Welding? How to train; how to work?

[arcturaz]

I am a US Expat living in Asia (mostly Thailand) for 15 years. Recently my trading firm went belly up (Coal - Indonesia based) and I need a reliable and decent income stream. I am interested in learning about welding as I believe the pay scale is good and jobs are available. I am also a Naui certified diver so Wet Welding might also be an option. I would GREATLY appreciate any guidance about how to train as a welder (in Thailand preferably) and how to obtain a good job. Major questions would be:

- Types of welding/training available (Viz., which is the best or most lucrative).

- HR system for hiring (Do US or European companies have a requirement to hire citizens similar to the Airline industry etc etc ?).

- Pay scale - what to expect, making the right moves to gradually increase one's value as a corporate asset.

- Journeyman issues.

- Work hours, conditions.

- Best countries for seeking jobs both in terms of payscale and overall job conditions.

I hope to hear from industry professionals and a considerate thank you in advance.

Sincerely

Eric

[saakura]

Wet welding (welding directly in an underwater environment) is not so commonly used, as the quality is generally poor. Hyperbaric welding (welding underwater, but in an enclosed capsule which attaches itself to underwater steel structures and is then pumped dry, leaving the welder in a dry chamber) is more common.

This is a highly specialised job and there are likely to be very few skilled hyperbaric welders with good diving experience in Thailand. There used to be a Russian team here about 10 years ago but they left due to problems with locals or so i heard.

If age is on your side, this could be one of the very lucrative professions and without much competition. As far as i know, there are no institutes in Thailand for learning these skills.

The biggest underwater guys here are Beacon Offshore (google it), originally started in the eighties as Mermaid Maritime by a scandinavian called Jurgen Lundbeck. Beacon has Russian and English divers and you could talk to one of them, they will be the ones with the correct information.

[Soutpeel]

Very little if any wet welding going on in Thailand and even less hyperbaric, Mermaid / related outfit used to teach wet welding and used to have a training tank in their yard many years ago

Further the OP has to consider "local" competition and by local i dont mean Thai guys, i mean local SE Asian guys, Singapore, Malaysia etc who want less money, and of course there is a Japenese company based in Singapore which are one of the best diving outfits in the world, manned by almost exclusively ex Japanese navy divers - air/Sat and a few of them are qualifed wet welders, as well as being qualifed riggers/mechanical

My advice to the OP would be look in the gulf of mexico

Of course the OP could also be talking about becoming a welder away from subsea welding and my advice would be forget about it in Thailand and in the region, Thai welders have a lot of that sown up, some of the best kicking about and far cheaper and less whinging than you get from western welders anyway and i am talking about the real Thai welders, not the ones who you see wearing sunglasses on construction sites all over Thailand, these are not welders

[cooked]

Working in construction is a proscribed occupation.

[stoneyboy]

Working in construction is a proscribed occupation.

I think this is a little bit more specialised than old Somchai welding roof trusses up in the arse end of nowhere.

[Soutpeel]

Working in construction is a proscribed occupation.

Depends what sort of construction your on about

Construction of industrial facilites, chemical plants, refineries, offshore facilites are not restricted

[cooked]

1. bricklaying, carpentry or other construction work;
2. engineering work in civil engineering branch concerning designing and calculation, organization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advising excluding specialized work;

Mind you the list also has:

1. driving mechanically-propelled carried or driving non-mechanically-propelled vehicle, excluding international aircraft piloting;

Worth giving it a go I suppose

[Soutpeel]

• bricklaying, carpentry or other construction work;
• engineering work in civil engineering branch concerning designing and calculation, organization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advising excluding specialized work;

Mind you the list also has:

• driving mechanically-propelled carried or driving non-mechanically-propelled vehicle, excluding international aircraft piloting;

Worth giving it a go I suppose

And there is the key phrase "excluding specialized work" very open to interpretation

[arcturaz]

Thanks guys for the knowledgeable and professional insights.

It's clear to me that doing welding in Thailand will not be possible. So my next question is what are the prospects for normal welders; non-hydro, applying their skills internationally.

Answers to questions below would be greatly appreciated;

- Best paying jobs

- Best countries for work

- Pay scale

- Contract types (1 year, full time, other)

- Amount of actual physical labor involved; i. E., high Stress, medium?

I'm just trying to get a snapshot of what this kind of career profession would be like if I were to be insane enough to pursue it. I really appreciate the time and consideration you have taken to answer my questions. I'm greatly impressed with the level of professionalism as well.

[stoneyboy]

Thanks guys for the knowledgeable and professional insights.

It's clear to me that doing welding in Thailand will not be possible. So my next question is what are the prospects for normal welders; non-hydro, applying their skills internationally.

Answers to questions below would be greatly appreciated;

- Best paying jobs

- Best countries for work

- Pay scale

- Contract types (1 year, full time, other)

- Amount of actual physical labor involved; i. E., high Stress, medium?

I'm just trying to get a snapshot of what this kind of career profession would be like if I were to be insane enough to pursue it. I really appreciate the time and consideration you have taken to answer my questions. I'm greatly impressed with the level of professionalism as well.

As a welder myself I would suggest you give it a wide berth,it's bad for your health,long hours and currently at the wrong end of the pay scale.

[Soutpeel]

Thanks guys for the knowledgeable and professional insights.

It's clear to me that doing welding in Thailand will not be possible. So my next question is what are the prospects for normal welders; non-hydro, applying their skills internationally.

Answers to questions below would be greatly appreciated;

- Best paying jobs

- Best countries for work

- Pay scale

- Contract types (1 year, full time, other)

- Amount of actual physical labor involved; i. E., high Stress, medium?

I'm just trying to get a snapshot of what this kind of career profession would be like if I were to be insane enough to pursue it. I really appreciate the time and consideration you have taken to answer my questions. I'm greatly impressed with the level of professionalism as well.

As a welder myself I would suggest you give it a wide berth,it's bad for your health,long hours and currently at the wrong end of the pay scale.

The other thing to consider is the OP hasnt served his apprentiship either so if he starts now suspect it will be 3 to 5 years before he has the skills required to even start making money