If you’re looking to start a new career where you get to work with your hands, metal working might be something you want to consider. However, because this type of work is very specialized and can be dangerous if you’re not careful, it’s important that you know what you’re getting yourself into to ensure that this is the type of career that you can handle and will enjoy.
To help you see if this might be the right fit for you, here are three things to consider before starting a job in metal working.
Make Sure You Have The Right Tools
While you might like the idea of working with metal and creating items or projects that require that you work with metal, you won’t really know if this is something that will be a good type of work for you until you try your hand at some of the skills you’ll need. But to do this, you’ve got to ensure that you have the right tools to work with.
Felicia Savage, a contributor to DailyWorkIt.com, shares that some of the tools you’ll need to get started with metal working include things like tin snips, a vise, a riveting hammer, a steel square, a hacksaw, a swivel flange, and more.
Additionally, as you’re starting out, you’ll also want to try some stick welding before you move onto other techniques and forms of welding, as they can be more specialized and complicated to start with than stick welding is. Welding does produce a lot of fumes that can be harmful, so if you’re thinking about doing a lot of welding you may want to look into welding fume extractor systems as another important tool you might need.
Get The Proper Education And Training
Before you really start doing any metal work with the tools mentioned above, you’re going to need to ensure that you’ve gotten the proper education and training so that you actually know what you’re doing with these tools.
As part of your education and training, the editor of HomeBusinessMag.com shares that you should become a part of the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association. But because you won’t get all the education and training you need with just this, you’ll also want to get certified as a welder so that you know exactly what you’re doing and have the credentials to back it up.
Consider Your Business Acumen
Once you feel like you have all the knowledge and education you need to start working a job as a metal worker, you’ll need to decide if you want to work for yourself by starting your own business or if you want to work for someone else and their business.
According to Vicki Bell, a contributor to The Fabricator, many people who enjoy and do well with metal work don’t actually like all that comes along with being a business owner. So unless you have the business acumen in addition to your welding abilities, you may just want to work for someone else and keep your professional life a little more simple.
If you’re thinking about starting a new career as a metal worker, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare to start this new journey.
