CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coastal Bend undoubtedly continues to see significant industry growth, with job opportunities -- especially in the welding field – currently in high demand.
A simple online search turns up dozens of available jobs: So many that companies are known to get into bidding wars over potential employees.
"When you are out interviewing with companies, they like to ask the question, ‘Have you interviewed anywhere else? What did they offer?" said welder Nicholas Wilson.
The demand is so great that instructors at Del Mar College’s Windward Campus said they often have employers calling and asking about students who are about to enter the workforce.
Frank Zepeda is focused on his future.
The 18-year-old started classes in Del Mar College's Welding Applied Technology program when he was just a junior in high school.
"Found a job pretty fast for my first 1-2 weeks out of high school, and just started a new job today," he said.
He works by day, and at night, he's right back at the college's Workforce Development Center striving to earn his next level of certifications.
"As they move up in the ranks, becoming a pipe welder or intro to TIG (welding), it can be easy $30,000-$35,000 range, and being a combo TIG welder can be $50,000-$60,000 range," said welding associate professor Sam Garcia.
"In this industry, you are chasing job after job. You) want to do what’s best for you and your family," said Zepeda.
Luckily, Garcia said, jobs are plentiful.
"There are bidding wars on just getting the job itself,” he said. “Once they are issued the job, they are looking for welders."
Garcia is helping train a new crop of welders, getting them up-to-date with industry standards.
"That is how they get hired,” he said. “They have to be AWS industry standard welders, and if they feel comfortable passing that test, they can usually find a job pretty fast."
Currently there are close to 700 students enrolled in the program -- both traditional college students and high school students getting dual credits.
"We can start them early as soon as juniors,” he said. “And can graduate in a Level 1, putting them in a starting position."
The 22-year-old Wilson also working on his welding skills after seeing the need in the industry.
"Currently I’m working as a welder here in Corpus and I know where I'm working at, we probably need about 15 more guys," he said.