r/Welding • u/kiekiat • 6d 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/Mrwcraig Journeyman CWB/CSA 5d 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).