Also known as
- Aviation Welding Technician
- Brazing Machine Operator
- Brazing Machine Setter
- Electric Arc Welder
- Journeyperson Welder
- Laser Welding Operator
- Pressure Vessel Welder
- Production Welder
- Soldering Machine Operator
- Spot Welder
- WelderApprentice
- Welder-Fitter
Your duties | Work conditions | Essential Skills | Apprenticeship | Certification | Where to study | Salary ranges | Building your career | Job prospects
Do you like working alone? Are you careful and patient? Do you have an eye for detail? Are you good with your hands? Could you work with precision tools and equipment? Are you well-coordinated? Do you have good eyesight? Then Welder/Related Machine Operator could be the career for you!
To learn more about a career in welding, visit the Canadian Welding Association’s YouTube channel.
What the work is like
Welders operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metal parts such as pipes, vessels, and other components used in construction or manufacturing. Welders may also add layers of metal to build up worn parts.
Related machine operators operate previously set up production welding, brazing and soldering equipment.
They are employed by construction companies, welding contractors and welding shops, or they may be self-employed.
Welders and related machine operators work in all four construction sectors: New Home Building and Renovation, Heavy Industrial, Institutional and Commercial, and Civil Engineering. To learn more about the construction sectors, check out Inside the industry.
Your duties
Welders and related machine operators may specialize in certain types of welding such as pipeline construction welding, structural construction welding, or machinery and equipment repair welding.
As a Welder/Related Machine Operator, your duties may include the following:
- operating manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to join metal parts
- shaping metal parts
- repairing worn metal products by welding on extra layers
- reading and interpreting blueprints
Work conditions
The standard work week for welders and related machine operators is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next.
As a Welder/Related Machine Operator, you may work outdoors on construction sites or indoors in production and repair shops. You will often work independently, but will interact with other construction professionals. Depending on your line of work, you may have to travel to remote job sites such as oil fields.
The job can be physically demanding – you may have to stand for long periods of time or work in awkward positions.
As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Welders and related machine operators are trained to work safely and wear special equipment to protect themselves from injury.
Essential Skills
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified nine Essential Skills that are necessary to succeed in the workplace. These skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and apply to most construction careers. Best of all, you can learn and improve on these skills in school, on the job and during your everyday life.
The most important Essential Skills for welders and related machine operators are the following:
- Numeracy – working with numbers to perform calculations
- Problem Solving – coming up with solutions to challenges
Click here to see how these skills are applied on the job. You can also click here to learn more about Essential Skills.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is one way of starting out in the construction industry. It involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified Welder/Related Machine Operator, called a journeyperson.
As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 60% of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship until you reach the full rate.
Entering an apprenticeship program
Requirements for welder/related machine operator apprenticeship programs vary across Canada. In most provinces and territories, you must have a Grade 9 education or equivalent to enter the program.
Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as a Welder/Related Machine Operator.
Check out the Apprenticeship section to learn more.
Program length
Apprenticeship training programs for welders/related machine operators vary across Canada, but generally involve three 12-month periods, including at least 4,680 hours of on-the-job training, three eight-week blocks of technical training and a final certificate exam.
Related work experience or completion of a welder/related machine operator program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship.
Certification
Certification is required in Alberta, and is available but voluntary in most other provinces and territories. Where certification is not available, it may be possible to study as an apprentice through your local labour organization. Check out Related links to find out who to contact. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended. Certification tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional. It also helps you get jobs.
To be certified as a Welder/Related Machine Operator, you usually need to complete a three-year apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the required on-the-job training, technical training and exams, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate.
You may be eligible for certification in some provinces and territories if you have more than three years of on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses in welding/related machine operation.
As a certified Welder/Related Machine Operator, you may attempt the Interprovincial Exam to qualify for the Interprovincial Standards’ Red Seal. With a Red Seal, you can work as a Welder/Related Machine Operator anywhere in Canada.
To keep your skills current, you have to keep up with new technological developments by reading and talking with other welders and related machine operators.
Where to study in Canada
In addition to the Canadia
n schools listed below, many employer and labour organizations offer training. For more information, check out Related links.
Specialty programs
In addition to the schools listed above, Aboriginal Canadians, new Canadians and women can enrol in one of several specialty programs.
For Aboriginal Canadians, Northern College offers a Native Residential Construction Worker Apprenticeship Program and Red River College offers an introductory program called ACCESS.
For new Canadians with experience as welders, NorQuest College offers a program called Transitions to Technical and Trades Careers.
For women, Lambton College and Red River College offer integrated programs.
Salary ranges
Welder and Related Machine Operator hourly wages vary depending on the contract, the company, collective agreements, and local and national economic conditions. Typical hourly wage ranges for welders and related machine operators (based on national or regional averages) are as follows:
Junior apprentices
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$12-$18 |
Based on national averages, junior apprentices can earn annual salaries ranging from $25,000 to $37,000 per year, not including overtime.
Journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$19-$24 |
Based on national averages, journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $40,000 to $50,000 per year, not including overtime.
Highly experienced journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$24-$32 |
Based on national averages, highly experienced journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $50,000 to $67,000 per year, not including overtime.
Construction work can involve overtime, so your total annual salary will vary depending on the number of overtime hours you work.
In addition to the hourly rate, many construction workers receive statutory holiday and vacation pay. Depending on the contract, you may also receive benefits such as group insurance for health, dental, and vision care, as well as retirement packages and training benefits up to 30% of your hourly rate. If you are self-employed, it is up to you to arrange your own benefits.
Building your career
With experience and additional training, you can move into more senior positions. These include supervisory roles like welding inspector, foreman or supervisor. You could also transfer your skills to related construction trades such as boilermaking. Another option is to become self-employed, and either open your own repair shop or work as a contractor.
As with most careers in the construction industry, your skills are portable. If you want to move, you can take your skills with you.
Job prospects
Construction careers across Canada are booming! To learn about the forecast for welders and related machine operators, check out Job prospects. There you’ll find information on their expected demand by province for the next nine years.
The Construction Sector Council accepts no responsibility or liability connected with the use or reproduction of the information contained on this website. It is provided “as is” and is intended for informational use only without warranty, express or implied.
