Fitter Welder

More high school students and graduates are opting to enroll in trade programs to better prepare themselves for enriching careers in vocational trades. The welding program at Pennco Tech’s Bristol, PA, campus prepares students in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area with the hands-on experience they need to join the welding industry. With this training, students will have the competencies necessary to chase fitter welder opportunities and other metal worker jobs.

What Do Fitter Welders Do?

A fitter welder permanently fuses metals with heat torches, lasers, and in certain instances, robotic arms. Responsibilities of welder fitters include:

• Interpreting blueprints and welding assignment instructions
• Calculating dimensions of parts to be welded
• Understanding metallurgy and the nature of metals
• Safely using electrical and gas torches, as well as power tools
• Self-monitoring welding process
• Maintaining machinery and equipment

Fitter welders will likely work in industries or scenarios where heavy-duty metals need to be securely bonded. These industries include:

• Shipbuilding and shipyards
• Construction
• Automobile repair and manufacturing
• Aerospace
• Farming and agriculture
• Refining
• Transportation
• Energy

The type of machinery and welding system used depends on the types of metals being bonded and the size and setting of the operation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), 64% of welders are employed in the manufacturing sector. Only 7% of professional welders are employed by specialty trade contractors. The rest are self-employed or have been hired to perform repair and maintenance work. The median annual wage for welders, cutters, solderers, brazers, and similar positions is currently around $48,250 in PA and $56,720 in NJ.

Fitter Welders & OSHA Training

Safety is crucial for any chosen welding field. The trade comes with many hazards, such as sparks, fumes, flames, dangerously hot metals and materials, and the blazing arc’s intense and potentially blinding light. In addition, welders are often called to work around heavy machinery on already dangerous construction sites and in manufacturing plants. These experts sometimes must work in confined spaces, scale heights, or submerge underwater to reach the welding site. Each of these work environments poses a variety of threats.

Because of these vocational hazards, welders need to always follow safety precautions and, at minimum, wear defense gear that includes welding helmets, earmuffs, heat-resistant gloves, protective clothing, and steel toe work boots.

In addition to a comprehensive and career-focused welding curriculum, students receive OSHA training as part of the comprehensive welding program curriculum at Pennco Tech. This instruction gives them more confidence while on the job and enables them to adhere to industry standards.

Additional Job Options for Fitter Welders

The knowledge gained through a welding program can enable you to explore a wealth of metal worker jobs outside of welder fitters. Students should note that additional experience and certification beyond our welding program may be required to seek some of these roles. These positions may include:

Cutter 

Rather than bonding metals together as fitter welders do, cutters use high-heat arcs and gases to trim and dismantle large metal objects like buildings, bridges, planes, and railroad cars.

Solderer

Solderers are trained to bond several metal objects together via a filler metal. They use welding-like machinery, but the flames run at lower temperatures. Soldering requires additional attention to detail as the metals being joined are smaller in comparison to materials fitter welders bond.

Bench Jeweler

Bench jewelers craft jewels made mainly from metals such as silver, platinum, and gold. They often use small soldering machinery. In addition to jewelry and wearable art, a bench jeweler may also create metal furniture and fixtures such as tables, chairs, and bike racks, among a myriad of other objects.

Boilermaker

Fitter welder knowledge also translates well into the boilermaker field. Boilermakers use welding equipment and torches, among other tools, to assemble, install, and maintain boiler tanks. These are giant vats used mainly in manufacturing facilities to store large amounts of liquids, such as beer, refined oil, and chemicals. These containers are mainly made of steel, iron, copper, stainless steel, and other heavy-duty metals that fitter welders have experience manipulating.

Learn to Be a Fitter Welder

Aspiring fitter welders can attend Pennco Tech in Bristol, PA, to begin their journey toward a rewarding career. Our welding program consists of hands-on training in the following topics: 

• Plasma cutting
• Flux core arc welding (FCAW)
• Gas metal arc welding (GMAW/MIG)
• Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW/TIG)
• Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)
• Proper use of welding equipment and tools 

To prepare students in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area for their professional lives, Pennco Tech also provides supportive career services. For more information about this or other high-caliber vocational training programs at Pennco Tech, contact us today.