The Wall Street Journal, in a 2006 headline, asked, “Where Have All the Welders Gone as Manufacturing and Repair Boom.” Welding is once again a wise career choice because of a global boom in industrial manufacturing. Companies are offering signing bonuses, overtime pay and relocation funds to lure workers.

Modern welders use high tech equipment and have to have a broad knowledge of materials’ characteristics and how they behave under heat and adhere to each other. Welders can work in design shops, heavy industry or even specialize and work on ships underwater. Women make excellent welders because they are very precise and have good hand-eye coordination.