Elena Prokopets
Claire Briggs Webber, CPRW
Qualified welders remain in high demand. BLS estimates that some 47,000 new job openings will become available in the next decade. That’s on top of the current positions being advertised by a variety of industries. A welder may work in a fabrication shop, own their own business, or in the construction industry. There are even welders who work entirely underwater on well-paid projects for the Oil & Gas industry.
A skilled welder can earn a high salary, especially if they have earned advanced certifications from the American Welder Society or other educational institutions. The challenge is that there is competition for some of these highest-paying jobs. So, you need an advantage — a well-crafted resume. To help you with that, we have provided a sample welder resume example along with some practical writing tips.
Welder Resume Example (Word)
Welder Resume (plain text)
Professional Summary
Experienced welder with more than 5 years working in fabrication. Proficient in stick, MIG, and TIG. Also have skills extending into heavy equipment operation, CNC, lathe, and drill press. Able to use a torch, plasma, air sac, and other methods. Experienced at reading and interpreting blueprints, as well as interpreting CAD drawings.
Skills and Qualifications
- Artistic welding
- Pipe welding
- MIG & TIG
- Precision welding
- OSHA certified
- Supervisory experience
- Detail-oriented
- Team player
- Self-motivated
- Interested in upskilling
Professional Experience
Mac’s Custom Fabrication
Lead Welder/Assistant Shop Supervisor
December 2018 – Present
Lead welder and shop supervisor in a well-respected fabrication and repair shop in Orange County. Responsible for:
- Interpreting blueprints and CAD designs from B2C and B2B customers
- Identifying the best welding processes and technologies for each project
- Completing welding tasks based on submitted specifications to produce quality products
- Providing training of other shop staff and doing quality control (QC) of final products
- Performing shop office administrative tasks — billing, shift management, materials ordering, etc.
Notable projects:
- Antique tractor restoration
- Custom bike fabrication
- Vintage Cadilar restoration
- Aviation welding projects
Further information is available at [your website URL].
Davis Machine and Tool
Machine Operator/Welder
April 2016 – November 2018
Worked as a CNC and lathe machine operator in a shop that produced custom parts for various manufacturers in Southern California. Moved to the position of welder upon obtaining my credentials after completing Certified Welder (CW) program by the American Welding Society.
Duties and accomplishments:
- Demonstrated proficiency in maintaining, operating, and repairing CNC and lathe machinery
- Mastered the usage of grinders, cutting torches, drills, as well as other power equipment
- 99% work accuracy rating for welded products for the automotive industry.
- Triple-top shop performer of the month (August 2016, April 2017, May 2018)
Education
Certified Welder Certificate of Completion
American Welding Society.
January 2018
Orange County Trade School
Associate of Applied Science/ Manufacturing And Fabrication
June 2016
Los Angeles Alternative Tech
High School Diploma/Certificate of Accomplishment
Manufacturing And Automotive Trades
July 2014
How to Write a Welder Resume
When the average person thinks of welding they think of merely using a tool in order to melt two pieces of metal in a way that connects them to each other. However, most welders know that there is so much more to their job than just that. Welding requires specific training as well as precision in order to have the job done well.
Hence, your resume should provide highlights of your both hard and soft skills, as well as contextualize them through specific projects and accomplishments as the welder resume example above does.
How do you do that? Apply these tips.
Think Beyond the Duties of the Job
You may have seen in our welder resume example that the worker put down skills such as “team player” and “detail-oriented” in their summary. They also mentioned being interested in upskilling and brought up a number of educational credentials to prove that they are a lifelong learner.
In addition to the physical and literal part of their labor, many welders also have to be knowledgeable in reading and reviewing blueprints, knowing how and where to source the materials that they require, and being able to check through their work in order to ensure that they have done the job correctly to the specifications of the blueprints.
In other words: Welders need to display more than just solid manual dexterity required by their job. By showing that you are more than a “handyman”, you’ll likely win extra approval from a prospective employer.
Write a resume objective or summary
A resume objective is a 2-4 sentence long blurb that gives the hiring managers a glimpse into your background, skills, experience, and of course professional goals.
A resume summary is a condensed presentation of your main work experiences and key an accomplishment that shows the hiring staff that you are potentially the best person for the job.
Whichever one you choose fully depends on the level of experience that you may have. For example, if you are new to the field then you will want to write a resume objective. If you have experience then you will want to write a professional resume summary.
Final Tip: Try A Resume Template
When you use a template, your resume is more likely to receive further consideration. For you to be hired as a welder, you will need to provide additional information, which must be formatted correctly.
For example, all of your experience must be listed in reverse chronological order. Your education must include all certifications and relevant coursework that you have completed, and any awards and memberships should also be listed correctly.
This is just a small portion of the required information — and you have to fit all of it into one page. An efficient resume template helps you neatly organize and present all your career details in a short, coherent way!
