Welders and Related Machine Operators (NOC 7237)
If you are interested in working as a Welder or Related Machine Operator in Canada, you will be pleased to know that the job outlook for your occupation in Canada is extremely positive.
You can use this overview of the Canadian employment prospects in your field to start planning your immigration and settlement in Canada.
Why your employment prospects in Canada are excellent:
- This occupational group is employed by companies that manufacture structural steel and platework, boilers, heavy machinery, aircraft and ships and other metal products, and by welding contractors and welding shops, or they may also be self-employed.
- Welders may specialize in certain types of welding such as custom fabrication, aerospace precision, pipeline construction, structural or machinery and equipment repair welding.
- New technologies and techniques such as laser beam and electron beam welding, and new fluxes are improving the results of welding, making it applicable to a wider assortment of jobs.
- Experienced welders can move to welding inspectors, foreman/forewomen or supervisor positions.
Some areas of Canada where your occupation is in demand:
While there is a shortage of Welders and Related Machine Operators across Canada, the following cities and provinces listed below have a particularly high demand for this occupation.
Alberta:
- With Alberta’s strong economy, demand for welders will remain high, especially in the Oil and Gas Industry.
- The average wage for this occupation has been increasing over the last couple years.
Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
- Employment prospects are good in these local areas.
Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Alberta
- Employment prospects are good in these local areas.
- The occupation is also termed "significant" due to the relatively high concentration of people working in this occupation within this geographic area.
Saskatchewan:
- Employment prospects are good for this occupation throughout the Province.
- Welders working in or around Regina and Saskatoon typically earn more than their counterparts elsewhere in the province.
Regina Area, Saskatchewan
- Employment prospects for welders are expected to be good in 2010-2011.
- Approximately half of the welders employed in Regina are in the manufacturing industry. The remainder is distributed between various industries giving this occupational group added security when certain industries experience difficulties.
Saskatoon and Rural West, Saskatchewan
- Employment prospects are considered to be good in this region.
- Strong economic growth within the region has resulted in new employment opportunities for welders.
- Within the region, nearly 60 per cent of welders work in the manufacturing sector, which includes primary metal, fabricated metal, and machinery manufacturing. The next largest source of employment is within the commercial and industrial machinery and repair (agriculture, construction, and mining) sector. Job prospects are also found within the expanding mine sector.
- Employment for welders within the non-residential construction sector is positive as well.
South-West Saskatchewan
- Employment prospects for Welders and Related Machine Operators are good for the period 2010-2011.
- The size of the occupational group is approximately 665.
- Since the recent introduction of the Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program, a joint collaboration between the federal, provincial and municipal governments to provide funding to local infrastructure projects, the number of new construction projects in the South-West has risen.
- The increase in construction activity will help to stimulate and maintain the demand for welders.
- In addition, 34% of the workforce is above the age of 45. As a result, employment opportunities will be generated from the retirement of these individuals.
Manitoba:
- Employment prospects for welders and related machine operators are expected to be good in the 2010 to 2014 period throughout Manitoba.
- The manufacturing sector in Manitoba is very diverse, with many of these firms, particularly those that produce aerospace components, buses, and agricultural equipment, employing welders.
- A significant number of major construction projects are planned in Manitoba over the next 4 years that will also require additional welders.
Northern Manitoba
- Employment prospects for welders and related machine operators are good.
- In Northern Manitoba, welders are primarily employed in the mining, hydro, and forestry industries and in small welding repair shops performing maintenance on vehicles, machinery, and equipment.
- There are a significant number of major ongoing construction projects in the mining and hydro industries that will require welders.
- New technologies are generating more uses for welding, creating more opportunities for those with skills in advanced technological applications and an understanding of computerized machinery.
Selkirk Area, Manitoba
- Industry associations and government reports have indicated a need for welders in Selkirk.
Southern Manitoba
- Southern Manitoba is experiencing an economic boom in construction, manufacturing and service industries. This has generated high demand for welders and related machine operators.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
- A significant number of major construction projects are planned in Winnipeg over the outlook period that will require welders.
Ontario:
Ottawa Region, Ontario
- Employment prospects are considered to be good in this local area.
- The Ottawa labour market has approximately 675 welders. Employment is most concentrated among manufacturing and construction.
- Demand will be greater for skilled welders as opposed to soldering machine operators.
Prince Edward Island:
- Employment outlook for this occupation is good.
- Approximately 300 welders are employed in P.E.I. and about 10 percent are self-employed.
- Construction initiatives announced by the provincial government to hospitals, manors and schools are expected to positively impact employment prospects for this occupation.
- Employers are especially interested in workers with fitting and fabricating experience, and who have associated skills such as blueprint reading.
- Additional employment opportunities are expected to result from retirements.
British Columbia:
- Workers in this occupational group are mainly employed by the metal fabrication, machinery and construction industries.
- Employment is distributed fairly evenly across the province; however, employment is slightly more concentrated in the Thompson-Okanagan, Cariboo and northern regions of B.C. compared to all occupations.
- Many large mills, mines, manufacturing facilities and other industrial operations are located in northern areas of the province, likely accounting for the higher concentration of workers in this region.
Northern British Columbia
- Average employment growth is expected in this occupation.
Duties for Welders and Related Machine Operators
Welders operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metals. This unit group also includes machine operators who operate previously set up production welding, brazing and soldering equipment. They are employed by companies that manufacture structural steel and platework, boilers, heavy machinery, aircraft and ships and other metal products, and by welding contractors and welding shops, or they may be self-employed.
Description of Main Duties:
Welders perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret blueprints or welding process specifications
- Operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments using processes such as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), oxy-acetylene welding (OAW), resistance welding and submerged arc welding (SAW)
- Operate manual or semi-automatic flame-cutting equipment
- Operate brazing and soldering equipment
- Operate metal shaping machines such as brakes, shears and other metal straightening and bending machines
- Repair worn parts of metal products by welding on extra layers.
- Welders may specialize in certain types of welding such as custom fabrication, ship building and repair, aerospace precision welding, pressure vessel welding, pipeline construction welding, structural construction welding, or machinery and equipment repair welding.
Welding, brazing and soldering machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate previously set up welding machines such as spot, butt and seam resistance or gas and arc welding machines to fabricate or repair metal parts
- Operate previously set up brazing or soldering machines to bond metal parts or to fill holes, indentations and seams of metal articles with solder
- Start up, shut down, adjust and monitor robotic welding production line
- Assist with the maintenance and repair of welding, brazing and soldering equipment
- May adjust welding heads and tooling according to work specifications.
Example job titles for Welders and Related Machine Operators:
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