I was reading the thread the other day titled: "If you could do it all over again." It really got my gears cranking on putting a foot forward in life. I originally came up to Alaska on a summer trip right out of college and I haven't looked back. I have a 4 year degree in Business Management but I gave up a job opportunity with Walgreens to come up here. I don't regret giving up that job because I could always go back but after 3 years up here I have come to the conclusion I might enjoy life constructing and being hands on instead of the corporate sort of rat race.

Part of me feels foolish to look into construction work when I am sitting on a 4 year degree to begin with. But I really feel that I will be happier doing something hands on such as welding or mechanics. At this point I am figuring that I should follow my gut and see what happens. Ideally I would like to have my mind made up as soon as possible and I figure this forum would be one of my best sources of information and experience on life and these industries. Ideally I could get a foot in the door with some of the big oil companies up here and eventually move up enough that I could pull the trigger on my Management degree is a position came up that I was interested in. But to begin with, I really want to be out in the dirt and busting ***.

I have worked seasonal jobs the past 3 summers in a little Alaskan town but ideally when May rolls around this year I want to know that I have bigger plans. I have a year round job right now with a ski resort which I enjoy but I KNOW this isn't where I want to be in 10 years.

I have been scanning all sorts of job ideas but seem to have it narrowed down to welding and diesel mechanics. Both jobs seem to pay well up here and I don't see there being a shortage of work up here in Alaska either. I looked into classes in underwater welding and while that seems very exciting, the reality is that it probably isn't for me. 40k in schooling only to come out and make 9.00 an hour until my "break" into diving.

I am considering these two courses since they are in Alaska and I have heard good things about both.
AVTEC - Combination Welding Program
AVTEC - Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technologies Program

Both about a 1 year in time and the prices are close to each other. I cringe at the thought of a year of schooling but I know that I can enjoy either field and I will feel a huge breathe of relief when I know I am doing something with life.

What do you guys think about my thoughts and situation? I am 26 years old, no kids (that I know of!), no pets, 1 loving and extremely supportive girlfriend and MUGLY who would benefit from a bigger income! The seasonal jobs were fun but it isn't going anywhere that I want it to.

Ideally I think the welding gig would allow me to get out and travel to remote areas of the state to assist in building projects. I think I am a good candidate for 2-4 week on/off rotation and there are plenty of those up here. I figure I can go and work my long hours and come home to enjoy time off and possibly get a business going on the side which I could possibly take full time some years down the road.

I love mechanics but I am always jealous of people who can fabricate all kinds of things on their own. I could see myself enjoying CNC machinery but I don't know the first thing about pursing work like that in Alaska.


Thanks in advance for everyone's time and thoughts. I really do appreciate it.

 

Hey Alex, if you recall, I made a comment in that thread about doing what you love and doing it well. The money will come to those who do it best. You just need to decide what makes YOU happy. Do you want money or happiness? If you LOVE welding/fabricating, pursue that. If you LOVE machanic work, do that. Do what will give you the most enjoyment in life. Good luck in whatever you decide. I'll pray that you find your "Happy Place".

 

Unfotunatly I am a welder and the only perks to it is what I can do with my resources. I can fab almost anything and it doesn't cost a dime but time! I also turned wrenches for about 2 1/2 years. My hands and back payed for those few years. It was working on dozers and trackhoes. Fun but I feel the effects of it everyday. As for welding I do it cause it's what pays the bills.

 

I cannot speak for the diesel tech, but im a millwright and i can speak for multipal construction type jobs. Im 6G Stick and 6G Tig pipe and 3Something Mig certified. If your going to go after being a welder learn how to weld position pipe, once you can do this you can weld almost anything. Most instructors or teachers will not teach how to "walk the cup" in tig welding, thats a must.
There is always a lot of headace in any job so do expect that to come with it. One thing i like to tell people when they ask me about being a welder, being a good welder is easy, being a good positon welser is whats hard.
Ive been sitting here trying to say more about it but ill make it eaiser on myself. What do you want to know?

 

What is walking the cup? The class I am looking at would be in combination welding with advanced classes teaching pipe welding. If I follow through with welding, I definitely want to be able to weld anything!

 

John may be able to describe it better, but walking the cup is a technique where you rotate the cup of the tig torch back and forth in a zig zag?/rolling? motion. Kinda hard to describe with words. It's one of those things that a visual is MUCH easier to understand.

 

Sluf681 pretty much said it, very hard to explain in words and most of the time the last way anyone learns to tig weld, it's the fastest and best looking way to tig weld if you YouTube walking the cup tig welding you can see how it is done, much different than any other way. I'm 24 years old and a journey man millwright. I love my job as rough as it is sometimes but there's not too many things more rewarding than standing back and looking at what you and your fellow workers have built. If YouTube different things about welding you would be surprised at what you might learn from it and it might even help you decide if it's for you or not. As bulla said it can be a rough job but if you love what you do like I do you won't mind. I turn wrenches as a hobby but I know if I did it everyday I would hate it. If theres anything else I can help you out with let me know. I should also note here in MI there's a shortage of work I'm layed off right now, I look at it as my vacation because when I do work it's good money. Sorry for the long post

 

Quick, All I can say is do what you love and were your heart is. The diesel mechanic is a job that's in demand. Lot of diesel equipment out there on road and off road. I work in the coal mining industry for 30 years as a mechanic and electrician. Working on equipment that wieght 60 tons or so, with large components, secret is, is to let the equipment and other lifting devices do the work for You. Work smart. Beleive me there is a lot of self enjoyment in seeing a piece of equipment broke down and bringing it back to life. It builds confidence and pride in your self. In my line of work i did a little bit of every thing from welding/fabricating, turning wrenches and electrical work, and i pride myself in doing all my work on my cars and trucks and thing around the home. I never call a mechanic (lol) Wish You the best in what ever you do. Main thing is be happy.

 

The good thing about being a welder you don't have to spend much for tools
I chose to do field repair on heavy equipment and trucks so I done both welding and mechanic work.Sometimes work conditions are a little bad but better and more interesting than being tied down in a shop doing one thing

 

Compared to some other trades you couldnt be more right. $30ish hood, $20ish for an FR shirt, $5ish for a chipping hammer, $10is for gloves, your talking $65 for the basics and whatever else you may need. Its well worth spending money on a GOOD auto darkening hood, i spent about $400 on my hood alone. Id like to hear some more inputs from some more diesel techs. Do want everyone has said and do what makes you happy, well give you all the info. we can to try to help you out, which is why he needs to hear from some diesel techs. out there, common fellas i know your out there

 

I think Ray said alot. I was a Snap on tool dealer for 16 yrs. a professional heavy diesel mechanic will spend ALOT on tools. everything you work on will require big iron. and you'll still need the small stuff for delicate work. i had techs with well over 60K in tools. being a professional Tech is not CHEAP. very few professions require the personal capital investment of a mechanic.

Barney

 

Union Ironworker 30 yrs. Here’s what I know. “If you limit yourself to a weekly paycheck (what somebody else is willing to pay you) you’ll never reach your full potential”. Now I only work when I decide because I don’t have to do this for a living anymore.
Regards Dave

They say the average person changes jobs 7 times before they find the right one.

<a href="http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss16/bnsons/?action=view&amp;current=iw1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss16/bnsons/iw1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

I couldnt agree more i cannot stand going to the same place day after day. Luckly thats not what i do. I go to a variety of different places all the time, fixing, reparing and installing things.

 

I'm 21 years old, not married and no kids. And I'd love to be where you are at to work.

I've been welding for the past 7 years and worked a few different welding jobs for 5 years, doing everything from pipe metering systems, tig stainless conveyors, lots of handrail (industrial and residential ornamental), some machining work, as well as all the repairs here on the farm and lots of other custom projects.
I have been turning wrenches on the side for as long as i've been welding, but I went to Nashville Auto Diesel College and got my associates degree as well.
Since then for the past 2 years I've been working 1200-2300ft underground in a zinc mine as a heavy equipment mech. My schedule is supposed to be 4-12hr days, 4 off, 4-12hr nights, 4 off and repeat. However for a long time its usually 6 on 2 off, and working 12-16 hrs a day, and I have alot of 18-24hr days when big projects arise. I work on everything from kubota tractors, dogde p/u, CAT loaders and haul trucks to oldenburg and tamrock drill rigs, toro loaders and trucks, cat telehandlers, and our 13 and 15 ton locomotives.
I'm the only mechanic for the 14 man production crew that I rotate with, the other 3 crews have 2 mechanics each, so I have alot to keep up with. But it pays good.
I love my job and what I do, I wouldn't want to do anything else, other than win the lottery lol. But you have to think though, I bust my but everyday at work and it takes its toll on me and my body, and I will pay for it later on so I try to take care of myself. Its a very physical job alot of times, parts and the process for doing alot of the work on heavy equipment isn't usually light work, nor clean work. I usually end up taking a shower at work everyday before I can even get in my truck.

One thing to keep in mind is if you are like me and work on everything on your truck from front to rear, after long weeks and long days, sometimes the last thing you want to do when you get home is work on your own stuff. Sometimes it just gets old.

But its what I enjoy and what I love.

 

Thank for everyone's responses.

Right now I think part of the fascination in welding is that I haven't done it yet. I could see myself welding for the check and wrenching for fun/more money?

I do fear that if I went to wrench for a living that I would end up not wanting to wrench in my free time. I have heard that from a lot of people who liked wrenching for fun and thought they would enjoy doing it for money.

Wish I could do both.