In recent years, the federal government has passed multiple spending initiatives — including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS and Science Act — geared toward infrastructure, technology, and clean energy improvements. These initiatives have created a range of opportunities for skilled trades workers, including welding professionals.
This demand is reflected in a recent report from the American Welding Society (AWS) that projects more than 300,000 new welding professionals will be needed by 2028. The projection is based on the number of current openings, expected industry growth, and anticipated attrition, with AWS noting that nearly 160,000 welding professionals in the U.S. — roughly 21% of the workforce — are approaching retirement.
By going to school to pursue welding training in Ohio, individuals can develop the requisite skills and expertise to start a career in this vital, stable industry.
What Is a Welding Training Program?
One of the most direct ways to prepare for a career in welding is through a welding training program at a vocational school or community college. These programs combine classroom instruction and hands-on skill development, giving students the opportunity to work with the same tools and practice the same techniques professionals in the field use.
This is valuable experience that enables aspiring welding professionals to develop the technical expertise and practical skills they need to enter the field.
What Will You Learn in a Welding Training Program?
The Fortis welding training program in Ohio offers a comprehensive, hands-on curriculum that is designed to train students with foundational knowledge of welding concepts and help them hone crucial technical skills. Students who complete the program are taught the following skills and competencies:
Proficiency in various welding techniques, for example, metal inert gas (MIG), tungsten inert gas (TIG), and stick welding, and their applications
Ability to read and interpret welding blueprints and symbols
Understanding of welding mathematics
Familiarity with welding safety practices
Expertise in destructive and nondestructive testing methods
Knowledge of metal fabrication and joining techniques
Welding equipment setup and maintenance
Through classroom education and experiential learning, students in the program also develop valuable soft skills, such as critical thinking and communication that are essential to working effectively as part of a team.
What Can You Do With Welding Training in Ohio?
Welding professionals are needed across the country, and particularly in Ohio, which boasts a healthy construction and manufacturing job market. The state has the third-largest manufacturing workforce in the country, according to JobsOhio, and is in the midst of a construction boom that is driving demand for all manner of skilled trades workers, including welding professionals.
According to 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Buckeye State has the third-highest number of welding professionals in the country, behind only Texas and California.
With such a strong job market, training for a welding career in Ohio can position prospective welding professionals for various employment opportunities in the state. Below are just some of the types of welding career paths graduates can take.
Welder Fabricator
Welder fabricators apply welding techniques and other processes to bend, shape, cut, and fuse metal components to create a wide range of products, structures, and equipment, from automobiles and aerospace parts to bridges and buildings.
Pipeliner
Pipeliners, or pipeline welders, build, maintain, and repair tubular equipment and components in the construction of buildings, ships, and stand-alone pipelines. They are also involved in reshaping or dismantling pipeline systems and components. One of the most sought-after welding professionals, pipeliners work on various projects in diverse environments, including oil refineries, power generation facilities, and construction sites.
Ironworker
Ironworkers apply various techniques, including welding, to build and disassemble metal structures, such as bridges, antennae, skyscrapers, and stadiums. They often help build the cranes and derricks used to move materials around construction sites as well.
Welding Inspector
Welding inspectors evaluate the work of other welding professionals, ensuring that welds and all welding-related activities meet quality and safety standards and comply with relevant codes and regulations. Their work is critical to the safety and integrity of an array of projects, including building construction, automotive manufacturing, oil and gas pipelines, and consumer products, as well as military and aviation equipment.
Welding Job Outlook in Ohio
Federal investment in infrastructure improvements, chip manufacturing, and clean energy production, along with private sector development, is expected to drive demand for welding professionals and other skilled workers over the next several years.
Billions in federal funds have already been earmarked for projects in Ohio alone, including the repair of thousands of roads and bridges. Meanwhile, Intel is investing nearly $30 billion in the construction of two semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Ohio, creating thousands of jobs.
The BLS projects stable-to-strong employment growth nationally across numerous construction and manufacturing occupations over the next decade, including several welding professions:
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers: 2% growth (9,300 new jobs); 45,800 openings each year (on average)
Sheet Metal Workers: 2% growth (2,900 new jobs); 11,500 openings each year (on average)
Ironworkers: 4% growth (3,700 new jobs); 7,500 openings each year (on average)
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters: 6% growth (26,300 new jobs); 43,300 openings each year (on average)
Similar occupations, such as boilermakers and fabricators, will experience less robust growth, while still boasting many job openings each year. For example, the BLS projects more than 200,000 openings for assemblers and fabricators between 2023 and 2032.
Train for a Welding Career With Fortis
Public and private sector investment in infrastructure, technology, transportation, and clean energy projects are creating employment opportunities for skilled laborers, including welding professionals. Given this demand, training for a welding career in Ohio — one of the nation’s strongest job markets for construction and manufacturing — can represent a sound investment in your future.
If you are considering a career in welding, explore the welding training program at the Fortis College Cincinnati campus or the Fortis College Cuyahoga Falls campus. In about a year or less, you can develop the skills and expertise to land an entry-level role in this growing field.
Discover the benefits of a Fortis education.
Recommended Readings
We Need Women in the Skilled Trades
5 Industries That Need Welders
Benefits of Trade School: Why a Hands-On Skilled Trades Career Might Be a Good Fit