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Welder skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Ryan Houtcooper,
Ryan Houtcooper
Welder Example Skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical welder skills. We ranked the top skills for welders based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.0% of welder resumes contained arc welding as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a welder needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 welder skills for your resume and career

1. Arc Welding

Here's how welders use arc welding:
  • Performed high-quality gas metal arc welding and weld testing for manufacturing electrical bus.
  • Worked at Elite Machining in Versailles, became proficient in manufacturing parts as well as substantial MIG and ARC welding experience.

2. Aluminum

Aluminum is the most common nonferrous metal and the most prevalent metallic material in the Earth's crust. Aluminum is never found in its metallic form in nature, but its compounds can be found in varying degrees in nearly all minerals, vegetation, and animals. Cans, foils, cooking utensils, door frames, kegs, and aeroplane pieces are all made of aluminum.

Here's how welders use aluminum:
  • Assembled then welded various aluminum and steel parts; assembled military environmental control and power generation trailers.
  • Acquired several welding certifications for steel and aluminum.

3. Hand Tools

Here's how welders use hand tools:
  • Fabricated in shop used band saw, iron machine, magnetic drill, grinder, acetylene cutting and other hand tools.
  • Drilled, bolted, screwed or riveted parts together within fractional tolerance by hand or using hand tools or power tools.

4. Tig Welding

Here's how welders use tig welding:
  • Welded on steel, stainless steel, aluminum and all types of pipe using MIG, stick and TIG welding processes.
  • Experienced in mill industry maintenance, stick and TIG welding, torch burning, fabrication, forklift, and crane operation.

5. Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, chromium, carbon, and some other metals with corrosion-resistant properties. The components of steel include less than 1% carbon, 1% manganese, and small quantities of other elements such as phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, and oxygen. Iron and carbon are the two essential components of steel. Stainless steel is resistant to tarnishing and rust.

Here's how welders use stainless steel:
  • Used blueprint reading on various fabrication and welding projects using MIG and TIG on steel, aluminum, and stainless steel.
  • Cut and welded various types of metals, such as aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys.

6. GMAW

Here's how welders use gmaw:
  • Welded structural steel for buildings, signs, and a bridge for pipes to cross a span using the GMAW processes.
  • Fabricated and welded the steel reinforcement and forms according to print on a vibratory bed using MIG and GMAW welding.

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7. Tape Measure

A tape measure is a thin, flexible strip of plastic or metal that can be rolled up when it is not being used. The tape measure has numbers marked on it linearly which is used for measuring length.

Here's how welders use tape measure:
  • Make accurate measurements using tape measure and precision measuring equipment.
  • Used tape measure to square out the housings and drive stands in order to fit motor and drive shaft into place.
Select Skills To Add To Your Resume

8. Safety Equipment

Here's how welders use safety equipment:
  • Operated safety equipment, monitoring the welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or expansion of material
  • Assisted with fabrication and installation of safety equipment for aluminum products.

9. SMAW

Here's how welders use smaw:
  • Repaired any and all machinery, including travel cranes, forklifts, as well as heavy equipment using the SMAW process.
  • Applied welding processes of MIG and SMAW to assemble, fabricate metal products in compliance with blueprints, drawings and specifications.

10. Jigs

Here's how welders use jigs:
  • Fabricated jigs and spacers to speed up manufacturing process while maintaining specified tolerances.
  • Streamlined jobs by fabricating jigs to eliminate repetitive processes.

11. Plasma Arc

Here's how welders use plasma arc:
  • Cut material using plasma arc cutting and oxygen-acetylene equipment.
  • Blueprint reading, tool and die, oxyacetylene torch cutting, plasma arc cutting, TIG, MIG and Stick welding

12. FCAW

Here's how welders use fcaw:
  • Completed structural fabrications using FCAW method.
  • Experience welding pipe ranging from 2" up to 72" pressure vessels using the GMAW and FCAW welding process.

13. Mig

Here's how welders use mig:
  • Performed numerous welding operations including MIG welding.
  • Weld water tanks together as well as mud pit using MIG welder and using cutting torch as well as plasma torch

14. Tig

Here's how welders use tig:
  • Can also operate and maintenance welding equipment such as TIG, MIG, Flux Core, Stick, and Sub Arc.
  • Operated Robotic welder that welded hoods and grills for caterpillar tractors, and did the finishing TIG welds that were required.

15. Carbon Steel

Here's how welders use carbon steel:
  • Certified unlimited thickness carbon steel Fitted components for dump trucks
  • Worked primarily with aluminum and occasionally carbon steel.
top-skills

What skills help Welders find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on Welder resumes?

R

Ryan Houtcooper

Professor of Welding, University of Alaska Southeast

The skills that stand out most depend a great deal on the geographic location of the individual. For example, if I were to have someone approach me for a job here in Ketchikan, I would look for two things. Is the person capable of welding aluminum and stainless steel? Now, if I were still down in the midwest chasing pipelines and someone came to me for a job, I would be looking for two different things. Is the person capable and efficient at fitting and welding pipes? However, should a person who has a magnitude of experience and is well rounded in most welding processes ever approach for a job, then that person would supersede anyone who has just one or two capabilities.

What soft skills should all Welders possess?

R

Ryan Houtcooper

Professor of Welding, University of Alaska Southeast

For a welder, having PATIENCE is the biggest attribute. But there are a few other key factors that go into the success of a welder's career, such as having good communication skills, both written and oral. Having the knowledge and ability to do mathematical problem solving, along with the ability to read blueprints/shop drawings. These are the most critical aspects to the welder.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Welders?

R

Ryan Houtcooper

Professor of Welding, University of Alaska Southeast

Knowing how to troubleshoot welding equipment, setting up and taking down equipment related to the trade (pan breaks, plate rollers, plate shears, torch sets, overhead cranes, forklifts, CNC machines, etc...). Rigging heavy objects for crane picks is also an important factor for big outfits.

List of welder skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a welder resume and required skills for a welder to have include:

  • Arc Welding
  • Aluminum
  • Hand Tools
  • Tig Welding
  • Stainless Steel
  • GMAW
  • Tape Measure
  • Safety Equipment
  • SMAW
  • Jigs
  • Plasma Arc
  • FCAW
  • Mig
  • Tig
  • Carbon Steel
  • Flux Core
  • GTAW
  • AWS
  • Torches
  • Brazing
  • Overhead Positions
  • Flame Cutting
  • Gas Welding
  • Mild Steel
  • Overhead Cranes
  • Safety Procedures
  • Engineering Drawings
  • Drill Press
  • Cutting Torches
  • Preventative Maintenance
  • Structural Steel
  • PPE
  • Air Arc
  • CNC
  • Customer Specifications
  • Pressure Vessels
  • Hoists
  • Assembly Line
  • Tack Welding
  • Steel-Toed Boots
  • Resistance Welding
  • Spot Welding
  • Shop Equipment
  • Welding Tools
  • Press Brake
  • Defective Materials
  • Faulty Operation
  • Rough Spots
  • Fall Protection
  • Gmaw Welding

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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