dodgeguy71

With the varied assortment of folks in here do we have any Sheetmetal workers?

I'm looking at a career change...plain and simple tired of the.....people I work for, cuss most repairs....burned out they say. Anyhow, love to weld, fabricate and saw in the paper that they are looking for apprentice etc for a local sheetmetal place. Lady on the phone said building duct work and such.

Does anyone have anymore than that? I'd like to apply more of my welding and be more into welding. I'm also wanting to check out the Ironworkers as well, but again...I'm more interested in the welding and locating something where my current welding experience will help and such. My Uncle is a welder with an outfit that travels the country, but they are out of Rochester, NY and I don't feel like paying NY taxes, moving exp and so on to go up there. Not to mention the fact that I do not miss winter time 6 months out of the year.

Anyone have any info, ideas I would appreciate it.

YZ3500F

try a union local in your area like the ironworkers or millwrights or pipefitters im a millwright appretise so i can answer some of your questions

1KhakiMegaCab

I am a union sheetmetal worker ,LU66, in Washington. I too am a welder, and in the sheetmetal trade there is lots of welding and fabracation.

I have been certified in light gauge and structual metal in the trade for about 10 years, and have been welding off and on for about 20. Depending on the jobs you can weld and hang grease duct or weld up support for the duct in the shafts. Thats just a small part of the trade. If you know how to TIG weld you could go into specialty shops that make hand rails, sinks, counter tops or anything that needs to get polished. Check out www.smwia.org. That might answer some questions. If not let me know and i will do my best to answer them.

Chris

dodgeguy71

Thanks guys. I'm gonna go apply on monday I believe. Sounds like interesting work. I've never messed with tig, did the plate test with mig, all positions and started to do stick. Actually been messing with it at home.

xtoyz17

Hey, whats wrong with Rocheste r

To be honest, this isn't a horrible area to work. This area is more recession proof than a lot of the more expensive places. We pay more in taxes, but our cost of living is generally lower. 75k will buy you a 400k dollar Cali. house, etc...


What company does your uncle work for?

scuzman00

There is a MAJOR shortage of qualified tradesmen down here in the Houston area. Building is still going strong in the commercial and petrochemical sectors and a shortage of sheetmetal, pipefitters, A/C techs and other trades abound. The cost of living isn't too bad either and the area's diversity in electronics, oil and other manufacturing jobs has strengthened the economy here from the recession that affects other parts of the country....

Gary

XLR8R

That's for sure!

If you ain't working down here in the Golden Triangle - it's 'cause you don't want to...

dodgeguy71

I got on the local Ironworkers site with my phone and it had millrights, sheetmetal, pipefitters, and a bunch more listed with descriptions and apprentice details. Guess I'd have to be an apprentice or would my past exploits count for something? Because they don't count for much of anything around here.

xtoyz, you know.....to be honest I'm not sure what outfit my Uncle works for. I know he spent like 20 years at Eastman Kodak until they let him go. Seemed, if I recall right that he worked/welded on the boilers or something. I've been meaning to contact him and ask questions, they live over in Fairport and the number you listed is what I hear he's making. He does travel around the country. If they're gonna pay good to do that I can do it, around here they want you to kill yourself and your supposed to be happy with barely breaking 40K. I know, I know, people out there would love to make 40K, single income with three kids in this economy.....not the easiest thing in the world.