The Wall Street Journal ran a good story recently on how the aging workforce and retiring baby-boomers are impacting the welding industry. The average age of a welder in this country is 54 and climbing rapidly. In the last 6 years, the number of welders has dropped 10% to 576,000 people and the American Welding Society predicts that by 2010, the demand for welders will outstrip supply by 200,000 workers. In response, companies are having to recruit far more aggressively – wages are rising, as are the perks that companies are throwing into their offers to candidates. Some companies are handing out bonuses to welders who simply show up for work on time (the median weekly earnings for the industry has risen 17% between 2000 and 2004). Others are offering relocation assistance, attractive benefits packages, and education subsidies. Companies have also been forced to recruit outside of their immediate geography to find experienced welders and meet growing demand.
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