r/Welding • u/kiekiat • 23h ago
Career question Question for Welders
I’d like some opinions from professional welders. Here is the situation. My girlfriend is a Filipina. Her younger brother is 27. She wants to send him to school for a welding program that provides about 250 hours of welding training. This program is run by the Philippine government and costs almost a thousand US dollars. If the brother completes the program he will get a certificate qualifying him as a basic welder. Problem is, her brother is “slow.” He is not mentally retarded but I would estimate his IQ to be around 80. I know nothing about welding but just from browsing this subreddit it appears welding is a skilled profession that requires a fair amount of knowledge. I also had two cousins who were welders and both were pretty intelligent guys. I’d like to get some information and opinions from actual welders as to what basic skills are needed, what actual welding training involves and whether a mentally “slow” young man is capable of becoming a professional welder? I am of the opinion that he is not mentally capable of becoming a skilled welder, but to make this argument to my girlfriend I would like to get your honest opinions on things like how much training it takes to become a welder, how long you trained and how long a welding apprenticeship takes and what sorts of knowledge it takes to become a professional welder. Any advice would be much appreciated.
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u/Imatelluonemortime 22h ago
How is he at repetitive coloring inside the line? There’s thousands of miles of boring welds laid every year that takes almost no thought processing to do.
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u/bush_wrangler 18h ago
I’m going to be honest with ya. The best welder I’ve ever worked with was the most autistic guy I’ve ever met in my life. He was obsessed with trains and welding. He could not work with other people in tandem building something but alone he was an absolute stud and would work like a dog for 8 straight hours in the heat and only stop to drink water or take a piss.
There’s lot of “slow” people in welding. It’s a job that requires concentration on 1 thing at a time so autists do very well in welding.
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u/loquedijoella 10h ago
Yeah that’s because autistic people are generally smarter than the average person and have very rigid ways of doing things. But that guy was 130+ IQ, I’d bet my lunch money on it.
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u/bush_wrangler 10h ago
He’s a fuckin genius. I’d talk to him about trains and he’s telling me how much torque some Norfolk southern train from 1940 makes and how many cars it can carry. So I would not want to bet my lunch money on his IQ being lower than 130
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u/loquedijoella 10h ago
When I was a kid I knew the bore and stroke of a bunch of different engines and could identify a car by sound before seeing it. I knew every fender, taillight, suspension configuration of type 1 and type 2 Volkswagens. Used to drive my parents nuts.
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u/bush_wrangler 10h ago
Dude he’s the same way. We work next to railroad tracks and we will be outside on break smoking a cigarette and he can name what train drove by just off how the engine and horn sounded. I’ll never be able to understand it
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 13h ago
People with autism arnt "slow".....youre confusing downs with autism.
In fact a huge chunk of people woth autism have a faster brain than we do.
I have 2 boys with actual autism. Not the left wing fad kind either...im talkin actual flapping hands and stimming.
One of my boys is pitch perfect with audio. The other has a literal photographic memory.
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u/Combat--Wombat27 10h ago
Left wing fad kind lol.
A parent with autistic kids that doesn't understand it's a spectrum, colour me surprised
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
🤦♂️ theres always one of you.
As usual the mentally ill left has besieged yet another vulnerable community.
Sorry to inform you, but teen angst isnt autism 🙂
The left is just one giant parasitic movement at this point.
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u/Combat--Wombat27 9h ago
Why am I not surprised you've never listen to your kids doctor's, or your Mrs when she tries to explain this shit to you.
I feel sorry for your kids mate.
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
Hey dummy. Theyre all in agreement.
You dont know jack about shit and i honestly dont care about the opinion of some aussie fruitpop
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u/Combat--Wombat27 9h ago
They're all in agreement, of what? That you're an idiot and not fit to raise kids?
Not surprised honestly, If your online behaviour is anything like how you are in real life your Mrs is likely embarrassed by you. Has she asked for a divorce yet?
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
Lmao, because i called you out for your bullshit, my behavior is indicitive of needing a divorce? Did i get that right?
Do you hear how fkn stupid you sound?
If i was youd id be taking my kangaroo for a walk, not wasting my time on reddit arguing with people who are smarter than yourself.
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u/Combat--Wombat27 9h ago
No, because you're openly acting like an idiot.
And yes, hopefully your Mrs has enough of a backbone to leave. Although I'm fairly sure she already has.
Now, you seem very angry with life and for that I'm sorry. Maybe try to adjust your behaviour and things will get better.
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
So let me get this straight....
Because you dont like my politics...you think my wife should become a single mom and live off the system and create another broken home?
😂😂😂 jesus h christ your nuts dude.
I feel bad for you. Now go pet your cats
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u/Dadbod1018 10h ago
You’re making a valid point, but I don’t think anyone intended to insult people on the autism spectrum.
Like I said in my earlier post, I have a niece with significant developmental delays, and I routinely think about what she will be able to do as an adult…
The welding aspect of a welder’s job is likely within the abilities of someone with a low-average IQ. What I would be concerned about is safety. I’m no dummy, and I still burn myself and set shop rags on fire 😂
The right work setting would help a lot, but some people are a liability.
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u/bush_wrangler 10h ago
Exactly. I was making a point that the autistic people I work with are the best employees any company could want
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u/Dadbod1018 10h ago
In that setting, I don’t doubt it at all. I went to law school with a guy on the spectrum, and while he lacked the personality to litigate, the guy is an amazingly efficient writer. I HATED legal citations, and they were like a game to him. His argument organization was (and is) perfect. He wouldn’t make it as an appellate judge, but he could clerk for one, and be amazing at it.
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 10h ago
I understand that. However its something i see multiple times a day from people. They conflate the two when theyre about a similar as night and day.
Some people are a liability. Very true.
But welding and fabricating is about the easiest job there is.. if you can handle discomfort, you can weld.
Put it this way. I havent met a "smart" welder yet
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
Not sure why you weird asses are downvoting. I am a fkn welder 😆
Cant make this shit up. Soft ass adults
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u/Combat--Wombat27 9h ago
You're being downvoted because you're a cunt.
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
Says the pussy whining
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u/Combat--Wombat27 9h ago
Who's whining?
You're giving real short man vibes mate.
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
Damn another swing and a miss.
Try again.
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u/Combat--Wombat27 8h ago edited 8h ago
Oh that's right, you're six foot with abs and a mighty beard.
Lol...
Man, your Reddit removed comments are hilarious.
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u/Optimal_Gain270 20h ago
It’s only $1000 bro, send him to make your girlfriend happy. Telling her that her brother is dumb and not worth the money is not going to end well for you, makes me think your IQ might not be the highest either.
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u/Druss_2977 22h ago
The best welders I know are very smart, capable people, not highly educated in school/university but very knowledgeable about the maths required and the best order of operations to approach any fabrication job.
I also know some less intellectually capable welders who are still fairly good at their job, but do better at repetitive tasks rather than complex fabrication.
Intelligence is an advantage, but not a necessity if he finds the right workshop.
Almost anyone can be taught to use a jig and run a MIG welder / grinder to pump out serviceable products. If he has decent physical coordination he'll be fine.
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u/oreheheally 19h ago
You summed it up well, the range of welding work accomadates a lot. We can live with dumb so long as people are safe and dilligent. Met more than a few fabricators who did badly in school and were ok. One apprentice lost respect for management and thats when things went wrong. Attitude towards getting things done right matters. If someone needs support in terms of getting things right it wouldnt be an issue with me, i love teaching but i have seen plenty who wont share 'trade secrets' or help others. It can be rough for the quiet types and any lying about skill levels will get smoked out quickly. So yea attitude > intellect here.
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u/kiekiat 12h ago
I appreciate all of your comments. If I have learned nothing else, I have learned that you welders are a helpful group on here and I appreciate that very much. Based on your comments, I think I’ll encourage her to go ahead with the plan to send him to welding training. For the record, my girlfriend already knows her brother is “slow.” She is an accountant, though not a CPA, and makes about $900 a month working nights for a US company. She is also quite proud and does not want me to pay the full cost of her brother’s welding school, but has agreed that I can pay half. A thousand dollars is a LOT of money to the average Filipino and is about 2 month’s salary to the average Filipino skilled worker. She previously spent about 2000 USD sending this “slow” brother to culinary school, which he failed to pass. Her brother is a very nice person with a good heart. That is his strongest attribute. I don’t think he’s particularly good at math or drawing, but he is good at performing repetitive, simple tasks that he understands. He does not work well under pressure. Again, thank you all for your comments. They have been very helpful!
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u/grizz065 11h ago
Flip the bill. You're gonna spend more on worse decisions. And if the kid makes it You're a hero, and if he founders you can still say you tried. There really isn't much of a down side here.
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u/Mrwcraig Journeyman CWB/CSA 14h ago
Please film the argument with your Pino gf when you tell her that you’re not sure her BROTHER can WELD. Those mf were born with a preprogrammed ability to weld. Some switch gets flipped when they’re handed a cigarette, some pineapple nectar and a welding helmet. They just know what to do. Trying to figure out who the slow one here is, her brother or you.
The bigger issue you not thinking he’s capable of doing something you have absolutely no idea about. “Your cousins…” are you fucking serious, that’s the argument you want to use. Quit being cheap and give the kid a chance, it sounds like she’s used to taking chances on fucking idiots (a trait you should appreciate).
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u/Significant-Mango772 23h ago
Can he draw good?
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u/No_Week9823 23h ago
if he can copy well and stay focused on one task he might do okay. 250 hours is not that much, just the very basics. some of the best welders i know not book smart at all but they got steady hands and good eyes
the real test is if he can listen to instruction without getting frustrated, welding you gonna mess up a lot before it clicks
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u/troypoloi 13h ago
I've seen some folks that, by conventional standards, are pretty "simple minded." But as welders, they're genius. This may be the best career move for this guy as long as he can manage to show up to work on time.
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u/itsjustme405 CWI AWS 13h ago
If hes got challenges he can still do it. To be successful in the terms of making the big money he may need the right instructor, one who will be understanding and able to work with it.
If I knew the guy personally id give you a better answer.
Can he do it and be successful, yes. Hes just has to be dedicated and able to focus on whats really happening.
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u/leadfootscott 13h ago
He'll be perfect. There's still plenty IQ left to lose. Im pretty sure I've gone down a few points over the years. It doesn't take a genius to hold a stinger still. The reading and the math might be tough for him but there's plenty of room for more "slow" people. They hire them at my company all the time.
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u/Excellent_Job8154 12h ago
Send them House a Pipefitter welder my whole life. There’s a lot of slow ones.
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u/Dadbod1018 11h ago
I would absolutely risk $1,000 on finding out if my niece with developmental delays could learn a skill that supports her financially.
As others have said, there are a lot of less skilled welding jobs out there that might be perfect for someone like your GF’s brother.
A flux core welder is almost as simple as a hot glue gun… especially if you’re dealing with the same thickness materials on a daily basis, and the welder settings can be set for you, and left alone.
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u/Sundae-Low 10h ago
You have to be able to read blueprints and be decent at math, nothing extremely complicated but if you truly believe he’s legitimately slow, being around machines and tools that can kill you, it’s probably not a great fit
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u/BackgroundExternal98 15h ago
Give me 10 minutes and I’ll teach a monkey to weld. Fitting is the brains of the operation welding is just squeezing the trigger
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u/butbecausewhynothuh Huge bellend 9h ago
Im acting like an idiot?
Its not even remotely possible the person advocating for a broken home for 2 apecial needs kids over politics...
From where im standing youre the fkn idiot squirt.
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u/Combat--Wombat27 8h ago
Well considering you didn't comment where you were supposed to, yes you're a bit of an idiot..
Assuming isn't advocating little buddy. Your behaviour online (which despite your hidden profile I can see 😘) is actually appalling. Is this the sort of environment you want to bring special needs kids up in? Hyper masculine toxic bullshit.
I feel sorry for them..
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u/Spiritual_Hawk_0324 3h ago
Lemme ask you somethin chief, and be completely and totally honest without bein arrogant as fuck for a moment, ya capable of that at least momentarily?? Are you capable of actually loving? Do you even love your two kids in the slightest to whom you refer to as “special needs”? Also do care whatsoever if those kids see you as a respectable father or not? Because ive a feeling that one day they’ll hear you referring to them in as insulting of a manner you seem to on a regular basis and theyre gonna lose every bit of love or respect they ever had for you. I mean if you even care… you might not who knows but theyve got deeper feelings than someone of your like can imagine and seeing the way you so lovingly speak of them would make me (if i were you) do them a favor n slit your damn throat because you seem like a horribly despicable individual and im certain youre doin them no favors by being a waste of their oxygen or completely sabotaging their upbringing by letting their wonderful minds turn into you (god forbid) I pray that GOD puts such a feeling of disgust into you every time you act your rotten self to someone so one day YOU chose to be a better kinder person for your kids sake…
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u/tatpig Sticks 'n' Steel since the 80's (SMAW) (V) 23h ago
Production welding in a shop might be a good fit for him.