The Orientation Process- NO PAY!
This is MY experience below. Make sure you talk with your recruiter before you drag up your current project or even just drive there! I found out the Thursday before I left that the following weeks 1st three days would be unpaid. It was almost a deal breaker and knowing what I know now, it should have been! Each recruiting agency MAY be different. I don’t know. Check it out. Also, my recruiter rented the hotel for me by the week, I only made one day of perdeim. Should you be paying your own bill, think about any long-term or even weekly rentals as the testing process could stop abruptly at any time!
Day 1 Monday
The Orientation consisted of meeting at the recruiter’s office and going over a few things and asking questions. Welding related questions were not in the scope of the person’s knowledge base at my meeting. Yours may be different. After that, we went to various clinics for the physical testing. If you don’t have transportation the public system is pretty good from what I understand.
My appointment was at 11:00. I didn’t get in to start until after 12:15. The Tests consisted of ..
- BP
- Hearing Test
- Vision Test including color perception
- Blood Test and Urine test (For Chromium and Diabetes I think)
- Pulmonary Function Test (Blowing into a tube as hard and as long as you can)
- Respirator Fit Test (Must be clean shaven)
- Interview with Dr.
Day 2, Tuesday
This was a day in which nothing was scheduled. It was my understanding that this allowed for review of the medical tests and finalizing information for getting badged.
Day 3, Wed
This was the Ingalls Safety Training day. This “Safety Training” was similar to many I had been to in the form of presentation but a little different based on content. The major things covered were those that applied to shipbuilding vs general industry or construction. Confined space rules are much different. This is not as comprehensive as most safety training but the pictures are cool!
After the training, you may go to the badge office. You MUST bring a photo ID and a passport or birth certificate even though you may have already shown it to the recruiter. Parking there is a pain too.
The Yard probably has a apprenticeship program but does not have enough people for the demand. I felt I was a good welder and always thought you tested for the work you would be doing. The company to save on money should have let you practice a few days to get comfortable before the test. Performance and passage I believe would have gone up. The government is loosing dollars on this and the not being able to come back and test again is wrong. There are good welders out there.
I agree. Though for $50.00 an hour, some may have the perception that an individual can “do anything” but the truth is that the skills and abilities among welders vary widely among industries, companies, and individuals.
The guy that has spend his life welding on parts for NASA is NOT ready to climb in a boiler and reach 3 tubes deep in an economizer.
I have been supervising/administering welder tests for years. Not any to 248, but I’m familiar with the content. Its a shame that so much time is put into the processing of people to only have this as the screening point.
The shipyard does have an apprenticeship program and it takes 5 years. To get journeyman’s. To get into the apprenticeship program you have to apply for a position through the website and go through their onboarding process by applying for a job that puts you in it.
Good effort on your part. The last time I did serious pipe work it was ASME sec IX and sec VIII
B31.1 and B31.3. They gave me 2 days to practice withering best guys. I passed Alum Stainless and Steel from 1/16 to unlimited wall thickness. I learned all about pre heat n post heat. The company was not union. But moved from Ma to Louisiana
Some practice time would have helped me but Im sure a few people just walked in cold and passed…I just didn’t have that level of skill.
Have a good one!
Was the tig a scratch start or how did you get the arc started?
It was a start stop switch on the Tig Torch. High Frequency Start but no remote amperage control.
They set the machine at 85 amps and you could not adjust it.
How many tests were there?
I don’t know. I was looked out on the 1st one. :). Youd have to ask a good Welder.
I once worked there as a structural welder. Conditions were not too awesome. I also took the pipe test and busted. In the Navy shipyard industry, those exact tests and fail rates are common.
The Newport news shipyard has probably the highest turnover rate of any welding related place of work I have ever been, simply put, because it is government subsidized and they can afford it. Also, they have a HUGE training program, so there is literally no need to hire guys off the street. Add to that a handful of undeserved arrogance, and there you have it.
Most of the welders that work for ingalls itself can’t pass a 3g. Ugh.
Last note: I quit without notice and was not allowed to come back for 7 years.
In other words, besides the 50 an hour, you didn’t miss much. Besides that, in Texas in the same year you could make 45 with 150 a day per diem welding pipe.