Of all the best bits about metal fabrication we like welding the best: maybe it’s simply the otherworldly heat and light or maybe it’s the Darth Vader mask.
Of course, it could be that it reminds us of Jennifer Beals, welder by day, dancer by night, and that unforgettable audition scene in the movie Flashdance. What a Feeling indeed!
But if you thought welding was only sexy when it featured blowtorches and leotards, think again.
Not only is constructing machines and structures from raw materials integral to the success of numberless engineering and construction sectors, big and small, it can also set sparks flying in job sectors you never thought possible.
Just ask Michael Peden. As workshop manager at G-fab, which supplies and manufactures bespoke architectural metalwork products, he oversees a wide and varied range of fabrication and installation contracts.
He’s the first to acknowledge that he is operating in a sector that demands an incredible armoury of talents.
“It’s not just welding, of course. The skills required vary enormously,” he says,
“from welding, tig, mig, MMA and brazing to general metalworking, cutting, drilling and grinding,
“All of this also demands the ability to work with many different materials. Just as important in my role is the ability to work with clients and the general public.”
The skills set involved in architectural metalwork are varied, but so too are the sectors it supplies: such as oil and gas, shipbuilding and armed services, to name a few.
“Our particular sector has been described as being niche,” says Michael.
“This is probably true as most companies in manufacturing are tied to a specific material or field of work whereas we cover all different materials and apply them to a varied array of projects and products.”
Working with so many materials and applications, the skills used must also be transferrable to other roles in other industries?
“In our sector welding skills are much sought after and for many companies finding experienced welders is becoming harder,” says Michael.
“The lack of experience working with different types of welding is a hindrance to many companies, as they increasingly look to new working methods.”
That’s good news for those looking to bring their fabrication skills into the wider jobs market.
But Michael acknowledges there are obstacles to be overcome too.
“The main challenges for people working in metal fabrication are sustainability of work, rates of pay and training or retraining in up-to-date technologies.
“It is vital that Government works with companies to increase and introduce more training and retraining programmes, especially for the young, allowing for a new generation of welders to replace an ageing skills base.”
He points out there have been many changes in this sector. A newfound reliance by customers on catalogue products, for instance, has had an effect on the bespoke aspect of manufacturing.
He also notes the recession of 2008 still affects today’s market, adding: “That is seven years of companies laying off good experienced welders, not training or retraining or reemploying – and that has led to welders leaving profession.
“In turn this has left a shortfall of new and up and coming employees in this field.”
Michael believes new technologies that progress manufacturing have to be embraced but too few have the opportunity or desire to learn.
“People have to embrace this sector,” he says. “If you are young, ambitious and practical, it is an excellent profession, one that provides a good living wage and life experiences.
“If you are experienced in a specific field, it will pay to expand your knowledge and to keep learning new areas of work because lack of sustainable work in one field will open doors to others.”
In Michael’s experience, most companies will reward those who are dedicated and reliable.
“In many roles, from general metalworker to apprentice, most companies will allow you to progress to management levels through time. First and foremost, learn your trade and expand your knowledge of working practices. Ask questions and don’t be put off trying new methods of working.
“I was always told ‘what’s for you will not go by you’. I’ve been involved in this sector for more than 30 years and I have learned much: but I’m still learning and I’ll never close that door!”