All about the ranks of welders

In the past few years, blue-collar jobs have become very popular among young people. Moreover, one of the most common is the profession of a welder. However, all welders are not created equal as they can have different grades. In this article, we will talk in more detail about the existing categories of welders.

Not every welder is allowed to complete all work. So, if you want to participate in the assembly of complex structures, then you need to pass the appropriate certification. This process is entirely carried out by the National Welding Control Agency (or NAKS). It is this agency that can assign the employee the qualifications necessary to perform work of high complexity and functions associated with a high level of responsibility.

A welder can have 4 skill levels;

• level 1 - a welder who can participate in the assembly of structures;
• level 2 - a master welder who performs control functions and a number of other management tasks (for example, to issue instructions for work);
• level 3 - a technologist who is engaged in control of welding work within the enterprise;
• level 4 - the engineer who approves the documentation.

In addition to the fact that NAKS is engaged in testing the knowledge and skills of workers, the agency also pays great attention to the equipment with which welding is carried out.

The assignment of a category to a welder is an important undertaking.The available category indicates the qualifications of a specialist, about his professional skills, knowledge and skills. The higher the discharge, the more complex work the welder can perform.

Let's consider a detailed description of each category.

• 1. This category is assigned not to professional workers, but to pupils and students (for example, those who receive an appropriate education in technical schools and colleges). If the welder has the 1st grade, then he can only perform the simplest work.
• 2. After graduating from specialized education and receiving a diploma as a welder, the young man receives the 2nd category. At this stage of his professional development, the specialist can perform welding work in the lower and vertical position.
• 3. Graduates of educational institutions who have shown special abilities are assigned the 3rd category, which indicates that a specialist can perform not only vertical and horizontal welding, but also work at corner joints. In addition, a 3rd class welder must have the skills to create tight seams on pipes. Increased requirements are also imposed on theoretical knowledge - for example, the welder must understand the device and the principle of operation of technology, be able to read drawings and reproduce products from them.
• 4. A welder of this category works with parts of medium complexity, he must be able to cut curly elements from sheets. One of the key skills at this stage of professional development is the ability to carry out plasma welding. In addition, the worker must be able to make high-quality sealed seams in all positions (with the exception of the overhead position).
• 5. This category is assigned to specialists with extensive experience and honed professional skills. So, such a discharge welder must be able to carry out welding work in all positions, he must have the skill of creating high-quality sealed joints. In addition, he must have access to materials of any thickness and composition (metals and its alloys).
• 6. The discharge is considered the highest. This is the highest qualification a welder can achieve in the course of his career. The specialist must have all the possible skills that were described above. In addition, he should be able to work with various experimental compounds.

The salaries of welders are quite high (above the national average). Accordingly, many people are attracted to this profession from a material point of view.

The amount of material remuneration for the work performed depends on several key factors, namely:

• the level of education;
• work experience;
• discharge;
• region of residence;
• specific place of work;
• specialization;
• economic situation in the country, etc.

Many welders looking to increase their income as well as advance their careers want a higher grade. Moreover, its assignment is carried out strictly in accordance with the officially adopted procedure. So, to begin with, you must be absolutely sure that you have the necessary amount of professional knowledge, abilities and skills, since you will have to take a professional exam. That is why the discharge cannot be increased every month. Usually, professional development takes place once every few years.

The procedure itself may differ depending on where you work.So, large enterprises have special qualification commissions, but small companies do not have them, so employees of such organizations need to contact a special training center. To improve your qualifications, you need to pass the appropriate exam, after which you will receive a certificate, which must be passed on to your employer.

Thus, a welder is a profession that requires maximum efficiency from a person. The specialist must be responsible and attentive. In addition, in order to be successful in your career, you must constantly develop and improve yourself, improve your professional skills, and also replenish the volume of your knowledge.