would have 2 classes of 30 apprentices each, each semester. Now there down to 1 20 man class per semester.

Oh, a piece of advice-you'll more than likely have an interview as part of your application too. If they ask you why you want to be in the apprenticeship, dont tell em cause of the money. My friend did that and they threw his ass out made him wait 6 more months :) Be prepared for it though, its usually the training coordiantor and 2 other guys. Dont syke yourself out but dont go in there naked either. Its a pretty big part of the process.
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