Still Building America—Aaron Zieg talks welding and wages

Aaron Zieg at work.

Twenty-one-year-old Aaron Zieg is a welder/fabricator hoping to build up his future with his welding skills. After listening to Jimmy McKnight and I talk about the welders’ wage gap on episode 53 of the “Arc Junkies” podcast, Aaron introduced himself to me on Instagram. I appreciated his perspective as a younger welder in the industry, especially his honest thoughts on industry pay.

Josh Welton: Could you explain what kind of work you do now? What got you started in your current position?

Aaron Zieg: Currently I work for a sign company in Naples, Fla. I fabricate and weld big signs. My mother works in the office for the company, and after Hurricane Irma they were slammed with work. Their sole fabricator had recently passed away, and they had some trouble finding quality help. So, they brought me down from Ohio.

JW: How did you decide on your career path?

AZ: For as long as I can remember, I was always tinkering around with my grandpa’s welder in his garage, and he kept telling me that I should go to school for it. Later on down the road, the opportunity arose.

JW: Who were your influences, and who has had an impact on your life?

AZ: Both of my grandpas are my biggest influencers; they came from nothing and turned themselves into something. My dad being a perfectionist and passing that on to me has made me much better in my career.

JW: Tell us a little about your background and training.

AZ: Born and raised in Delaware County, Ohio, I grew up raising and showing pigs. I was taught that if you wanted something to go and get it. Showing pigs was a huge life lesson, because if you didn’t work your butt off, it showed at the end of the year at the fair. My sophomore year in FFA, we did a basic stick welding course, and I really enjoyed that. And then I was presented the opportunity to go to Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) for a two-year welding and sheet metal fabrication course my junior and senior years in high school.

JW: What is your favorite thing about welding?

Welds by Aaron Zieg.

AZ: My favorite thing about welding is that when the hood drops, you get so focused on the puddle that nothing else going on in life matters. It’s sort of a stress reliever. And the fact that it is an art; everyone has their own style and ways.

JW: What is the most challenging part of your welding career?

AZ: I think the most challenging part of my career is finding quality, well-paying jobs. Yes, there’s a bunch of low-paying, $14-an-hour jobs out there, but I know my skills are worth more than that.

JW: We actually connected on Instagram after you listened to the “Arc Junkies” podcast (Episode #53), where Jimmy McKnight and I discussed welder pay. You shared a detailed timeline of your pay scale journey since high school. I appreciated your 21-year-old perspective on what’s happening in our industry.

AZ: Yes, I think you and Jimmy were spot-on for a lot of things. You made the comment in the podcast about how companies take these kids right out of school with a clean slate and train them to do whatever the company wants them to do, but then doesn’t want to pay for it once they are fully trained. And then they get pissed when you leave, because you find a job paying way more and you now have that knowledge. Looking back now, I feel like I was taken advantage of by my first employer. They trained me on all of the equipment, but then wanted to pay me dirt money to do the job.

At age 21 I’m currently bringing home about $850 a week, and I’m living life with no bills to pay whatsoever. But looking ahead, I’m thinking, how in the hell am I supposed to support a family making this kind of money? I don’t want a multimillion-dollar house; all I want, when the time comes, is for me and my family not to worry about money, but to live life comfortably. I’ve been employed at several shops where I have worked with older guys who were not making much more than I. They are living paycheck to paycheck, just trying to make ends needs. You think to yourself, how do they do it?

I don’t want to be in their position 30 years from now, needing to make a career switch. I completely understand that it takes time to move up the pay scale, and I know that I have been in the industry only a few years. But everywhere I have been, I’ve learned that these companies’ tap-out pay is very low from where I want to be. Like you guys said in the podcast, do you put your head down and take the risk and hope something will change, or do you start looking for a new career? I am very passionate about what I do, and I love to weld. I’m not the best welder in the world, but I’d say I’m good. I can MIG and TIG with no problems.

I agree something needs to change in this industry. No matter if you are pipe welding or welding in a factory, we all are busting our asses doing something we love. And I wonder if we are all being taken advantage of.

JW: With all of that in mind, what's your goal for your welding career?

AZ: My personal goal for my career is to move up in a quality company and become a lead/manager.

Weld done by Aaron Zieg.

JW: What advice would you give your peers if they wanted to find a similar path? Not even just specifically doing exactly what you do, but in general?

AZ: I think my best advice would be to go out and tour some shops; see the good ones and the bad ones; find out who’s paying well and who’s not. Do your own research. And never become 100 percent satisfied with your work. Always try and find ways to better yourself and your work.

All images courtesy of Aaron Zieg.

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