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Welder resume example

A one-page resume for an experienced pipe and structural welder working in industrial construction. Welding supervisors hire on qualifications and quality, so the resume puts the processes, positions and X-ray pass rate where they are read first.

Welder resume example, page 1 of 1Darnell ThibodeauxPipe and Structural WelderSUMMARYPipe and structural welder with eight years in refinery turnarounds andfabrication shops. 6G qualified in SMAW and GTAW on carbon andstainless pipe, with a 98% X-ray acceptance rate over the last three years.TWIC holder, used to 12-hour turnaround shifts, hot work permits andconfined spaces.EXPERIENCEPipe WelderJan 2021 – PresentGulf Reach Industrial Services · Baton Rouge, LA•Weld carbon steel and 304/316 stainless process piping from 2" to 24"on refinery and chemical plant turnarounds, to ASME B31.3 and theowner’s welding procedures.•Held a 98% radiographic acceptance rate across 1,400+ welds since2023, against a site target of 95%.•Worked 6 turnarounds on 12-hour shifts with zero recordables,including hot work and confined space entries.•Fit up spools from isometric drawings with a fitter, cutting rework onmy crew’s welds by about a third in 2025.Structural Welder and FitterMar 2018 – Dec 2020Red Stick Fabrication · Port Allen, LA•Welded pipe racks, platforms and stairs to AWS D1.1 with FCAW andSMAW, about 30 tons of steel a month.•Read shop drawings, laid out and fit up members, and passed 100% ofthird-party visual inspections in 2020.•Trained 3 new helpers on grinding, beveling and torch cutting.EDUCATIONWelding Technology Certificate (NCCER Levels 1 to 3)2016 – 2017Baton Rouge Community College · Baton Rouge, LACONTACTdarnell.thibodeaux@example.com(225) 555-0164Baton Rouge, LACERTIFICATIONS6G pipe, SMAW and GTAW,carbon and stainless (ASMESection IX)Employer qualification · 2025AWS Certified Welder, D1.1structural, 3G and 4GAmerican Welding Society · 2018Transportation WorkerIdentification Credential(TWIC)TSA · 2024NCCER Welding Level 3NCCER · 2017H2S Awareness and ConfinedSpace EntrySite safety training · 2025SKILLSSMAW (stick)GTAW (TIG)FCAW and GMAWCarbon and stainless pipe6G positionASME B31.3 and Section IXAWS D1.1Isometric and blueprint readingFit-up and layoutOxy-fuel and plasma cuttingGrinding and bevelingHot work safety
WelderUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • Processes and positions: SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, GMAW; 3G, 4G, 6G. Say what you are qualified on, not only what you have tried.
  • Materials and codes: carbon steel, stainless, chrome, aluminum; AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, B31.3, API 1104. They tell a supervisor which jobs you can go to.
  • Quality: X-ray or ultrasonic acceptance rates and rework. This is the number pipe welders are judged on.
  • Industry and site experience: refinery, pipeline, shipyard, structural, shop. Turnaround and shutdown work needs stamina and safety discipline.
  • Site credentials: TWIC, safety cards and a clean drug screen history. Without them you cannot get through the gate.

Writing the summary

Lead with your trade (pipe, structural, combo), years and your best qualification. Add your X-ray rate or another quality number, and the site credentials that matter in your area.

The summary in this example

Pipe and structural welder with eight years in refinery turnarounds and fabrication shops. 6G qualified in SMAW and GTAW on carbon and stainless pipe, with a 98% X-ray acceptance rate over the last three years. TWIC holder, used to 12-hour turnaround shifts, hot work permits and confined spaces.

Production or shop welder (MIG)

Production welder with five years in a high-volume fabrication shop, welding trailer frames and equipment parts with GMAW and FCAW. Hold AWS D1.1 certification, read blueprints, and keep my reject rate under 1% while hitting daily output targets.

Welder moving toward inspection (CWI)

Combo pipe welder with twelve years in refineries and power plants, now preparing for the AWS Certified Welding Inspector exam. I already help qualify welders and review procedures on site, and want to move into a QA/QC or inspection role.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Welded 600+ joints on a 14-mile natural gas pipeline to API 1104, with a 97% acceptance rate on ultrasonic testing.
  • TIG welded 316L stainless sanitary tubing for a food plant, passing 100% of borescope inspections.
  • Completed a 21-day turnaround with 84-hour weeks and no recordables, finishing my assigned scope 2 days early.
  • Passed 6 owner welder qualification tests in 4 years on carbon, stainless and P91 chrome pipe.
  • Cut grinding and rework time by about 20% by improving fit-up checks before the root pass.
  • Fabricated and welded 45 tons of structural steel for a warehouse mezzanine to AWS D1.1.
  • Ran a 3-welder crew on a pipe rack tie-in, coordinating permits and fire watch with operations.
  • Repaired cracked excavator buckets and booms in the field, returning machines to work in under a day.
  • Trained 5 helpers on beveling and fit-up; 3 later passed their own 6G tests.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • SMAW, GTAW, FCAW and GMAW
  • Positions 1G to 6G
  • Carbon steel, stainless and alloy pipe
  • Codes: AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, B31.3, API 1104
  • Blueprint, shop drawing and isometric reading
  • Fit-up and layout
  • Thermal cutting and beveling
  • Weld inspection basics (visual, X-ray results)

Soft skills

  • Stamina on long shifts
  • Steady hands under pressure
  • Following procedures exactly
  • Working with fitters and inspectors

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • AWS Certified Welder: a portable, recognized certification for the process and position you tested on. Give the code and position.
  • ASME Section IX qualifications: usually tested and held through an employer; list the process, position, material and year.
  • TWIC card: required for many ports, refineries and chemical plants under federal maritime security rules.
  • NCCER welding levels: common in Gulf Coast industrial construction and respected by contractors.
  • AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI): the next step for experienced welders who want to move into inspection.

Length and format

One page. Put qualifications in their own section near the top or in the sidebar; supervisors scan for them first. Each job gets two to four bullets on the work, the codes and the quality.

Common mistakes

  • Listing “certified welder” with no process, position or code. It tells a supervisor almost nothing.
  • Claiming 6G or a code you have not tested on. Every site will test you before you strike an arc.
  • Leaving out X-ray or inspection results. If they are good, they are your best selling point.
  • Expired qualifications. Welder qualifications lapse when not used for six months; list current ones, or say when you last tested.
  • A long list of short contract jobs with no pattern. Group turnaround work under one heading with the sites and dates.

Questions and answers

How do I list many short turnaround jobs?

Group them: one entry such as “Pipe Welder, turnaround contracts, 2021 to present” with bullets naming the types of plants, the number of turnarounds and your results. List the contractors in one line if you want.

Should I put AWS certification or employer qualifications?

Both, labeled clearly. An AWS certification is portable; employer qualifications to ASME Section IX show what you have tested on recently. Give process, position, material and year for each.

Do welders need a resume if they test on site?

Yes. The resume gets you the test. Supervisors use it to decide whether a test is worth their time and which one to give you.

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