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Construction

Welder Resume Examples & Templates

Compare 4 Welder resume examples from Entry-Level Welder to Welding Supervisor, with salary benchmarks ($38,000 - $135,000) and the exact skills hiring managers screen for.

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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)

Entry-Level Welder
$38,000 - $52,000
Certified Welder
$50,000 - $72,000
Senior Welder
$68,000 - $98,000
Welding Supervisor
$90,000 - $135,000

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.

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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)

Frequently Asked Questions

Welders join and fabricate metal parts using processes like MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), stick (SMAW), and flux-core (FCAW). They read blueprints and weld symbols, prep joints, run welds to a code such as AWS D1.1, and pass visual, radiographic, or ultrasonic inspection. Senior welders develop weld procedures (WPS) and qualify other welders; supervisors and CWIs own the quality program for a project.

AWS D1.1 (structural steel) is the baseline most shops require. AWS D1.5 covers bridge work, and D1.6 covers stainless. A 6G pipe qualification (often tested to ASME Section IX) is the highest-value position cert because it qualifies you for all other pipe positions. For supervisory and inspection roles, the AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) is the credential that gates the job.

List your trade-school or apprenticeship training with the same detail as a job: supervised hours, the positions you trained in, and every certification you passed (e.g., AWS D1.1 3G). Include practice or volunteer builds, and name the processes you ran. A passed cert plus a clean safety record beats a vague 'familiar with welding' summary every time.

Not always, but it's the credential that separates a lead hand from a supervisor on most projects. An AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) can review WPS/PQR, sign off on visual inspection, and own the QC program—exactly what shipyards and contractors need a supervisor to do. If you're targeting supervisory or QC roles, the CWI typically pays for itself quickly in higher pay and broader job access.

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