Holding down a job in the industrial field isn't always easy.  With mass layoffs, and and the specter of automation looming over pretty much any specific job type - it's no wonder that many who make a living industrially decide to cross-train in a few different disciplines in order to prepare themselves for the worst.  If I am describing you, you might want to look into a welding certification.

According to Northwest Louisiana Technical College welding instructor Harris Williams, the Ark-La-Tex is shy about a quarter of a million qualified, trained, and certified welders right now.  Williams told KTBS that the total cost for someone to get trained and certified as a welder is somewhere between $1800 and $2500.  Upon completion of the training, new welding hires can not only find work across the world with their new skill, but they can expect to earn a starting wage somewhere between $18 and $45 per hour!

Find out more about Northwest Louisiana Technical College's welding program here.

More From Highway 98.9