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Become a welder

Welding apprenticeships in Metro Detroit

Structural, pipe and production welding, taught inside several building trades and many plants. Welders earn a median $24.91 an hour in the Detroit metro ($51,810 a year). The Department of Labor lists 14 registered sponsors for the trade in the six counties.

median an hour
$24.91
registered sponsors
14
registered term
3 to 5 years
working here
4,580
How to apply Training centers

The pay ladder

Welders in the Detroit metro

  1. Top of the trade 90th percentile, about $72,840 a year full time $36.42
  2. Senior hand 75th percentile, about $58,660 a year full time $29.33
  3. Journeyworker median, about $49,820 a year full time $24.91
  4. A few years in 25th percentile, about $45,820 a year full time $22.91
  5. Starting out 10th percentile, about $37,500 a year full time $18.75

BLS, May 2025. Apprentices start on their program's own scale and climb toward these rungs.

Wayne Oakland Macomb St. Clair Livingston Lapeer
Numbers match the training centers listed on this page; centers a few miles apart share a number. County lines from the U.S. Census Bureau; center addresses from the Department of Labor's RAPIDS records.

Training centers

Where welders train

1 Troy

2 Wixom

Requirements

What the training centers ask for

County by county

Welding apprenticeships in each county

Registered welding programs by county

  1. Wayne County 7 programs
  2. Oakland County 6 programs
  3. Macomb County 1 program

U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026.

How to apply

How to become a welder apprentice

  1. Check the requirements

    Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.

    Iron Workers Local 25 Training Center requirements

  2. Take the entry test

    ACT WorkKeys within 30 days of applying: a score of 75 or higher in both Applied Math and Graphic Literacy

    How Iron Workers Local 25 Training Center tests

  3. Apply in the window

    Union programs take applications in set windows. Watch the training center's own site and apply early.

    Apply at Iron Workers Local 25 Training Center

  4. Get ready while you wait

    Your Michigan Works! agency helps with test prep, pre-apprenticeship classes and the work boots.

    Find your Michigan Works! agency

  5. Start work, earn raises

    The Department of Labor's registered welder standards run 6,000 to 10,000 hours on the job, 3 to 5 years, with a raise as each period is done.

    Welding apprenticeships

Outlook

Jobs for welders in the next ten years

Michigan expects 13,860 welders by 2034 (down 2.4% from 2024), with about 1,320 openings a year as people retire and move on. Nationally, BLS projects up 2.4% from 2025 to 2035; it lists moderate-term on-the-job training as the usual training.

Sponsors

Registered welding sponsors in Metro Detroit

  • AmeriTi Manufacturing, LLC Detroit Union
  • Cleveland Cliffs - Dearborn Works Dearborn Union
  • Detroit Diesel Detroit Union
  • Ford Motor Co. Lincoln Park Union
  • GM Factory Zero Detroit Union
  • GM Pontiac Manufacturing Pontiac Union
  • NAO Orion Assembly Center CLCD GMC Lake Orion Union
  • Tower Automotive (Plymouth) Plymouth Union
  • FEV North America, Inc. Auburn Hills
  • Hallmark Tool & Gage Co. Inc. Wixom
  • Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board Clinton Township
  • Mopec Madison Heights
Show all 14 sponsors
  • SEMCA / WIN Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan Taylor
  • Sanitary Welding LLC Farmington Hills

Other trades

Compare another trade

Electrical Plumbing and pipefitting HVAC and refrigeration Carpentry Millwrights Roofing Masonry and concrete Tile and terrazzo Painting and finishing Glazing Ironwork Operating engineers Sheet metal Heat and frost insulation Elevator construction Construction laborers Power line work

Keep going

Careers, jobs and training

Questions

What people ask

How much do welders make in Metro Detroit?

The median is $24.91 an hour ($51,810 a year) in the Detroit metro, from $18.75 at the 10th percentile to $36.42 at the 90th (BLS, May 2025).

How long is a welder apprenticeship?

The Department of Labor's registered welder standards run 6,000 to 10,000 hours of on-the-job learning, 3 to 5 years, plus classes.

Where do welders train near Detroit?

Iron Workers Local 25 Training Center (Iron Workers Local 25) in Wixom and Pipefitting Industry Training Center (Pipefitters Local 636) in Troy.

How many welding apprenticeship programs are there?

RAPIDS lists 14 registered sponsors based in the six counties: Wayne County 7, Oakland County 6, and Macomb County 1.

What do I need to apply?

Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.

Sources

Where these numbers come from

  • Programs and sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026. Michigan's registered apprenticeships are kept by the federal Michigan Apprenticeship Office, so RAPIDS is the official list.
  • Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area (Michigan where the metro figure is not published).
  • Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and Michigan's long-term projections 2024 to 2034.
  • Length: the U.S. Department of Labor's approved apprenticeship occupations, in on-the-job hours.