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Welder operator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Ryan Houtcooper,

Ryan Houtcooper

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical welder operator skills. We ranked the top skills for welder operators based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.2% of welder operator resumes contained mig as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a welder operator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 welder operator 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 welder operators use mig:

Weld and fabricate handrails and other misc metals to be sent offshore for installation *3/4-1 inch Flux Core, MIG
Coordinate with Automation Engineer to correct weld problems using my experience in MIG welding.

2. Arc Welding

Here's how welder operators use arc welding:

Used processes including gas welding, and submerged arc welding.
Submerged arc welding of Carbon steel and chrome material piping.

3. Hand Tools

Here's how welder operators use hand tools:

Load materials and products into machines, or onto conveyors, using hand tools and moving devices.
Clean equipment to maintain efficient operation, using air hoses, cleaning fluids, and hand tools.

4. Safety Equipment

Here's how welder operators use safety equipment:

Observe and obey all safety rules, regulations and practices and employ all safety equipment and devices.
Fabricate, weld, assemble and install highway safety equipment.

5. Tig Welding

Here's how welder operators use tig welding:

Welded medical tools using TIG welding.
Completed program and received certificate in Tig welding.

6. GMAW

Here's how welder operators use gmaw:

Weld SMAW And GMAW in all positions also various other processes such as Pulse Arc and Stainless.
Fit and weld gas and fluid ports on to accumulator bodies using robotic GMAW welding equipment.

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7. Quality Checks

Quality checks are a component of quality control aimed at ensuring that quality requirements are met. Internally, quality checks provide assurance to managers, and externally, it provides assurance to clients, federal departments, authorities, and certifiers.

Here's how welder operators use quality checks:

Used compressed air gun with chisel to perform periodic quality checks to insure product quality.
Preformed quality checks once an hour for weld and final size of tube.

8. 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 welder operators use aluminum:

Performed forming/ fabrication/ welding of aluminum and steel.
Fabricate aluminum irrigation gates according to appropriate dimensions.

9. 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 welder operators use tig:

Pipe welding [tig] .
Operated a cutting torch * TIG Welder * Aluminum TIG * Fabricator * Welding/assembling

10. Safety Rules

Principles or regulations that ensure the protection of people, objects, or the environment are called safety rules. These rules can be governing actions, devices, or procedures that help in minimizing the risks of loss, injury, or damage.

Here's how welder operators use safety rules:

Conducted safety inspections and followed safety rules and procedures.
Review, report, and enforce all safety rules, regulation, violations, and company procedures and standards.

11. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are a set of standardized procedures, that ensures minimal to no risk to people, resources, and the work environment. A company follows the step-by-step safety procedures as it they not only keep the customers and the employees safe, but also help in avoiding legal claims.

Here's how welder operators use safety procedures:

Follow all the safety procedures, environmental guideline
Committed to safety and following safety procedures.

12. General Maintenance

General maintenance is the regular check-up and repairs of machinery, buildings, and other mechanical equipment. General maintenance is performed by repair workers who are skilled to handle the day-to-day defects produced in the machinery. General maintenance aims to make sure the items remain in the best operational conditions. Usually, a set of planned activities are performed regularly by an expert to monitor the maintenance.

Here's how welder operators use general maintenance:

General maintenance for 3 active assembly lines
Organized tool inventory and performed general maintenance duties.

13. Plasma Arc

Here's how welder operators use plasma arc:

Operate Sub arc, plasma arc machines, and perform various hand welds.
Cut material using plasma arc cutting and oxygen-acetylene equipment.

14. Spot Welding

Here's how welder operators use spot welding:

Set up and Operation: Spot welding machine.
Operated spot welding machinery to assemble products.Checked finished products for quality.Maintained space cleanliness and safety

15. Tack

A tack in nautical terms refers to the direction that a boat moves in order to align with the angle of the wind and to allow the boat receives the wind directly on its sails. Tack is also the word used to describe the fastening of a thing to a place. In the tailoring industry, it is used to describe the process of temporarily sewing pieces of materials.

Here's how welder operators use tack:

Tack and welded handcarts together Clean up shop at end.
Weld parts per print Cut and salvage defective parts Operate welding robots Tack weld parts using assigned fixtures

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What skills help Welder Operators find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on welder operator 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 operators 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 operators?

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 operator skills to add to your resume

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

MIG
Arc Welding
Hand Tools
Safety Equipment
Tig Welding
GMAW
Quality Checks
Aluminum
TIG
Safety Rules
Safety Procedures
General Maintenance
Plasma Arc
Spot Welding
Tack
Robotic

CNC
SMAW
Clamp
Overhead Positions
Jigs
Flame Cutting
Assembly Line
Toyota
Stainless Steel
FCAW
Quality Issues
ISO
Torches
Production Lines
PPE
Laser Welding

Routine Maintenance
Structural Steel
Quality Inspection
Gmaw Welding
Carbon Steel
Brazing
API
Bobcat
Gas Welding
Overhead Cranes
Honda
Safety Guidelines
Quality Standards
Resistance Welding
Rough Spots
Welding Tools

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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