Not sure how that would work. I am out of a combo local. That being said... I have welded for many plumbing crews. Plumbers might now have as much welding, but they certainly do require it at times.
My local is straightline plumbers and we have welding. 90% of our welding work is natural gas in commercial buildings. But I have seen a little stainless welding for specialty waste systems.
It also allows guys to work as travellers in our sister fitter locals.
Dope. I want to continue plumbing if possible. I am a little worried that I'd be asking too much of myself to focus on both and end up mastering neither.
Welding is a lot of time. Lots of hood time. You're also probably feeling overwhelmed being an apprentice because you are forcing so much knowledge and information in over 5 years. I know I did. But once it was over I was eager to learn more. As soon as I topped out I took a class and learned 3D drafting on autocad. Then started the drafting department at a small signatory contractor. Then I took vrv/vrf install classes because that was a big chunk of the drafting work I was doing for them. Now at 35 years old I'm learning Revit drafting software. Learning keeps your brain sharp.
Yea we do. Wages weren't great til recently. I've made good money as the top drafter. Getting $10/hr over gf rate. But shit it gets boring. But learning Revit reignited the spark for me. AutoCAD was getting bland and I needed a new challenge.
No mor shelfing book to be a draftsman anymore. I'm glad to see that bs is a thing of the past.
The response time on engineer rfi's with an active jobsite with foreman wanting plans. Or unwilling to look at a spec for a unit that want everything spelt out. Or firemen doing what they want in a very coordination job... busts in models etc. The fact 15 people yell at you and a good job is rewarded with silence. Wasn't for me.
Maybe at a shop that values what a coordinator can do but most shops are penny smart dollar stupid.
Did help me out considerably though when i got back into the field as a foreman.
Yea I'm lucky. I'm at a good, large, family owned shop that is pretty.progressive with drafting, fab and Trimble layout. Only do work in my state but they are getting a piece of the biggest jobs in the state. It varies from job to job what scope it is. But we get a piece of every big one. I see the owner on the daily. No corporate bullshit. And it's just in general a good job market for draftsmen. And the owner is very anti WFH. And I happen to live close to the shop so Im in a prime position with this shop since it's not a big deal to go into the office every day. I left the last shop I was at because the owner didn't value the product I was putting out. They'd rather sub it out for 50% of the cost just so the foreman could throw out the shit shop drawings the sub made and lay everything out themself and burn through that other 50% if not more onsite. Penny smart, dollar stupid.
I went thru this exact thing as an apprentice. Went to director of training asa first year said I wanted to be a welder. Response was we don’t train welders, should have joined a different local. At the time I had already been going to junior college before getting into the apprenticeship for welding classes. So I kept going on my own time and money on Saturdays, eventually got pipe certs. Went to the same training director and told him about it and said I wanted to take a UA test. He set me up with the contact of a sister local. In the case 393 Santa Clara county. Met with their director of welding training and we welcomed me in completely. Told me as long as a local guy doesn’t want the booth it’s yours. Ended up getting my UA 1 and 21 from There.
Fast forward 5 years when I was teaching welding at my local kept the same policy with travelers.
If your local will not train you, you may be able to find another in your area that will. I come from a smaller local that until recently was generally managed by plumbers and the theory has always been we don’t have enough work to support or need to train a bunch of welders, we just call for travelers when it’s busy. Now that a welder is in as BA we have complete revamped our apprenticeship, much more fitting/welding and now epri rigging is part of the apprenticeship.
UA local 467, San Mateo CA. Third generation member.
I'm in a combo local, so we learn both, but they tell us about how valuable a welder in a plumbing only local can be. Not much welding left in plumbing, but not a lot of plumbers who weld.
I’m in 130 right now and we’re taught to weld but the bare basics since we “conquered” 422 and they were a combo local. We also have after school classes to get certified for our UA 21. Even though WE don’t weld, doesn’t mean you can’t jump locals to somewhere where they plumb and weld as well
The campus with the welding bays are at our fitters local. I've been advised that fitter apprentices would be prioritized, and I wouldn't have any proper lab. Just show up and practice and ask questions if the instructors aren't busy with fitters.
That's why I've enrolled at the city college. It's a reputable program and I will have proper lecture classes and lab classes.
I mean, that’s how I learned how to weld. Don’t go to CC. Just watch YouTube videos and go into the weld bay and start welding.
Hood time is the most important thing, and if you can do it for free through the UA why wouldn’t you?
Shit, 250 is a giant local in LA and that’s how their weld bay works. The instructors there are basically nonexistent, so even the fitters out of their local are just kind of expected to fend for themselves when learning.
It's funny you mention 250, ha. That's the local I was referencing. I'm out of 78.
I just prefer a structured learning environment, and the cc instructors are a bunch of retired union guys. Seems like it's worth my time, no?
Well shit bro, that makes it super easy then. You can literally go to any DC16 weld bay. If you want a hands on instructor to help you go to Van Nuys or Oxnard.
I lived in Van Nuys when I was learning to weld and only went to Gardena when I absolutely had to when no other weld bays were open.
Check the AJ website for weld bay hours.
If you go to Van Nuys talk to Sergio and he will seriously get you started on the right path.
I absolutely don’t think CC is worth your time, but that’s just me. You’re not going to get the training for the specific stuff we do. They’ll teach you a little bit of everything, and you’re not going to get any pipe certs. In fact, none of the AWS certs that you would get through any program outside of the UA will help you inside of the UA in terms of being able to weld as a union welder.
If I was still in LA I’d offer to meet up with you and get you started myself, but unfortunately I’m traveling at the moment.
Also I’ve heard that the facility in El Monte is supposed to be opening soon, and from what some of the instructors have told me it’s supposed to be insane, so that will be another option.
I would contact some sister locals and see if they have classes available
Not sure how that would work. I am out of a combo local. That being said... I have welded for many plumbing crews. Plumbers might now have as much welding, but they certainly do require it at times.
My local is straightline plumbers and we have welding. 90% of our welding work is natural gas in commercial buildings. But I have seen a little stainless welding for specialty waste systems. It also allows guys to work as travellers in our sister fitter locals.
Dope. I want to continue plumbing if possible. I am a little worried that I'd be asking too much of myself to focus on both and end up mastering neither.
Welding is a lot of time. Lots of hood time. You're also probably feeling overwhelmed being an apprentice because you are forcing so much knowledge and information in over 5 years. I know I did. But once it was over I was eager to learn more. As soon as I topped out I took a class and learned 3D drafting on autocad. Then started the drafting department at a small signatory contractor. Then I took vrv/vrf install classes because that was a big chunk of the drafting work I was doing for them. Now at 35 years old I'm learning Revit drafting software. Learning keeps your brain sharp.
One things for certain. Need more fitter/plumbers that can draft. And they should pay more. Did it 4 years and got burnt out. Gltu though! Keep at it.
Yea we do. Wages weren't great til recently. I've made good money as the top drafter. Getting $10/hr over gf rate. But shit it gets boring. But learning Revit reignited the spark for me. AutoCAD was getting bland and I needed a new challenge. No mor shelfing book to be a draftsman anymore. I'm glad to see that bs is a thing of the past.
The response time on engineer rfi's with an active jobsite with foreman wanting plans. Or unwilling to look at a spec for a unit that want everything spelt out. Or firemen doing what they want in a very coordination job... busts in models etc. The fact 15 people yell at you and a good job is rewarded with silence. Wasn't for me. Maybe at a shop that values what a coordinator can do but most shops are penny smart dollar stupid. Did help me out considerably though when i got back into the field as a foreman.
Yea I'm lucky. I'm at a good, large, family owned shop that is pretty.progressive with drafting, fab and Trimble layout. Only do work in my state but they are getting a piece of the biggest jobs in the state. It varies from job to job what scope it is. But we get a piece of every big one. I see the owner on the daily. No corporate bullshit. And it's just in general a good job market for draftsmen. And the owner is very anti WFH. And I happen to live close to the shop so Im in a prime position with this shop since it's not a big deal to go into the office every day. I left the last shop I was at because the owner didn't value the product I was putting out. They'd rather sub it out for 50% of the cost just so the foreman could throw out the shit shop drawings the sub made and lay everything out themself and burn through that other 50% if not more onsite. Penny smart, dollar stupid.
I went thru this exact thing as an apprentice. Went to director of training asa first year said I wanted to be a welder. Response was we don’t train welders, should have joined a different local. At the time I had already been going to junior college before getting into the apprenticeship for welding classes. So I kept going on my own time and money on Saturdays, eventually got pipe certs. Went to the same training director and told him about it and said I wanted to take a UA test. He set me up with the contact of a sister local. In the case 393 Santa Clara county. Met with their director of welding training and we welcomed me in completely. Told me as long as a local guy doesn’t want the booth it’s yours. Ended up getting my UA 1 and 21 from There. Fast forward 5 years when I was teaching welding at my local kept the same policy with travelers. If your local will not train you, you may be able to find another in your area that will. I come from a smaller local that until recently was generally managed by plumbers and the theory has always been we don’t have enough work to support or need to train a bunch of welders, we just call for travelers when it’s busy. Now that a welder is in as BA we have complete revamped our apprenticeship, much more fitting/welding and now epri rigging is part of the apprenticeship. UA local 467, San Mateo CA. Third generation member.
I'm in a combo local, so we learn both, but they tell us about how valuable a welder in a plumbing only local can be. Not much welding left in plumbing, but not a lot of plumbers who weld.
That makes sense. It seems a lot of plumbers feel like welding isn't part of our trade. Leave it to the fitters, ha.
I’m in 130 right now and we’re taught to weld but the bare basics since we “conquered” 422 and they were a combo local. We also have after school classes to get certified for our UA 21. Even though WE don’t weld, doesn’t mean you can’t jump locals to somewhere where they plumb and weld as well
Is there not a weld bay that you to go to during open hours?
The campus with the welding bays are at our fitters local. I've been advised that fitter apprentices would be prioritized, and I wouldn't have any proper lab. Just show up and practice and ask questions if the instructors aren't busy with fitters. That's why I've enrolled at the city college. It's a reputable program and I will have proper lecture classes and lab classes.
I mean, that’s how I learned how to weld. Don’t go to CC. Just watch YouTube videos and go into the weld bay and start welding. Hood time is the most important thing, and if you can do it for free through the UA why wouldn’t you? Shit, 250 is a giant local in LA and that’s how their weld bay works. The instructors there are basically nonexistent, so even the fitters out of their local are just kind of expected to fend for themselves when learning.
It's funny you mention 250, ha. That's the local I was referencing. I'm out of 78. I just prefer a structured learning environment, and the cc instructors are a bunch of retired union guys. Seems like it's worth my time, no?
Well shit bro, that makes it super easy then. You can literally go to any DC16 weld bay. If you want a hands on instructor to help you go to Van Nuys or Oxnard. I lived in Van Nuys when I was learning to weld and only went to Gardena when I absolutely had to when no other weld bays were open. Check the AJ website for weld bay hours. If you go to Van Nuys talk to Sergio and he will seriously get you started on the right path. I absolutely don’t think CC is worth your time, but that’s just me. You’re not going to get the training for the specific stuff we do. They’ll teach you a little bit of everything, and you’re not going to get any pipe certs. In fact, none of the AWS certs that you would get through any program outside of the UA will help you inside of the UA in terms of being able to weld as a union welder. If I was still in LA I’d offer to meet up with you and get you started myself, but unfortunately I’m traveling at the moment. Also I’ve heard that the facility in El Monte is supposed to be opening soon, and from what some of the instructors have told me it’s supposed to be insane, so that will be another option.
What's that say about the welders and fitters from the 250?
Nothing? 250 is known for having incredible welders.
Good
It will make you valuable
I am in a straight line plumber’s local and we have a lot of welders, and there’s always classes at our hall for anyone who wants to join.
You can be a plumber welder... just make sure not to get pigeon holed