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Hit 25 years in the trade and finally stopped chasing the fancy certs
I hit 25 years as a boilermaker back in February, and you know what surprised me? I don't care about the welding certs anymore. Everyone in this trade pushes the newest SMAW or TIG ticket like it's the holy grail, but after 25 years and three major refinery shutdowns in Beaumont, I've learned that the old school layout work with a soapstone and tape measure matters way more. I passed a flanged joint inspection last week just by trusting my field fit up, no computer program, no fancy gadget, just years of burning and grinding. The younger guys laughed at my method until the inspector signed off on the first try. It made me realize we've overcomplicated this trade with all the extra training when the basics still do the job. Has anyone else hit a milestone year and felt the same way, or am I the only old timer pushing back on the cert culture?
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linda62613d ago
I hit 22 years as a pipefitter in 2019 and had the same wake up call. Spent a bunch of money on a fancy orbital welding program back in 2014, got the paper, and then watched an old hand named Ray pass a 6G test with nothing but a striker and a grinder. The guy never touched a cert beyond his basic stick ticket in his whole life. What worked for me was going back to basics on fit up, because a tight joint does more for you than any card in your wallet. The inspectors I trust the most are the ones who check your tape marks before they ever look at your certs.
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