welder
Key facts
Are you skilled with your hands and enjoy working with metal? As a welder, you'll use specialized equipment to join metal pieces, creating strong and durable structures for various industries. This career offers a blend of technical skill and practical problem-solving.
As a welder, your day might involve reading blueprints, preparing metal surfaces, selecting the appropriate welding technique and equipment, and performing the welding process itself. You’ll work with different metals and welding methods, ensuring the integrity and quality of the finished weld. Visual inspection of your work is a crucial part of the process, confirming that welds meet required standards.
- • Operating welding machines and equipment (e.g., MIG, TIG, stick welding).
- • Interpreting blueprints and welding diagrams to determine specifications.
- • Preparing metal surfaces for welding, including cleaning and aligning.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Metal, machinery and related trades workers — 106 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 18 more.
Longest-running shortage: Austria, 3 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
Explore More
Find your career path and explore the science behind our recommendations.
Could welder fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Leadership?
Future Outlook for welder
The outlook for welder reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could welder change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could welder change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- wear appropriate protective gear
- follow health and safety procedures in construction
- follow safety precautions in work practices
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- spot metal imperfections
- interpret 3D plans
- recognise signs of corrosion
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Construction
A typical day as a welder
09 09:00 · Morning shape sheet metal objects
10 10:30 · Mid-morning weld in hyperbaric conditions
12 12:00 · Midday interpret 2D plans
14 14:00 · Afternoon join metals
15 15:30 · Late afternoon perform metal active gas welding
17 17:00 · Wrap-up perform metal inert gas welding
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
-
3D printing process
The process of reproducing 3D objects by using 3D printing technologies.
-
characteristics of products
The tangible characteristics of a product such as its materials, properties and functions, as well as its different applications, features, use and support requirements.
-
ferrous metal processing
Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
-
maintenance of printing machines
Upkeep procedures and technical working of machines that produce printed graphical material.
- cutting technologies
- flammable fluids
- fuel gas
-
weld in hyperbaric conditions
Use arc welding techniques to make welds in conditions of very high pressure, usually in an underwater dry chamber such as a diving bell. Compensate for the negative consequences of high pressure on a weld, such as the shorter and less steady welding arc.
-
operate oxy-fuel welding torch
Operate a cutting torch fueled by oxyacetylene gas safely to perform welding processes on a workpiece.
-
apply arc welding techniques
Apply and work with a variety of techniques in the process of arc welding, such as shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, submerged arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, and others.
-
join metals
Join together pieces of metal using soldering and welding materials.
-
operate welding equipment
Use welding equipment to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel, wearing protective eyewear during the working process.
-
perform metal active gas welding
Weld metal, mostly steel, workpieces together using active gas mixtures such as concotions of argon, carbon dioxide and oxygen.
-
wear appropriate protective gear
Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
-
follow health and safety procedures in construction
Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.
-
follow safety precautions in work practices
Apply principles, policies and institutional regulations aimed at guaranteeing a safe work place for all employees.
-
monitor gauge
Oversee the data presented by a gauge concerning the measurement of pressure, temperature, thickness of a material, and others.
-
perform test run
Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
-
spot metal imperfections
Observe and identify various kinds of imperfections in metal workpieces or finished products. Recognise the best fitted manner of fixing the problem, which could be caused by corrosion, rust, fractures, leaks, and other signs of wear.
-
recognise signs of corrosion
Recognise the symptoms of metal showing oxidation reactions with the environment resulting in rusting, copper pitting, stress cracking, and others, and estimate the rate of corrosion.
-
remove processed workpiece
Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.
-
align components
Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.
-
repair metal sheets
Repair bent or torn sheet metal.
-
shape sheet metal objects
Use the appropriate tools and measurements to bend, fold and curve sheet metal objects into the correct shape.
-
interpret 3D plans
Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.
-
interpret 2D plans
Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.
-
handle fuels
Handle and store fuels and assess their potential risks and dangers.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
See whether this role fits your Career DNA
Take the free Career DNA assessment to see how welder aligns with your interests, work style, and future path. In less than 10 minutes, you will get a personalized fit signal and a roadmap for what to do next.
Scan to continue on mobileGrowth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does welder fit?
—
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of materials do welders typically work with?
- Welders work with a wide range of metals, including steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and various alloys. The specific materials used depend on the industry and the application of the welded product.
- What are the most important safety precautions a welder should take?
- Safety is paramount. Welders must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as welding helmets, gloves, and protective clothing. Proper ventilation is also essential to avoid inhaling fumes, and eye protection is vital to prevent arc flash injuries.
- Is it common to be self-employed as a welder?
- While most welders are employed by companies in industries like manufacturing, construction, and shipbuilding, self-employment is also a common path. Many welders operate their own businesses, offering mobile welding services or specializing in custom fabrication projects.
- Welder — is there a shortage in Europe?
- Yes. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a shortage was reported in 22 of the 23 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus and 18 more. Austria has reported one for 3 consecutive years. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Welder — what does it pay in the United States?
- $51,000 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $30,220 to $80,840. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Welder — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 7 European countries: Denmark, Hungary, Greece, Iceland and 3 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 3. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.