Entry-Level Welder Resume Example
Professional Entry-Level Welder resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.
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Professional Entry-Level Welder resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.
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View Template →Why This Resume Works
Action verbs open every bullet
Welded, Fabricated, Performed, Maintained. Each bullet starts with a concrete action that proves you did the work, not just watched it.
Numbers prove output and quality
96% pass rate, 40+ assemblies a week, 1/16 inch tolerance. For a welder, quality numbers are your product. Put them on the page.
Certifications belong up front
AWS D1.1 in the 3G position is the credential a fab shop screens for first. State the code and the position you tested in.
Name the processes you run
Flux-core (FCAW) and MIG (GMAW) aren't interchangeable. Naming each process and its abbreviation shows you know what bead you're laying.
A clean safety record signals reliability
A zero lost-time incident record over 18 months tells a foreman you follow hot-work permits and won't shut down the bay.
Switch between levels for specific recommendations
Key Skills
- MIG (GMAW)
- Flux-core (FCAW)
- Blueprint and weld-symbol reading
- AWS D1.1 (3G position)
- Grinding and joint prep
- Stick (SMAW)
- Hot-work permit and PPE compliance
- Oxy-fuel cutting
- TIG (GTAW)
- 6G pipe welding
- AWS D1.1 and D1.5
- ASME Section IX procedures
- Carbon and stainless steel
- Radiographic and ultrasonic testing
- Isometric drawing interpretation
- Pipe fit-up and bevel prep
- WPS development and qualification
- Welder qualification and training
- NDT (RT/UT) coordination
- AWS D1.1 / D1.5 / D1.6
- Crew leadership
- Aluminum welding
- Confined-space and offshore work
- AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)
- WPS / PQR review
- Crew management and scheduling
- QC program ownership
- Root-cause analysis
- OSHA 30 and safety leadership
- Client and third-party inspector liaison
Level Up Your Resume
Salary Ranges (US)
Career Progression
The welding career ladder is built on certifications and pass rates, not just years. An entry-level welder running flux-core in a fab shop moves to certified welder by adding pipe positions (6G) and codes (AWS D1.1, D1.5) and proving high first-pass RT/UT rates. Certified to senior comes from owning WPS development, qualifying other welders, and coordinating NDT. The jump to welding supervisor adds crew management, QC program ownership, and usually the AWS CWI. Each step is gated by a testable credential, which makes the path fast for welders who keep stacking certifications.
Pass AWS D1.1 in multiple positions and add 6G pipe. Build a documented first-pass RT/UT acceptance rate. Move from structural-only into pipe and onto refinery or pipeline jobs.
- 6G pipe qualification
- TIG (GTAW) root passes
- ASME Section IX procedures
Add AWS D1.5/D1.6 and material range (stainless, aluminum). Develop and qualify WPS, qualify other welders, and coordinate NDT. Take on lead-hand duties on code-critical work.
- WPS development
- Welder qualification
- NDT coordination
- Crew leadership
Earn the AWS CWI. Take ownership of a QC program, review WPS/PQR, and manage a crew across shifts. Drive a measurable reject-rate reduction and own scheduling, safety, and inspector relationships.
- AWS CWI
- QC program management
- WPS/PQR review
- Crew scheduling
- Safety leadership (OSHA 30)
A welder's CV has to prove you can lay sound, code-compliant welds under inspection, not just that you own a hood and gloves. Hiring at shipyards, structural steel fabricators, and oil & gas contractors turns on three things: the processes you run (MIG, TIG, stick, flux-core), the positions and codes you're certified in (AWS D1.1, D1.5, 6G pipe), and your pass rates on visual, radiographic, and ultrasonic inspection.
Welding has clear levels, from an entry-level welder running flux-core in a fab shop to a welding supervisor or AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) who owns the QC program for a multi-million-dollar build. Each level expects a different CV. Entry welders show certifications, safety, and steady output. Certified and senior welders show pipe positions, code breadth, and first-pass NDT rates. Supervisors show crew scale, reject-rate reductions, and inspector credentials.
This guide covers what each level of welding CV must include, the mistakes that get a resume tossed, how to frame your weld quality with numbers, and which AWS certifications and skills matter most to shops hiring in the US market.