New York Hunter, i read your post, i don't know how old you are, if you are a young man and can take the long hours and weather you might want to look into the welding, its the hardest of the jobs you are looking at, i am a welder, been welding for the pass 30 years, if you want the easy in side 8 hours a day job go to work for a company or plant welding inside the plant, same thing every day, you get paid a low end wadge for your work, thats ok for a young guy learning the trade, but once you have done that for a while get AWS certified, to make good money you have to go out on the road and work the big construction jobs, but its hard work 7 days a week 12 hours per day or night and yes thats right the jobs run 24 hours, i've welded all night 50 ft. under ground on pipes, and 150 ft., on top of a paper mill in the dark, but thats how you make the big bucks, i could work six-seven months on the road per year then drag off for deer season, now that i have gotten older i don't go on the road jobs, my eyes are burned out, my right arm and shoulder are gone from all the years of laying on my back weilding overhead pipe and steel, my lungs are missed up from all the smoke in my face and hood for all those years. yes you can make alot of money being a welder but it will make a old man out of you before your time.