• Weld Components in flat, vertical, and overhead positions. • Lay out, position, align, and secure parts and assemblies prior to assembly, using straightedges, combination squares, calipers, and rulers. • Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications. Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment. • Weld separately or in combination, using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys. • Clamp, hold, tack-weld, heat-bend, grind or bolt component parts to obtain required configurations and positions for welding. • Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart • Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits. • Specifications or types and thicknesses of metals. • Ignite torches or start power supplies and strike arcs by touching electrodes to metals being welded, completing electrical circuits. • Connect and turn regulator valves to activate and adjust gas flow and pressure so that desired flames are obtained. • Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques. • Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material. • Operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments, using processes such as gas tungsten arc, gas metal arc, flux-cored arc, plasma arc, shielded metal arc, resistance welding, and submerged arc welding. • Analyze engineering drawings, blueprints, specifications, sketches, work orders, and material safety data sheets to plan layout, assembly, and welding operations. • Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required. • Chip or grind off excess weld, slag, or spatter, using hand scrapers or power chippers, portable grinders, or arc-cutting equipment. • Remove rough spots from workpieces, using portable grinders, hand files, or scrapers. • Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter. • Preheat workpieces prior to welding or bending, using torches or heating furnaces. • Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information. • Position and secure workpieces, using hoists, cranes, wire, and banding machines or hand tools. • Guide and direct flames or electrodes on or across workpieces to straighten, bend, melt, or build up metal. • Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors. • Clean or degrease parts, using wire brushes, portable grinders, or chemical baths. • Cut, contour, and bevel metal plates and structural shapes to dimensions as specified by blueprints, layouts, work orders, and templates, using powered saws, hand shears, or chipping knives. • Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches, straightening presses, and hand tools. • Fill holes, and increase the size of metal parts. • Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments. • Operate metal shaping, straightening, and bending machines, such as brakes and shears. • Set up and use ladders and scaffolding as necessary to complete work. • Hammer out bulges or bends in metal workpieces. • Dismantle metal assemblies or cut scrap metal, using thermal-cutting equipment, such as flame-cutting torches or plasma-arc equipment. • Use fire suppression methods in industrial emergencies. • Estimate materials needed for production and manufacturing and maintain required stocks of materials. • Join parts such as beams and steel reinforcing rods in buildings, bridges, and highways, bolting and riveting as necessary. • Gouge metals, using the air-arc gouging process. • Mix and apply protective coatings to products. • Operate brazing and soldering equipment.
See More Details >>HIRING NOW EXPERIENCE PREFERRED: • PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN A SHIPYARD SHOP SETTING a plus • ABLE TO PASS AN ABS CERTIFICATION WELDING TEST • FLUX CORE • MINIMUM 3 YRS OF EXP. • MUST HAVE OWN TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK • CONSECUTIVE/VERIFIABLE WORK HISTORY ABLE TO PASS PRE EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAM, DRUG SCREEN, PFT MUST WE WILLING TO BE CLEAN SHAVEN
See More Details >>Key Responsibilities: • Perform 3G and 4G position welds on structural steel using Stick (SMAW) and Flux-Core (FCAW) processes. • Read and interpret welding blueprints, shop drawings, and welding procedure specifications. • Layout, fit, and fabricate metal components according to specifications. • Ensure all welds meet quality standards and pass visual and/or X-ray inspections as required. • Use grinders, torches, and other tools to prep and finish workpieces. • Maintain a clean and safe work area, adhering to OSHA and company safety protocols. • Work independently or as part of a team on construction or fabrication projects. • Report material needs and equipment issues to supervisors promptly. Qualifications: • Proven experience as a structural welder (minimum 2 years preferred). • Must be able to pass 3G and 4G weld tests (AWS D1.1). • Proficient with Stick (SMAW) and Flux-Core (FCAW) welding processes. • Strong understanding of structural welding codes and safety procedures. • Ability to read and interpret blueprints and technical drawings. • Comfortable working at heights, in confined spaces, or outdoors in varying conditions. • Must have basic hand tools and PPE; welding hood, steel-toe boots, etc. • High school diploma or GED preferred; technical welding school is a plus. Preferred: • AWS or other welding certifications. • OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification. • Experience working on commercial or industrial construction sites. Compensation & Benefits (If Applicable): • Competitive pay (based on experience and certifications). • Overtime opportunities. • Per diem and travel pay for out-of-town work. • Health, dental, and vision insurance options. • 401(k) and paid time off (varies by employer). Job Type: Full-time Pay: $23.00 - $27.69 per hour Expected hours: 55 per week Work Location: In person
See More Details >>Becoming a welder typically starts with technical training or an apprenticeship, which combines hands-on experience with classroom learning, allowing individuals to earn while they learn. Apprenticeships and technical training programs last about 6 to 18 months, requiring many hours of training under licensed professionals. The American Welding Society reports 771,000 welders nationwide and projects a 2-3% job growth from 2025 to 2029. Apprentices earn an average of $50 per hour in Morgan City, LA, with an annual overtime average of $10,000. Trade schools, unions, and platforms like AWS help aspiring welders find apprenticeship opportunities, leading to a career with strong earning potential—often exceeding $80,000 annually for experienced professionals.
