Commercial Welder and Pipe Fitter Jobs
By Mark Swartz
Monster Senior Contributing Writer
See that new building going up near where you live? Sparks light up the sky when the welder/pipefitters are busy. Possibly they're preening and arc grinding, two ways of solidly fitting together pipes and rods. It's how steam and water (air too) can be transported throughout the building.
Commercial welder/pipe fitters are trained tradespeople. You'll find them on construction and renovation projects: for office buildings, power or water treatment plants, oil refineries, hotels and resorts, and high-rise condominiums to homes in residential neighborhoods. Click here for Monster.ca welder/pipe fitter job postings .
What They Do
Welding and pipe fitting are actually two distinct but related specialties. Welders must know how to handle torches and bonding materials of all types. Pipe fitters are adept at fabricating and putting pipes into place.
The mixture of welder/pipe fitter is a powerful combination. These experts thread, solder and braze every kind of pipe and tubing imaginable: plastic, metal, hybrids, you name it. They also install air conditioning chillers, air handler units, cooling towers, pumps, storage tanks and vessels.
Here are some of their more common duties:
Arc welding to bond objects or repair cracks
- Cut, fit and weld pipes and tubing to connect with the proper joints
- Use Electric, TIG, MIG. gas, tungsten, arc and other torch technologies
- Operate brakes, shears and other metal shaping, straightening and bending machines
- Perform post welding heat treatment
- Handle weight of up to 50 pounds or more (including gas tanks and welding equipment)
A welder has to work in many different environments and in all types of positions, sometimes cramped and uncomfortable for hard to reach installations.
Required Education and Apprenticeship
Training for welder/pipe fitters is accomplished through an apprenticeship program, says the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (or "UA" as it is commonly known).
This is where the learner gains hands-on experience while working with a qualified journeyperson. An apprenticeship in this field can last 2-5 years, depending on the program. Course curriculum can also be taken at qualifying vocational or technical schools, colleges or CEGEP.
Course content includes such topics a safety, first aid, blueprint reading, pipe layout and fabrication, rigging, pipe preparation, basic and advance welding, pipe welding, tig welding, orbital welding, plastic fusion, and tube bending.
Furthermore, a Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility. With a Red Seal endorsement, the journeyperson certificate is automatically recognized in any province or territory that also issues a journeyperson certificate for that trade.
For Internationally Trained Welder/Pipe Fitters Who Want To Work In Canada
If you are a welder from outside Canada, it's possible you may qualify to work here under the Canadian Federal Skilled Worker program . There is a limited number of spaces for those who do not already have a job offer. There are additional spaces for those who secure arranged employment before applying.
Also a possibility is Canada's Temporary Foreign Workers program. In this case you would need a job offer in advance from a Canadian employer. However the province of Quebec has its own program for bringing in skilled workers. In their case knowledge of French is an important asset.
As with most credentials from outside Canada, you may have to confirm that yours are valid before you're allowed to practice your trade here legally. Take a look at our article on Canadian immigration to see about getting your credentials checked . Some employers here ask you to perform welds in the upright and vertical positions in order to confirm your competence.
You will also need proof of your training and experience. The evaluation of your skills will be based on your on-the-job experience.
Average Salary
In Canada the skilled trades tend to pay well. For welder/pipe fitters, the average salary ranges from $52,000 to $65,000 a year. In Alberta, where demand has been high for tradespeople, the starting salary for this position (assuming all credentials are in order) could be as high as $50,000.
An apprentice earns at least minimum wage while working and learning the skills necessary to become a qualified tradesperson or journeyperson. The exact salary will depend on the arrangement with the particular employer.
Joining A Union
Joining a union is a choice that could help you as a welder/pipe fitter. Unions tend to have the resources, and trained staff, to represent workers in salary negotiations, safety issues, grievances, arbitrations, workers compensation, labour legislation, etc.
In Canada, the previously mentioned "UA" is a potential union you could affiliate yourself with. It is a multi-craft union whose members are engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems. There are approximately 340,000 United Association members who belong to over 300 individual local unions across North America.