How To Become a Rig Welder in 3 Steps

Key Points

- Rig welders work on metal structures and materials for oil rigs, both onshore and offshore.

- They are responsible for ensuring the structural soundness of the rigs through construction, repairs and maintenance.

- Rig welding requires skills such as communication, teamwork, math and science, attention to detail, problem-solving and physical strength.

- To become a rig welder, it is recommended to earn a high school or GED diploma, enroll in a trade school or complete an apprenticeship and gain experience in the industry.

- Universal Technical Institute offers a 9- to 10-month Welding Technology training program that can provide the necessary skills and knowledge for pursuing a career as a rig welder.¹

A rig welder’s day is filled with adventure.

Like other welders, they weld and shape metals, creating structures, machine parts and much more. But many rig welders do all this for offshore structures, so they rarely have a dull day at work!

With more than 42,000 estimated average annual welding job openings in the United States,⁴²there's a chance you can pursue a welding career too! But what do rig welders do, exactly? What are some pointers on how to become a rig welder?

Becoming a rig welder can seem like a distant goal if you’re not sure where to start. Fortunately, our guide will help you learn about rig welding and how to pursue entry-level roles in the welding industry.

One way to start is by attending Universal Technical Institute’s 9- to 10-month Welding Technology training program, which teaches fundamental, hands-on welding skills! This training can assist many welding professionals who want to prepare for an oil rig welding career.¹

Continue reading to learn more. Below, we’ll go over what rig welders are and how to pursue this career!

What’s a Rig Welder?

Rig welding is also known as oil rig welding. It’s the process of welding metal structures and materials for oil rigs, which are critical facilities used for extracting oil before delivering it to oil refineries. Manufacturing companies, oil companies and energy companies commonly need rig welding technicians.

Oil rig welders can work on both onshore and offshore oil extraction sites and are responsible for ensuring the rigs’ structural soundness. Rig welders, including entry-level technicians, may conduct standard welding duties on the metalwork of these rigs, including construction, repairs and maintenance.

Welding rigs can only function properly if these tasks are performed correctly. If they malfunction due to metalwork issues, the rig itself could pose safety risks and disrupt oil extraction.

Welding technicians may live on oil rigs or be flown in to perform their duties. Because of power tool use, welding worksites are typically noisy all day long. Since welding work is done outdoors, they’re also less protected from severe weather.

Of course, entry-level rig welders get the training and protective gear needed for safe welding conditions. Besides, many prospective rig welders want this role because of the unpredictable, high-stakes challenges that come with it. They thrive off the high-energy environment, which is full of opportunities to keep them on their toes and help them grow as welding technicians.

If these opportunities appeal to you, rig welding could be a good career fit. This is especially true after developing important welding traits like:

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Teamwork
• Math and science skills
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving
• Physical strength

Students can build and develop these traits at one of UTI’s welding campuses nationwide.

Our welding program is a great training option for welding novices or professionals looking to prepare for a new career path!

Read more: Skills Needed To Be a Welder

Rig Welder Job Description

As we previously discussed, a rig welder is responsible for welding and fabricating metal structures and components on oil rigs and other industrial settings. Some of the key responsibilities of this role may include:

• Reading and interpreting blueprints of industrial equipment
• Welding large structures like oil platforms, boilers and ships
• Welding metal pipes, plates and other materials to build new structures
• Inspecting welds to ensure they are durable and meet specifications
• Assembling and repairing pipelines
• Testing and inspecting vessels and piping systems for leaks or defects
• Keeping shop records and cleaning work sites

These job duties may vary depending on the company and site you’re working on, but they’re a few examples of what you might come to expect as a rig welder.

Rig Welder Salary

Becoming a rig welder takes time and experience. Many who end up working on welding rigs have a background as an entry-level welder prior to transferring their skills to rig welding.

When it comes to salary, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers helpful insight into welding salaries. While these numbers are offered for welding careers in general and not rig welding specifically, they can be a good starting point to look at.

According to the BLS, the median annual salary for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers in the United States was $48,940 in May 2023.²⁶ This means half of welders earned more and half earned less. Keep in mind that salary depends on several factors, including experience, employer, demand and cost of living in the area.

Read more: Ranking the Highest-Paying Median Annual Welding Salaries

Rig Welder Career Outlook

Again, while there are no specifics given for rig welder career outlook by the BLS, having an idea of the career outlook for welders in general can offer some insight into what the future may look like for rig welding specifically.

According to the BLS, total welder employment is expected to exceed 437,000 by 2032!⁵⁰ There is opportunity out there for those with a passion for welding.

Pros and Cons of Being a Rig Welder

There are things to consider on both sides of the coin when it comes to pursuing a career as a rig welder. Some of the positive elements of this line of work include:

• High earning potential: With experience and certifications, rig welders can earn higher salaries than standard welders.
• Travel opportunities: Rig welders often work in various locations, including offshore and remote locations, so you may have the chance to experience different parts of the world.
• Skill development: Since rig welding is challenging, it can be a great way for welders to enhance their skills to a more advanced level.
• Work schedule: A lot of times, rig welders will be working with rotational schedules that can offer them extended time off to spend as they choose.

While there are many great things about rig welding, there are also some potential cons to consider when you’re looking into the career:

• Challenging work environment: Welding rigs can be located in harsh conditions and welders may be exposed to extreme temperatures and loud noises.
• Physical demands: Rig welding is a physically demanding job that requires a lot of standing, bending and lifting heavy materials.
• Long and irregular hours: While rig welders may work on rotational schedules that give them extended time off, they may in turn work long shifts that include nights, weekends and holidays.

3 Steps To Become a Rig Welder

If you’re wondering how to become a rig welder, just know that pursuing an entry-level rig welder position doesn’t have to be confusing. There are some key steps you can take to prepare for rig welding jobs.

1. Earn a high school or GED diploma

While entry-level rig welding requirements vary, most employers ask for a high school diploma or GED diploma. You'll also need one of these documents to apply to most trade schools, including UTI, since they demonstrate that the graduate successfully completed a structured educational program that requires critical-thinking skills, self-discipline and a sense of responsibility.

Read more: UTI Admissions Requirements

2. Enroll in a trade school or complete an apprenticeship

An effective welding education usually involves technical training. Employers frequently prefer candidates who have completed a trade program or apprenticeship, since it means they’ve learned and practiced critical welding skills. Practiced welders can better anticipate their daily task load and correct common beginner mistakes, which is ideal before first jumping into a full-time welding role.

Training like this can be done at UTI, whose welding curriculum was created in collaboration with Lincoln Electric! By completing the Welding Technology program, our graduates can better demonstrate to leading manufacturers, including Lincoln Electric itself, that they possess the skills needed for full-scale welding operations.

This is especially true if students contact our Career Services team, which is made up of UTI representatives who can provide information about available job opportunities and help students prepare application materials. Students can use these services to help polish their resumes and train for upcoming interviews, some of which may be conveniently held on campus!

3. Gain experience

Keep building your skill set after you enter the industry, whether as an entry-level worker or otherwise! If you’re still set on getting on a welding rig, gaining experience can eventually help you transfer your skills to an oil well.

Once you’re there, keep gaining experience. You may be able to advance in the ranks over time. Or you might find a different role in the industry that still requires your oil rig welding knowledge.

But to start your journey, it helps to get the right education, like the kind offered in our welding program. By completing it, you’ll be better prepared to handle whatever welding role you aspire to.

Read more: How To Become a Traveling Welder

Interested in What Welders Do?

There’s a demand for qualified welders. Interested in training to become an industry professional yourself?

Take the first step and enroll in UTI’s Welding Technology training program! Here, we teach students the fundamentals of the welding trade. UTI also has strong relationships with manufacturers that can help our welding graduates pursue exciting opportunities.

We’re ready when you are! Once you’re ready to jump into your education, apply to our welding school!