How to hire a welder apprentice

How to hire a welder apprentice, step by step

Here's a step-by-step welder apprentice hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The welder apprentice hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A welder apprentice's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, welder apprentices 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of welder apprentices and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Welder Apprentice	Description	Hourly rate
   Welder Apprentice	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.	$12-20
   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
   Fabricator	A fabricator specializes in manufacturing and assembling equipment or devices, ensuring every product's quality and efficiency. There are instances when a fabricator is required to make multiple gears, conduct verification processes on product schematics and specifications, perform quality control inspections, and test the product in different environments... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • MIG
   • Hand Tools
   • Arc Welding
   • Brazing
   • Tack
   • Safety Equipment
   • Jigs
   • Overhead Positions
   • TIG
   • Flux Core
   • GMAW
   • AWS
   • FCAW
   • Torches

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and run production parts through the brake.
   • Transition from GMAW to GTAW for use on tubular steel and aluminum welding projects.
   • Experience in utilizing skills in shortarc, Fluxcore, stick and minimal experience in Tig welding.
   • Operate metal brake, various welding machines, grinders, cutting torches, drills, and portable plasma cutter.
   • Acquire skill in handling different types of welders and cutting torches and the ability to process from blue prints.
   • Hook up and set welding SMAW machines.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, welder apprentices' average salary in arkansas is 35% less than in wyoming.
   • Seniority. Entry-level welder apprentices 40% less than senior-level welder apprentices.
   • Certifications. A welder apprentice 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 welder apprentice's salary.

   Average welder apprentice salary

   $16.47hourly

   $34,266 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level welder apprentice salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

4. Writing a welder apprentice job description

   A welder apprentice job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a welder apprentice job description:

   Welder apprentice job description example

   Responsibilities:

   • Moving work pieces, tools, and supplies, manually or by hand truck;
   • Performing any combination of duties to assist workers in welding, brazing, and thermal and arc cutting activities;
   • Lifting, moving, and holding or clamping work pieces to table, into jigs, or into position as directed manually or by using pry bar.

   Requirements:

   • Eagerness and willingness to learn and receive instruction/direction from qualified Journeyman Welder;
   • Strong working knowledge of job site safety as well as ability to complete a company specific safety orientation;
   • High standard of integrity and professionalism;
   • Ability to lift 50lbs;
   • Helping out around the yard in various laborer duties such as; moving parts, assisting welders, painting, etc;
   • Roustabout experience a plus;
   • Will be assisting Welders as needed (apprentice);
   • Various duties and projects as assigned.

   Apply or call Gaby at

   About Aerotek:

   We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at

   The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right welder apprentice for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with welder apprentices they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit welder apprentices who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting welder apprentices requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 welder apprentice

   Once you've found the welder apprentice 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new welder apprentice. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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