Always wanted to work abroad? Looking for welding jobs overseas is the ultimate way to do so. Welding jobs are in high demand overseas nowadays, where machines are useless.
There are multiple options on how to go by.
Once you have decided on to which avenue you want to go, either joining the welders union or staying as a non-union welder, the question arrives on to the place of work.
When you are working in a welders union, the place of work is not in your hands and your boss is responsible for assigning the place of work during an apprenticeship.
And you are not sure where you will have to go.
Some contractors might assign you an overseas job, which is good news for those who want to work internationally.
Whereas, on the other hand, if you are a non-union welder, it can be quite challenging for you to find an overseas welding job.
Don’t freak out, I was in the same position once. This guide is crafted keeping “You” in my mind. Follow the steps and you have a sure shot chance of getting a job overseas.
Contents
Advantages of Welding Jobs Overseas
Finding a welding job in your area in the current scenario may be a little bit tough.
However, there are a number of lucrative advantages to working abroad, listed below-
- Jobs and the economy might be more secure abroad, as there are more job opportunities available internationally than in your domestic country. If there is a shortage of work in the area you are living in, you can always seek to work abroad.
- You get a considerably higher compensation while working out of your residence area, rather than while working at your native place.
- Skilled laborers are in great demand in foreign countries, and are treated well too.
- You also have the option of moving to an area first and then finding the jobs by establishing yourself. Although this may be a difficult move, it is very profitable if done correctly.
- You might learn a skill or two which may have a great demand in your country later.
And many many more such advantages along with all the experience you gain.
Steps to Apply for Welding Jobs Overseas
Having so many advantages and lucrative opportunities, you have finally decided to apply for welding jobs overseas.
So, here are some basic steps to follow that might help you to find a job abroad easily.
Getting Certifications
Obviously, the foremost step that will take you closer to working abroad is getting certifications.
For working overseas there is no doubt that you will need the educational qualifications required to join a welding union.
Apart from that, there are other additional credentials and accreditations which should be unique as compared to other workers.
There should always be something that you are specialized in, more than the native worker.
Having certifications makes the task easier and also at the same time tends to put a mark of loyalty.
Getting a certification from the Ironworks or American Welding Society is the best way to show your expertise.
Having Experience
You can have the same skills but having less experience won’t do any good for you to get an overseas job.
So, having more experience practically as well as theoretically than the workers in a foreign country, where you plan to work is important.
For a company to sponsor you, you will need high integrity experience.
You must have the ability to operate big and heavy machines.
Also, skills in varied fields such as plasma cutting, underwater welding, working under different weathers will aid you in finding welding jobs overseas.
A three to six-year apprenticeship in welding is also another good way to enhance your skills as well as chances of getting hired.
Plus, if you want to increase your skills and experience in welding, then you would need to know about the subject thoroughly.
Hence a careful and close study of welding is necessary.
Spreading the Word and Building Language Skills
Spreading words requires patience as it is a slow process and you will have to wait for people to inform you.
It may help at times if you have relatives or friends in that field, or may not be so much helpful. But you should do your work online as well as in real life too.
So telling family members, friends, co-workers in your network may prove to be successful for you, as chances might be that they are in contact with someone who might be related to this field.
Network with as many people you can, who you know might be a great help.
Getting that little handful of information from most of the contacted people really works.
Moving abroad and working there is all about language and communication.
It is not that important to know the language of the place where you have decided to work, but if you know the local language it is a great plus point for yourself as the chances of getting a job increases substantially.
Another question might up in your mind that:
How will you be able to communicate if you don’t know the local language of that place?
Most of the time, communication is done in English. However, it is better to get a firm hand over the local language.
If you are interested in working in an NGO, then you will have to be skilled with not one or two languages but a handful of languages.
Language proficiency gives you confidence and a competitive edge.
If you are interested in working in a lead role, welders management, or weld inspector, it is important for you to learn a language as it is an asset that you will need again and again.
Picking A Company
As welders, you can get work abroad through companies.
So, all you have to do is find a company that travels and transfers workers overseas.
You can get companies that transfer you to foreign countries directly from your college as well.
Companies in the fields like welding and other high demand mechanical works usually trade between international countries and have programs that send employees to other countries.
This process takes time as all you have to do is wait for the right company to approach you.
Where to Find Welding Jobs Overseas
Until now if you have read the advantages of welding jobs overseas, and also have read the steps to get one.
However, it might be still unclear to you where to actually look for jobs.
First of all, you should make a good resumé related to the field of work you work in.
If you work in frame welding, you should put it in the resumé along with the training, certificates, and experience you have in the same.
Also, make sure to put some trending keywords into the resumé to increase your chances of getting hired.
If you have successfully completed all the steps above and have a top-notch resumé in your hand it’s time to jump into applying for jobs.
You will find welding jobs overseas in-
- Job hunting websites
- Newspapers
- Local Welding Association of the Country
- Social Networking Sites such as Facebook, etc.
Well now you have a list of places where to find jobs, you may be surprised as to why have I put facebook in there.
Believe it or not, one of my friends landed a $95k welding job in Switzerland only by networking via Facebook.
He was just like you, hungry for a job, and well skilled. He worked hard for it, joined several Facebook groups of European countries, and by cold networking he landed the job.
Best Country for Welders to Work
So now, it’s finally the time to apply for the job and you don’t know which country is the best suitable for you.
According to ZipRecruiter, A job-hunting site, Welding jobs overseas have an average salary of $64,850.
However, A typical welder can make anywhere between $35k to $150k.
The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics also published statistical data on welding jobs, as of May 2019, pipefitters welders working overseas made an average of $56,540.
With all that data you may be confused about which country to work in.
This decision is solely yours to take, proper research of the country and work culture should be done before applying for jobs there.
As far as the options you have Canada, Australia, European countries, etc.
The average salary in Canada is around CAD 75000, which converts to the US $57200 roughly. And you make around the same in Australia as well.
Welding jobs overseas in Iraq is in high demand right now, but it might be too dangerous of an option considering the current scenario.
Europe excluding the United Kingdom is a great option if you are looking to make serious money. Since welding jobs are abundant there but have a strict shortage of skilled workers.
Countries like Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden pay anywhere between the US $50k to $130k depending on your skillset.
As mentioned earlier it is even better if you know the languages of the country you are looking to work at.
Conclusion
With this post, I tried to bring light onto welding jobs overseas and explained step by step how to grab one for you.
I hope the information provided in the article was a great help for you and helped you in some way to get a job. Go through the post once again if you have any doubts as the steps are very easy to follow and reading again might help.
Happy Welding!