Welder Resume Example

A welder resume is screened for processes, positions and certifications before anything else. A shop foreman or pipeline superintendent wants to see at a glance whether you run stick, MIG, TIG or flux-core, which positions you are qualified in and whether your work passes inspection.

The Sample resume below belongs to a welder with seven years in structural fabrication and pipeline work. The certifications sit near the top, where a hiring manager expects them. Each job lists the processes and materials used, then gives results a supervisor can verify: X-ray pass rates, rework avoided, blueprints read and fit without help, safe hours worked. That combination tells a shop you can be trusted with critical joints on day one.

Keep the language plain and the layout simple, since many employers in the trades read resumes on a phone at the jobsite. The electrician example shows how another licensed trade presents credentials, and the skilled trades and construction hub collects similar roles. The Harbor template keeps the page clean and easy to read.

Updated . The person and employers in this Sample resume are fictional.

Welder sample resume

Cody Wendt

Structural and Pipe Welder, AWS D1.1 and ASME IX Certified

Corpus Christi, TXcody.wendt@example.com(361) 555-0119

Summary

Certified welder with seven years of structural fabrication and pipeline experience in SMAW, GMAW, FCAW and GTAW. Held a 98 percent radiographic pass rate on pipe welds across four years of pipeline work. Reads blueprints and weld symbols independently, fits up my own work and keeps a clean safety record.

Experience

Structural Welder and Fitter, Coldwater Bend Steel Works

– Present

Corpus Christi, TX

  • Fabricate and weld structural steel for industrial platforms, stairs and pipe racks with FCAW and SMAW in all positions, to AWS D1.1.
  • Fit up beams, columns and connections from shop drawings without supervision, with fewer than one rejected joint per thousand inspected.
  • Trained three apprentice welders on fit-up, bead sequence and distortion control; all three passed their D1.1 tests on the first attempt.
  • Worked more than 5,000 hours without a recordable injury, and serve on the shop safety committee.
Pipe Welder, Gulf Bend Pipeline Services

–

Victoria, TX

  • Welded carbon steel pipe from 4 to 24 inches with GTAW root and SMAW fill and cap, in 6G position on pipeline and station projects.
  • Maintained a 98 percent X-ray pass rate over four years, well above the crew's average.
  • Performed tie-ins and repairs in tight excavations under hot-work permits and confined-space procedures.

Education

Welding Technology Certificate

Brazoria Trades Academy, Angleton, TX

Skills

  • SMAW (stick)
  • GMAW (MIG)
  • FCAW (flux-core)
  • GTAW (TIG)
  • 6G pipe welding
  • Blueprint and weld symbol reading
  • Fit-up and layout
  • Carbon steel and stainless
  • Oxy-fuel and plasma cutting
  • Grinding and beveling
  • Hot-work and confined-space safety
  • Rigging awareness

Certifications

  • AWS D1.1 Structural Welding, 3G and 4G, American Welding Society,
  • ASME Section IX, 6G Pipe (GTAW/SMAW), Employer qualification record,
  • OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA Training Institute Education Center,

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Bring your own resume or start blank, then tailor it to each posting in about two minutes.

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Templates for the welder resume

All templates

How the resume changes with experience

The same welder resume, written at three levels: a summary and three bullets for each.

Entry level

Zero to two years, or a first role in the title

Welding program graduate with a certificate in SMAW and GMAW, AWS 3G plate certification and shop experience on structural and sheet metal work.

  • Passed the AWS 3G plate test on the first attempt during the welding program.
  • Completed 900 hours of shop training in stick, MIG and oxy-fuel cutting.
  • Worked as a welder helper for a summer, grinding, fitting and preparing material for a senior welder.

Mid level

Three to seven years, owns a process or a workload

Welder with four years of production and structural experience, certified in several processes and able to work from drawings without supervision.

  • Weld production parts in MIG on a fabrication line, meeting daily output targets with low rejection rates.
  • Read drawings and set up fixtures for new jobs with the shop lead.
  • Hold AWS D1.1 certification in flat, horizontal and vertical positions.

Senior

Eight years or more, leads people, budgets or programs

Welding lead and certified welding inspector with fourteen years of experience running crews, procedures and quality on structural and pressure work.

  • Lead a crew of eight welders on plant turnarounds and new construction.
  • Write and qualify welding procedure specifications and welder qualification tests.
  • Inspect welds as an AWS Certified Welding Inspector and sign off on quality records.

Skills to put on the welder resume

Hard skills

Welding processes (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW)
Employers hire for specific processes, so name each one you can run to production standard.
Position qualifications (3G, 4G, 6G)
Position certifications are often hard requirements, especially for pipe work, and they belong near the top.
Blueprint and weld symbol reading
Welders who work from drawings without help save supervisors time and are trusted with more complex jobs.
Fit-up and layout
Good fit-up means fewer defects, and shops value welders who can set up their own work.
Metals and materials
Carbon steel, stainless and aluminum need different technique, and naming them tells a shop what you can take on.
Cutting and preparation
Plasma, oxy-fuel and beveling skills make you more useful across a whole job, not just at the torch.
Weld quality and testing
Pass rates on X-ray or bend tests are proof of skill that supervisors believe immediately.

Soft skills

Safety discipline
Hot work carries real risk, and a clean safety record is one of the first things a foreman asks about.
Reliability
Crews plan around their welders, and showing up ready for every shift matters as much as bead quality.
Teaching apprentices
Shops need experienced welders who can bring new hires up to standard, and it signals readiness for a lead role.

Mistakes that cost welder interviews

  1. Certifications at the bottom

    A hiring manager may stop reading after the first few lines. Put your processes and certifications in the headline or right under it.

  2. No positions or materials

    Welding experience means little without specifics. List the positions you are qualified in and the metals and thicknesses you work with.

  3. Skipping inspection results

    X-ray and bend-test pass rates are the clearest evidence of skill in this trade. Include them whenever you have them.

  4. Leaving out safety

    Employers want welders who come home safe and keep the crew safe. Mention hours without incident, safety training and any committee work.

  5. Fancy layouts

    Two-column designs and graphics can scramble in hiring systems and on phone screens. A plain, single-column page reads best in the trades.

Questions about the welder resume

What certifications should a welder list on a resume?

List every current certification with its code, position and process, such as AWS D1.1 3G FCAW or ASME IX 6G GTAW, plus safety training like OSHA 10 or 30.

Should a welder resume include a skills section?

Yes. A short list of processes, positions, materials and related skills like fit-up and blueprint reading helps both people and screening software find what they need.

How do I write a welder resume with no experience?

Lead with your welding program, the hours of shop training and any certification tests you passed. Add helper or fabrication work and describe what you prepared, fit or cut.

How long should a welder resume be?

One page is enough for most welders. Focus on recent jobs, certifications and results, and leave older short-term jobs off if space is tight.

How do I tailor a welder resume to a specific job?

Match the processes, positions and materials in the posting where they are true of you, move the most similar job to the top and mention any code the job requires.

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