Shawn Riddle
High School: Shirley High School  •  Age: 26
Training: University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton & Ozarka College
Degree: Certificate in Welding from University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
Employer: Caterpillar in North Little Rock

"Welding is a great career to go after... It’s hot and hard work, but you will get to build some of the coolest products— from tire changers all the way to bridges built across the country."

THIS OPTION IS FOR YOU IF...

√ You are creative or artistic
√ You like a challenge in your work
√ At the end of the day, you want to think, "I helped build that!"

Job Outlook
+6%
Expected growth from 2016 to 2026 in the United States

5,680
Expected number of welding jobs in Arkansas by 2026

What does a welder do?
Welders fuse and cut metal materials. They can work in several different industries, so welders might build structures or repair existing infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Utilize welding machines to cut or fuse metals such as aluminum or steel
• Understand blueprints and calculate dimensions and specifications for the welds
• Safely clean, set up and maintain the equipment
• Supervise the process to prevent overheating

MORE FROM Shawn

“I was most surprised that there are so many different types of welding and how different they are from each other. I was also surprised by how many jobs there are for welders—a lot more than I thought.”

High-end earners (top 10%) make
$84,118

Median Wages in the U.S.
$43,855 - Annual |  $17.49 - Hourly

TRAINING PROGRAMS
Arkansas State University–Mid-South
Arkansas Tech University–Ozark Campus
Arkansas State University–Beebe (Heber Springs Campus)
Arkansas State University–Beebe (Searcy Campus)
East Arkansas Community College
National Park College
North Arkansas College
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Northwest Technical Institute
Ozarka College
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Southeast Arkansas College
United Welding Institute
University of Arkansas-Cossatot
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith-College of Applied Science & Technology

READY TO HIRE YOU!
Action Mechanical
Caterpillar
CenterPoint Energy
Georgia-Pacific
Hytrol
Lexicon
McKee Foods Corporation
Nucor Steel Arkansas
Nucor-Yamato
Pace Industries
Riggs Catepillar
Tyson Foods

SOURCES: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  / Be Pro Be Proud  /  PayScale  / Projections Managing Partnership  /  Sarah Zigler

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