How to hire a second class welder

How to hire a second class welder, step by step

Here's a step-by-step second class welder hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a second class welder job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new second class welder
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the second class welder you need to hire. Certain second class welder roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A second class welder's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, second class welders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents second class welder salaries for various positions.

   Type of Second Class Welder	Description	Hourly rate
   Second Class Welder	Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams of metal products.	$15-29
   Ship Fitter	Ship fitters are civilian or enlisted people who work on materials like high yield strength steel and high-tensile steel. These people fabricate, assemble, and build structural parts of ships... Show more	$14-30
   Welder Apprentice	A welder apprentice analyzes engineering specifications and engineering drawings to plan layout and assembly welding operations. Besides using rulers, calipers, combination squares, and straight edges to secure, position, and layout parts and assemblies as per the assignment specifications, welder apprentices also perform their duties based on established safety procedures and quality standards... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Tig Welding
   • MIG
   • TIG
   • Combat

   Responsibilities:

   • Read blueprints and build sections of the JHSV and LCS from those blueprints.
   • Learned to weld using torches, gouging aluminum welding & steel welding.
   • Receive training in safety protection, such as use of respirators, confine spaces, condo and scissor lifts.
   • Maintain individual and subordinates combat readiness.
   • Repair and maintain equipment critical to combat operations and damage control.
   • Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your second class welder job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A second class welder can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, second class welders' average salary in nebraska is 34% less than in wyoming.
   • Seniority. Entry-level second class welders 47% less than senior-level second class welders.
   • Certifications. A second class welder with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a second class welder's salary.

   Average second class welder salary

   $45,861yearly

   $22.05 hourly rate

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   Entry-level second class welder salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a second class welder job description

   A job description for a second class welder role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a second class welder job description:

   Second class welder job description example

   1. Have the ability to comprehend and utilize blueprints, sketches, drawings, technical

   manuals, and work process instruction.

   2. Welds steel plates and pipe in the repair and/or construction of marine vessels, industrial components, and associated equipment.

   3. Have the skills to use various types of welding equipment for different types of metal.

   4. Welds components in a flat, vertical, or overhead positions.

   5. Performs related tasks such as cutting and grinding.

   6. Repairs broken or cracked parts, fills holes, and increases size of metal parts.

   7. Welds metal parts together using gas welding, brazing, arc welding, wire fed welding, or tig welding process and procedures.

   8. Highly skilled welders often are trained to work with a wide variety of materials, such as titanium, aluminum, or exotic metals, in addition to steel.

   9. Select and set up welding equipment, execute the planned welds, and examine the welds to ensure that they meet standards or specifications.

   Required Education & Experience:

   1. High School Diploma, some college or technical school certification, six months to one year(s) experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

   2. Must pass an ABS, or ASME weld test. Must also be able to pass x-ray testing.

   Working Conditions:

   1. Open-air conditions such as noisy, hot, cold, etc.

   2. Must be able to stand and operate equipment up to four continuos hours.

   3. Must wear hearing, eye, head protection and proper PPE.

   4. Some climbing (100 feet or higher) and lifting (50 lbs.) involved.

   5. Working with hot and sometimes hazardous materials.

   6. Work on inland and offshore barges or in industrial settings.

   7. Enter round manholes with inside diameters of 18”, and other internally confined spaces.

   8. Traverse gangways and scaffolding at varying heights.

   Necessary Equipment Operation:

   1. Blow torches- Motorized cutting torches; Pattern cutting torches; Welding torches

   2. Gas welding, brazing, or cutting apparatus- Brazing equipment; Heliarc welding equipment; Oxyacetylene equipment; Portable gas operated arc welders.

   3. Manlift or personnel lift- hydraulic truck lifts; Swing stages

   4. Weld masks- Hand shields; Welding shields

   Special Skills:

   1. Ability to work under deadlines and schedule pressures.

   2. Ability to read and interpret blueprints, sketches, drawings and technical manuals.

   3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

   4. High performance and a strong team player.

   5. Commitment to company values and safety program.

   Welder Position Basic Requirements:

   Plate Welder 2nd Class (PLW2) - Welder capable of welding SMAW or FCAW on plate/structural with ABS Q2+4G or ASME or AWS plate test (2G+3G+4G).

   Plate Welder 1st Class (PLW1) - Welder capable of welding SMAW & FCAW on plate/structural with ABS Q2+4G or ASME or AWS plate test (2G+3G+4G).

   Pipe Welder 2nd Class (PPW2) – Welder capable of welding SMAW or FCAW on plate/structural &SMAW or FCAW on pipe with ABS Q3 or AWS 6g pipe test.

   Pipe Welder 1st Class (PPW1) – Welder capable of welding SMAW & FCAW and or GTAW on pipe. Must Pass ABS Q3 or ASME 6G or AWS 6G pipe test.

   Combination Welder - Pipe/Plate/Structural (PPLW)– Welder capable of process / structural pipe and plate welding using GTAW+FCAW and or GTAW+SMAW.

   The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of assigned personnel.

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5. Post your job

   To find second class welders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any second class welders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level second class welders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your second class welder job on Zippia to find and recruit second class welder candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit second class welders, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new second class welder

   Once you've found the second class welder candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new second class welder first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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