OT - Any welders here

[Rodders]

My son has been offered an apprenticeship as a welder in a local shipyard. His heart was on a joiner but this is what he was offered. I used to work in shipyards years ago and never fancied welding and thought it was a dirty and health harming job. Can anyone give me advice if he should take the job. Is it less harmful to your health these days with extractor fans etc.

Most importantly - what opportunities does he have once his apprenticeship is out for working elsewhere - oilrigs etc.

Thanks for any advice

Rodders

[Rob graham]

What particular part of welding do you deem harmful to health? And are you talking electric or gas? Apart from getting 'arc-eye', which might happen by accident, I don't really foresee any health hazards that are specifically related to welding apart from trying to weld galvanised steel, where there can be an awful lot of fumes - but unlikely to be a requirement in a shipyard.

He might fall off the ship he's welding, but is that really a welding hazard?

Rob Graham

[Palindrome]

I assume that it is a pretty big yard if it is doing a range of apprenticeships.

How much does he know about what a welder does? If he has seen the range of things that they do in the yard and isn't enthusiastic - I don't think that it is something that will grow on him. It's a bit like Marmite - you either grow to love welding or to hate it.

Of course it tends to be a lot dirtier than joinery - and is potentially very dangerous. However, safety is now taken far, far more seriously and accidents are far less common.

I think that there will always be far, far more jobs for joiners than welders. And you see a lot of old joiners - when did you last hear of an old welder?