If you’ve ever looked at a bridge, a ship, or an oil derrick and thought it would be fun to construct such things, a career as a welder might be a good fit for you. Working with your hands, building something out of metal parts can be highly rewarding. If you want to know about becoming a welder, this guide will give you the basics you need to know. You can read about welding schools in Delaware and decide which is the best fit for you.
What Does a Welder Do?
In short, welders join, cut, or repair metal using a variety of welding techniques. They are in high demand in aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, pipe fitting, and offshore drilling fields, as well as many other common industries.
Welding Schools Near Me in Delaware
Delaware Skills Center
In addition to your high school diploma or GED, Delaware Skills Center requires that you be able to pass basic math and reading exams, pass a criminal background check and drug screening, have reliable transportation, and that male applicants provide proof of selective service registration.
- Location: New Castle
- Phone number: 302-654-5392
- Programs available: welding and fabrication, welding
- Program duration: 10 to 18 weeks
- Average cost: $3,240 to $4.840, plus $140 for background check
Delcastle Technical High School
Delcastle Tech prepares students for National Center for Construction Education & Resource and American Welding Society certification. It’s part of the New Castle County Vocational Tech system.
- Location: Wilmington
- Phone number: 302-995-8000
- Programs available: high school diploma
- Program duration: four years
- Average cost: $0
Polytech Adult Education
Polytech offers trade and apprenticeship programs in metal fabrication and welding.
- Location: Woodside
- Phone number: 302-697-4545
- Programs available: apprenticeship and trade programs in welding and metal fabrication
- Program duration: various classes on different aspects and proficiencies of welding
- Average cost: $425 per class, plus books
Delaware Technical Community College
Delaware Tech offers a welding certificate as well as testing for AWS and American Society of Mechanical Engineers certifications.
- Location: Newark
- Phone number: 302-857-1000
- Programs available: Welding Maintenance Technician Certificate
- Program duration: four months
- Average cost: $5,134, including lab fees
Welding Career Opportunities in Delaware
Welders in Delaware can work as fabricators, pipefitters, industrial technicians, ironworkers, machine operators, and mechanics.
How Much Do Welders Make in Delaware?
According to Indeed, Welders in Delaware with one to two years of experience earn an average of $19.99 per hour. That translates to $41.579 per year or $3,465 per month. With ten or more years of experience, you can command a salary of $25.03 per hour. That works out to $52,062 per year or $4,339 per month.
Major Employers of Welders in Delaware
There are many employers looking to hire welders in Delaware. These are just a few of them.
- Apex Mechanical & Fabrication, which specializes in specialty metal fabrication and pipefitting
- Steel Suppliers Erectors, Inc., which is a leader in the construction industry, working on projects such as steel production facilities and automotive manufacturing plants
- DuHadaway Tool and Die Shop, Inc., which provides precision machining to industries such as aerospace, military, and power generation
- Iron Works, Inc., which works primarily in steel erection, structural steel, and miscellaneous steel projects including stairs, rails, and ornamental metalwork
- Baltimore Aircoil Company, which builds a variety of cooling products
How To Become a Certified Welder in Delaware
To work as a welder in Delaware, you may want to be certified by the AWS and/or the ASME since they are the gold standards of welding certifications. If you’re certified by one of these bodies, your job opportunities will be vast. Without certification, you may not be able to get many welding jobs.
Do You Need a License to be a Welder in Delaware?
You don’t need a license to be a welder in Delaware — no state license exists. All you need is a high school diploma or GED and proper training, whether that’s an AWS or ASME certification or an AAS in welding from a community college.
Delaware Welding FAQs
You may have questions about how to become a welder in Delaware. Here are the most commonly asked questions.
1. How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder?
If you already have your high school diploma or GED, you can earn a training certificate in as little as four months. You could also take two years or more to get your Associate’s degree in Welding.
2. Does a Welder Need Insurance in Delaware?
While you don’t have to have insurance to be a welder in Delaware, it’s a good idea if you’re going out on your own rather than working for a company. You need worker’s compensation insurance to cover you and any employees in case of an on-the-job injury; most private health insurance companies won’t cover care for those accidents.
You also ought to have commercial liability insurance in case there’s an injury to another person or property damage. Liability insurance can make sure your personal finances stay intact if such an accident occurs.
You can easily request a free commercial insurance quote from our partners using the tool below.
3. Who Can I Contact If I Have Questions?
If you have questions about welding careers in Delaware, you can contact any of the welding schools listed above. You can also reach out to the Ironworkers Union Local 451 in Wilmington at (302) 994-0946.
Attending one of the welding schools in Delaware is a great way to learn how to be a welder. This innovative industry is taking infrastructure and technology to new heights. Now that you know how to become a welder in Delaware, you can join this exciting career path.
For More License and Career Guides
To find out how to become a Welder in another state, start here.
For information on other trades in Delaware, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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