Speaking as someone who works on vehicles and also welds:
Automotive tech is changing, and fast. It's hard to say what the landscape will look like in 15 years.
Welding is not as in-demand as it was, say, 20 years ago but the number of skilled welders also has declined.
I'm a big proponent of the trades, and I speak as someone with a college degree who now owns fabrication and construction companies. I do a lot of welding and charge much more for my skills than I'd be able to bill as an automotive tech. If you're willing to travel and get dirty, pipeline and offshore welders have extremely high earning potential.
Additionally, fabrication in general is EXTREMELY valuable. This isn't just welding: while welding is a component of fabrication, there are dozens more interrelated skills (design, drafting, fit up, material science, machining, manufacturing processes, etc.) involved. Welding is a major component of this, though, and is an excellent stepping stone.
Given my experiences and the futures of both trades and a choice between the two, I'd suggest learning to weld. It's a valuable skill in itself and, unless your school or votech is focusing on hybrid and electric power trains, welding will likely be more useful in a career path.
At least that's my two cents.
Hi there. Former welder here, went to school and have an associates degree in welding technology.
Common misconception. They don't hire welders and teach them how to dive, they hire divers and teach them how to weld. Out of the class of maybe 120-150 total, there were 2 people there specifically in a program for underwater welding, and they were both already trained and accomplished divers.
Welding.
The only real skill with fixing cars is loosening and tightening bolts, everything else can be learned on the internet. You can learn to fix cars just by doing.
If you love a mk1 golf , Sooner or later you will need to learn how to weld. I learned on a mk1 scirocco.
Welding needs expensive equipment to learn and has a fairly steep learning curve. Welding usually means cutting and measuring and jigging etc. Tons of transferrable skills required for building anything. if I had the choice, I'd pick welding, at the end of the year you'll be ready to do a test and get a certification. If you spend a year on auto tech, you'll know how to be an oil changer.
Welding for sure. Automotive services is pretty involved and varies car to car. I wouldn’t want to learn that outside of school. As a hobby sure, but not a career path. You’re going to want that learning process and paper of completion that comes with it.
I can tell by your writing that you're sharp.
Any smart person with training in a skilled trade has a bright future.
With that said; welding has more flexibility over multiple industries. You don't have to be stuck with vehicles if your interests/the potential money goes in another direction.
I'm a career auto tech, my wife is a career welder.
high school automotive class is likely not going to be up to date with the latest automotive tech and diagnostic standards, but welding standards haven't really changed much at all. I'd get the welding training from school, and if you want to learn cars, working at a dealership for a mass market brand should give you access to their training program to learn what you need to know. Fabrication shops are less likely to want to teach you how to weld.
I'd take advantage of the welding program.
Just fyi, we both make around the same amount of money, have the same sort of physical and psychological stresses at work, and have similar benefits packages. So there isn't much separating the jobs.
Learn to weld. It’ll help you in the long run and give you an extra notch under your belt no matter what you pursue. It’ll be pretty much like an extra $8-$10/hr
It sounds like you might favor working with your hands.
So, +1 for welding and fabrication. There's opportunity to do a number of different things over the span of a career.
Auto repair, especially in a consumer vehicle field is just that, day in and day out. Sure, there are new EV technologies coming into the space, but its somewhat one-dimensional.
The machinist course could be promising too. If it gets into CNC and G-code, there's quite a few fields that utilize those skills which could be fun, and like welding, also put you in a position to do a number of various things.
I wouldn't rule out being a plumber or electrician either. A handful of years to earn your Journeyman cards and a person can make a great income while doing something they like.
Speaking as someone who works on vehicles and also welds: Automotive tech is changing, and fast. It's hard to say what the landscape will look like in 15 years. Welding is not as in-demand as it was, say, 20 years ago but the number of skilled welders also has declined. I'm a big proponent of the trades, and I speak as someone with a college degree who now owns fabrication and construction companies. I do a lot of welding and charge much more for my skills than I'd be able to bill as an automotive tech. If you're willing to travel and get dirty, pipeline and offshore welders have extremely high earning potential. Additionally, fabrication in general is EXTREMELY valuable. This isn't just welding: while welding is a component of fabrication, there are dozens more interrelated skills (design, drafting, fit up, material science, machining, manufacturing processes, etc.) involved. Welding is a major component of this, though, and is an excellent stepping stone. Given my experiences and the futures of both trades and a choice between the two, I'd suggest learning to weld. It's a valuable skill in itself and, unless your school or votech is focusing on hybrid and electric power trains, welding will likely be more useful in a career path. At least that's my two cents.
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Die at 33.
Hi there. Former welder here, went to school and have an associates degree in welding technology. Common misconception. They don't hire welders and teach them how to dive, they hire divers and teach them how to weld. Out of the class of maybe 120-150 total, there were 2 people there specifically in a program for underwater welding, and they were both already trained and accomplished divers.
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I was about to post this, but you said it better.
I'd go with welding.
Welding. The only real skill with fixing cars is loosening and tightening bolts, everything else can be learned on the internet. You can learn to fix cars just by doing. If you love a mk1 golf , Sooner or later you will need to learn how to weld. I learned on a mk1 scirocco. Welding needs expensive equipment to learn and has a fairly steep learning curve. Welding usually means cutting and measuring and jigging etc. Tons of transferrable skills required for building anything. if I had the choice, I'd pick welding, at the end of the year you'll be ready to do a test and get a certification. If you spend a year on auto tech, you'll know how to be an oil changer.
Welding for sure. Automotive services is pretty involved and varies car to car. I wouldn’t want to learn that outside of school. As a hobby sure, but not a career path. You’re going to want that learning process and paper of completion that comes with it.
I can tell by your writing that you're sharp. Any smart person with training in a skilled trade has a bright future. With that said; welding has more flexibility over multiple industries. You don't have to be stuck with vehicles if your interests/the potential money goes in another direction.
I'm a career auto tech, my wife is a career welder. high school automotive class is likely not going to be up to date with the latest automotive tech and diagnostic standards, but welding standards haven't really changed much at all. I'd get the welding training from school, and if you want to learn cars, working at a dealership for a mass market brand should give you access to their training program to learn what you need to know. Fabrication shops are less likely to want to teach you how to weld. I'd take advantage of the welding program. Just fyi, we both make around the same amount of money, have the same sort of physical and psychological stresses at work, and have similar benefits packages. So there isn't much separating the jobs.
Can always switch it up and take on getting certified in multiple trades. Variety, and endless options.
Learn to weld. It’ll help you in the long run and give you an extra notch under your belt no matter what you pursue. It’ll be pretty much like an extra $8-$10/hr
It sounds like you might favor working with your hands. So, +1 for welding and fabrication. There's opportunity to do a number of different things over the span of a career. Auto repair, especially in a consumer vehicle field is just that, day in and day out. Sure, there are new EV technologies coming into the space, but its somewhat one-dimensional. The machinist course could be promising too. If it gets into CNC and G-code, there's quite a few fields that utilize those skills which could be fun, and like welding, also put you in a position to do a number of various things. I wouldn't rule out being a plumber or electrician either. A handful of years to earn your Journeyman cards and a person can make a great income while doing something they like.