[swamp snorkler]

Originally Posted by breambuster

Got a call for structural welder apprentice.

Basically this mean you going ot be pulling leads for a welder, setting up ventilation, hole watching type of stuff. You may also be grinding all day, or building scaffolds if the place doesn't have a scaffold crew. Filling water coolers, getting wire/rods running extention cords, sweeping type of work.

I was hoping for something offshore but shipyard is good enough. Depending on how I like it there when/if I graduate how "in demand" is welding for offshore?

Depends, most of the installation companies, I.E. the people that take the rig off the barge and install the platform onto the Jacket/Floating structure use foreign labor. You can be really in demand right after a hurricane when they use domestic companies to do repair work offshore.

Would pipe welding be a better route?

Yes, pipe welds have to be clean. Clean environment, clean pipe. It's much better than Fluxed-Core where you breathing in smoke all day and have slag popping on you, it's also not as hot as flux core and tig wleding is more common in chemical plants and what not.


Does anyone know a round about salary for a welder offshore?

A top money welder makes anywhere from $20-$30 HR, we have guys that work offhsore who make upwards of $100,000 but they not home much.

Kind of interested how that would work as im sure its not a steady thing welding on a rig.

Actually you can get on a steady crew if you experienced. There are Maintenance crews off shore. We have crews that work 7-7, 14-7, 14-14, just depends on the companies contract. With that said there is also welding crews who are on 24 hr call. You may stay offshore for 2 days, make 2 or 3 welds pack up and come in for 10 days working in the shop and head right back offshore and stay for 15 days.

Any help is appreciated

Hope I helped

If I were you I would take the job and let them teach me how to weld. I don't know how old you are or your work experience but let me give you this little bit of advise if you just starting out and you want to weld for a living...... Don't smoke weed, keep your nose clean, show up to work on time, sober! Do what ever is asked of you within reason, take whatever O.T. the willing to give you. Go to any training class they offer. No matter how good you can weld you can't weld very good hungover and you can't weld at all if you not at work for wahtever reason. Stay there for 6 months or so, if things aint shaking move onto something else.