12 Fun and Interesting Facts About Welding

Welding has been around for centuries, in one form or another. It dates back as far as 3000-1200 B.C. With such an extensive history, there are some fun and fascinating facts about the art that has become modern day welding.

Interesting Welding Facts

1. Over 50% of all man-made products were created by welding. Everything from cars to the homes we live has been touched by welding.
2. Welding is a career that is always in demand: It is used in manufacturing, construction, and nearly every industry in between.
3. The concept of welding has been around for centuries. Evidence is even present in the tombs built by the Egyptians.
4. Welders do not need college degrees to practice their trade. They do, however, need to be certified and licensed, but that is a shorter process — as few as 10 months — and typically less expensive than a four-year university program.
5. A welder that is highly skilled and trained in a specialty can earn closer to $100,000. In 2023, welders without a specific focus averaged $52,640 (bls.gov), though these specialty jobs can earn significantly more.
6. Traveling is a fun part of the welder’s job. They can even find themselves working on a space station or deep in the ocean! Welding isn't limited to workshops.
7. If two pieces of metal without any oxide layers are applied together with enough pressure, a weld will form called a "cold weld" (welded with pressure instead of heat.) Cold welds are often used on space equipment.
8. Most jobs for welders can be found in manufacturing.
9. The median age for welders is the mid-fifties. This means in the next ten years, they will be retiring, and more welders will be needed to fill that void.
10. Every year before the NASCAR season, at least 950 hours are spent working on each individual car.
11. In 1961, GM installed the first robotic welding arm called the Unimate. It weighed two tons and was created to spot weld.
12. During WWII, there had been such an advancement in welding that it allowed for ships to be made in hyperdrive. The quickest ship made only took four days, 15 hours, and 27 minutes. This was in 1942, and that record still holds strong today!

Welding requires less time in school than many other programs!

Find a trade school with welding classes.

Further reading:

• Welding Career … Education, Training, Jobs, and Salary
• Basic Welding Practice Test
• General Welding Practice Test