• Certified welders enjoy the benefit of being in high demand in the welding job market.welder image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com
  
  Although many employers will hire both certified and noncertified welders, certified welders enjoy benefits that noncertified welders do not. For example, the job market for welders is highly competitive, such that employers will select certified welders over noncertified welders. Furthermore, employers claim that certified welders are in high demand and more difficult to find over noncertified welders.
  
  

Fewer Incidents

• Certified welders are trained and tested to work with various types of welding equipment before receiving an American Welders Society certification card. Therefore, certified welders are less likely to incur incidents and accidents while on the job and working with high-temperature materials and gas-based torches.
  
  

More Job Opportunities

• Certified welders have more job opportunities than noncertified welders as they are highly sought out by employers. Additionally, certified welders have access to jobs in various industries, such as construction, manufacturing and shipbuilding. Certified welders can advance in their career to become educators, supervisors and sales representatives.
  
  

Better Pay

• As with most industries, welders who gain certification generally are paid more on the hour than noncertified welders. As of 2010, the average pay for certified welders doubles, and in some cases triples, the average pay of noncertified welders. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2009 that the lowest 10 percent of welders make on average $23,000 per year. However, the 2010 salary for certified welders ranges from $29,0000 per year to $84,000 per year.
  
  

Stronger Job Security

• Certified welders experience stronger job security than noncertified welders. Additionally, certified welders are backed by their certification, which is proof of completing a training program and passing an examination; thus, employers are more likely to invest in welders who can prove they have been trained. Unlike noncertified welders, certified welders' credentials are transferable; therefore, they are not dependent upon a single employer's licensing, which means that certified welders can work for any employer in any state.