New to Welding? How to Get Hired, Upskill, and Find Your Niche

Montana Woolley’s welding career has taken her from a first-day beginner in the booth to shop work, inspection, supervision, and now education with CWB Education. In this episode, she shares how following curiosity, showing up ready to learn, and staying open to new opportunities helped her find a career path that keeps evolving. What You’ll Learn ● How Montana went from having zero tool experience to falling in love with welding through a pre-apprenticeship program. ● Why working in smaller fabrication shops gave her experience with a wide variety of projects, processes, and problem-solving. ● What she learned by moving from welding into visual inspection, supervision, and education. ● How CWB Education builds custom training programs around real shop challenges, quality issues, and workforce goals. ● Why inspection can be a strong pathway for welders who are also interested in becoming supervisors. ● How micro-credentials can make welding theory and inspection education more approachable for people working while they upskill. ● Montana’s advice for new welders: look at the jobs available in your area, choose a process to focus on, learn the theory, and introduce yourself to shops in person. ● Why welding is such a versatile trade, from structural work and inspection to custom fabrication, artistic projects, and new technology like laser welding. ● How Montana turns scrap and drop material into garden trellises, metal bugs, dragonflies, and other whimsical welding art. Montana Woolley works with CWB Education, where she oversees custom training programs and public courses. She helps companies identify training needs, build curriculum around specific welding and quality challenges, and create practical education pathways for welders looking to grow into inspection, supervision, and other roles in the industry. Connect With Montana Woolley ● CWB Education: https://www.cwbgroup.org/education ● CWB Group: https://www.cwbgroup.org/ ● For questions about CWB Education training pathways, custom training, or public courses, contact Montana through CWB Education. Download The WELD App iOS: App Storehttps://goweld.link/AppleApp Android: Google Playhttps://goweld.link/Android If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it. #WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #WeldingEducation #CWBGroup #CWBEducation #WeldingInspector #WeldingSupervisor #WeldingTraining #MicroCredentials #MetalArt Collaboration Links Weld https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCM0kHJXSHR1k1wtLuliKmHg/collaboration/UCnqsXS9XPRa6vQvKoDdOkRg CWB https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCVbLbc7goDa6FxauaveyUHA/collaboration/UCnqsXS9XPRa6vQvKoDdOkRg