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Steel welder skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Ryan Houtcooper,

Ryan Houtcooper

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical steel welder skills. We ranked the top skills for steel welders based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.5% of steel welder resumes contained mig as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a steel welder needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 steel welder skills for your resume and career

1. MIG

MIG is a specific type of welding in which two base materials are welded together using a solid wire electrode fed through a welding gun and into the weld pool.

Here's how steel welders use mig:

Utilized Flux Core, MIG, Spray MIG and Short Arc welding processes.
Used both TIG and MIG, but mostly TIG for the repairs.

2. Arc Welding

Here's how steel welders use arc welding:

Aided in the Construction of a Prototype Naval Craft via the use of Flux-cored Arc Welding.
Performed high-quality gas metal arc welding and weld testing for manufacturing electrical bus.

3. Aluminum

Aluminum is the most common nonferrous metal and the most prevalent metallic material in the Earth's crust. Aluminum is never found in its metallic form in nature, but its compounds can be found in varying degrees in nearly all minerals, vegetation, and animals. Cans, foils, cooking utensils, door frames, kegs, and aeroplane pieces are all made of aluminum.

Here's how steel welders use aluminum:

Formed Metal and Composite Panel Cladding Systems Layout and planning Combination Glass and Stone Curtain-wall Systems Aluminum and Full Glass Entrance Systems
Operated brake press, drill press, and punch press in order to efficiently bend steel & aluminum.

4. GMAW

Here's how steel welders use gmaw:

Worked on the Genesis line using blueprints to fabricate aluminum trailer floors with cranes, saws, and Aluminum GMAW
Manufactured mobile home frames using fixtures, heat beam for a perfect chamber while applying welding procedures of SMAW and GMAW.

5. FCAW

Here's how steel welders use fcaw:

Completed structural fabrications using FCAW method.
Weld, tack, and fit uprights that go on mods, fab and repair any projects using FCAW welding techniques.

6. Hand Tools

Here's how steel welders use hand tools:

Operate equipment including an overhead crane, small and large hand tools and drive and operate a 13 ton boom truck.
Used gas welder and hand tools to repair panel when needed.

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7. Tig Welding

Here's how steel welders use tig welding:

Work as a tool room apprentice while preforming tig welding of tool steels and welding of all types material.
Manufactured car/truck Trailers Blueprint Reading ASME state certified Mig-Stick-Tig welding for many positions Collated components for assembly.

8. AWS

Here's how steel welders use aws:

17771Certified per ASME, AWS, & API.Day to day welding in a high quality high production environment.
Completed required welding certification class required for employment which followed strict AWS guidelines.

9. Carbon Steel

Here's how steel welders use carbon steel:

Certified unlimited thickness carbon steel Fitted components for dump trucks
Worked primarily with aluminum and occasionally carbon steel.

10. Grinders

Here's how steel welders use grinders:

Operate hand held and stationary power tools such as grinders, sanders, and polishers to finish the product for inspection.
Prepare metal surfaces or work pieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.

11. Tape Measure

A tape measure is a thin, flexible strip of plastic or metal that can be rolled up when it is not being used. The tape measure has numbers marked on it linearly which is used for measuring length.

Here's how steel welders use tape measure:

Make accurate measurements using tape measure and precision measuring equipment.
Weld aluminum in all positions, weld parts to blueprint specks, operate air tools, circular saw, and tape measure

12. Stainless Steel Pipe

Here's how steel welders use stainless steel pipe:

Welded stainless steel pipe (Tig)

13. TIG

TIG stands for "tungsten inert gas welding" and is also known as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). This particular type of weld is more difficult as it requires the welder to heat materials until they are liquid.

Here's how steel welders use tig:

Oil refinery 90 shut down (tig and stick welder).
Completed all Welder Fitter duties including driving tow motor, MIG TIG welding styles, and reading blue print lay outs.

14. SMAW

Here's how steel welders use smaw:

Renewed certification for 6G SMAW and galv.
Utilized SMAW process exclusively regarding state and federal contracted jobs.

15. Air Arc

Air carbon arc cutting, metal arc gouging, or, more commonly, Air Arc is a term referring to a process in which metal material is cut and melted through the heat of a carbon arc, after which the molten metal is removed via an air jet. Carbon arc is a process and method in which a gaseous form of carbon is broken down and produces heat and light.

Here's how steel welders use air arc:

Weld air arc, run overhead crane, drive forklift, blueprint reading, sandblast and paint, ranband saw
Operated air arc gougers and grinders and set up hand and power tools to be used during the welding process.

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What skills help Steel Welders find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on steel welder resumes?

Ryan Houtcooper

Professor of Welding, University of Alaska Southeast

The skills that stand out most depend a great deal on the geographic location of the individual. For example, if I were to have someone approach me for a job here in Ketchikan, I would look for two things. Is the person capable of welding aluminum and stainless steel? Now, if I were still down in the midwest chasing pipelines and someone came to me for a job, I would be looking for two different things. Is the person capable and efficient at fitting and welding pipes? However, should a person who has a magnitude of experience and is well rounded in most welding processes ever approach for a job, then that person would supersede anyone who has just one or two capabilities.

What soft skills should all steel welders possess?

Ryan Houtcooper

Professor of Welding, University of Alaska Southeast

For a welder, having PATIENCE is the biggest attribute. But there are a few other key factors that go into the success of a welder's career, such as having good communication skills, both written and oral. Having the knowledge and ability to do mathematical problem solving, along with the ability to read blueprints/shop drawings. These are the most critical aspects to the welder.

What hard/technical skills are most important for steel welders?

Ryan Houtcooper

Professor of Welding, University of Alaska Southeast

Knowing how to troubleshoot welding equipment, setting up and taking down equipment related to the trade (pan breaks, plate rollers, plate shears, torch sets, overhead cranes, forklifts, CNC machines, etc...). Rigging heavy objects for crane picks is also an important factor for big outfits.

Do you want to know more?

List of steel welder skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a steel welder resume and required skills for a steel welder to have include:

MIG
Arc Welding
Aluminum
GMAW
FCAW
Hand Tools
Tig Welding
AWS
Carbon Steel
Grinders
Tape Measure
Stainless Steel Pipe

TIG
SMAW
Air Arc
Steel Structures
Flux Core
Clamp
Press Brake
Safety Guidelines
Dual Shield
Brazing
Gas Welding
Jigs

Rig
Torches
Combination Squares
CNC
I-Beams
Structural Components
Drill Press
Cutting Torches
Safety Equipment
Safety Regulations

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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