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Welder first class 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 welder first class skills. We ranked the top skills for welders first class based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.3% of welder first class resumes contained flux core as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a welder first class needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 welder first class skills for your resume and career

1. Flux Core

Here's how welders first class use flux core:

Participated in flux core welding and also received ceramic tape certification.
Weld stick and flux cored wire in flat, vertical, and overhead positions according to exact blueprint instructions.

2. Arc Welding

Here's how welders first class use arc welding:

Heated formed and dressed metal parts, using hand tools, torch or arc welding equipment.
Used stick Arc welding application in welding pipe in the fabrication of deep sea oil rigs.

3. SMAW

Here's how welders first class use smaw:

Used SMAW and FCAW welding process I was a first class welder, also welded pipe.
Structure Welding various Pressure Vessels & Container Units, various custom Metal Fabrications, FCAW & SMAW

4. FCAW

Here's how welders first class use fcaw:

Performed welding and fitting operations on pressure vessels using FCAW, GMAW and SAW welding as necessary.
Fit and weld manufactured products, certified using SAW, GMAW, and FCAW welding processes.

5. GMAW

Here's how welders first class use gmaw:

Programmed and operated automatic GTAW, and GMAW machines.
Fit out and welded frames, bulkheads gussets and brackets in the gmaw (mig) process

6. Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, chromium, carbon, and some other metals with corrosion-resistant properties. The components of steel include less than 1% carbon, 1% manganese, and small quantities of other elements such as phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, and oxygen. Iron and carbon are the two essential components of steel. Stainless steel is resistant to tarnishing and rust.

Here's how welders first class use stainless steel:

Assigned activities included heavy wall pipe welding, carbon and stainless steel, to ASME Section III and ANSI B31.1 Critical.
Performed 13 years of production welding; mild steel, aluminum, food grade, and pharmaceutical grade stainless steel.

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7. Tig Welding

Here's how welders first class use tig welding:

Experience with tig welding in an argon box/chamber.
Experience with Tig welding using a mirror.

8. Jigs

Here's how welders first class use jigs:

Worked closely with leader and welding team, used weld fixtures, gauges and jigs.
Weld on various parts using jig lifted and put in place with overhead crane.

9. 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 welders first class use air arc:

Skilled in air arching and plasma cutting.
Weld 1/16 and 3/32 wire U-T shot air arc gouging

10. Safety Equipment

Here's how welders first class use safety equipment:

Operated safety equipment, monitoring the welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or expansion of material
Observed and followed all safety rules and procedures, including wearing required personal safety equipment.

11. 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 welders first class use tig:

Trained in tig and stick pipe welding.
Welded and fabricated High pressure vessels using Flux-core, stick, and tig requiring xray testing.

12. Carbon Steel

Here's how welders first class use carbon steel:

Welded stainless and carbon steels as well as aluminum.
stud weld 316L stainless to carbon steel.

13. Safety Guidelines

Safety guidelines are regulations or rules governing procedures, actions, or devices with the aim of reducing the occurrence or risk of loss, injury, and danger to properties, individuals, or the environment. To adhere to the safety guidelines and be able to make the best possible decisions to ensure everyone at the workplace is safe, you should possess a wide range of skills.

Here's how welders first class use safety guidelines:

Inspected chains, hammers and other tools for damage or wear to prevent injuries and accidents.Followed all safety guidelines
Maintain all safety standards along with coordinating safety guidelines.

14. Flame Cutting

Here's how welders first class use flame cutting:

Operate manual or semi-automatic flame cutting equipment.
Operated hand-welding equipment and flame cutting equipment.

15. GTAW

Here's how welders first class use gtaw:

Welded (GTAW, MIG) different alloy metal components together.
Responsibilities*Used mainly GTAW to weld water sanitation equipment.

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What skills help Welders First Class find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on welder first class 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 welder first classes 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 welder first classes?

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 welder first class skills to add to your resume

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

Flux Core
Arc Welding
SMAW
FCAW
GMAW
Stainless Steel
Tig Welding
Jigs
Air Arc
Safety Equipment
TIG
Carbon Steel
Safety Guidelines
Flame Cutting
GTAW

PPE
Tack
Overhead Positions
Aluminum MIG
Plasma Arc
Air Tools
Fillet
Shipyard
Resistance Welding
Brazing
Mild Steel
Torches
Dual Shield
Pressure Vessels
Overhead Cranes

Bulkheads
Sub Arc
Rough Spots
Clamp
Structural Steel
AWS
Drill Press
Coast Guard
Engineering Drawings
CO2
Hoists
ISO
Inconel
Fuel Tanks
Gas Welding

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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