Even in elementary school Tom Carlyle liked nothing better than taking things apart and putting them back together.

"I was 12 years old and I used to build snow machines and dune buggies with my brother," Tom recalls. "As soon as we could get our hands on mechanical stuff to play with, we were building things."

Today, Tom, 36, is a welding lead hand at Sandvik Mining and Construction Canada Inc., a supplier of drilling, excavation, crushing and screening machinery and equipment for the mining and construction industries.

He pursued all of the various trades in high school, and in Grade 12, participated in a four-month co-op placement at a welding shop in Blind River, near his hometown of Iron Bridge.

By the time he had completed his placement, at the age of 17, Tom had taken his welding tests for all four welding positions - flat, vertical, horizontal and overhead. With all of his welding tickets in hand, he was ready for the job market.

"I had a natural talent for the trade, and I had a good mentor," he says.

Hands-on
"Welding is really more of a hands-on trade. You can attend school, but you really learn the trade by doing it and perfecting it through practice. It takes a few months to get to the point where you'd pass your test to gain a ticket, but some are quicker learners than others."

He worked in Blind River and Sault Ste. Marie for a few years, and then signed on at North American Palladium's Lac des Illes mine north of Thunder Bay. Tom would spend 38 days doing heavy welding, assembling the mine buildings in what he calls a "Lego-type assembly" and then drive home to Iron Bridge for six days off.

It was hard work, but a good fit for a young guy who wanted to earn a lot of money, he says. He typically worked a grueling 360 hours each month, earning $14 an hour.

Today, Tom works steady days, Monday through Friday.

He has been working for Sandvik Mining and Construction for 12 years, including 10 as a lead hand.

In his current position, he supervises a staff of nine welders and is responsible for all maintenance aspects in the shop, including welding, fitting, fabrication and machining, as well as on-site field maintenance. From time to time, he goes underground to do emergency repairs.

Ensuring quality is never sacrificed is sometimes a challenge, as is keeping worker safety at the forefront, he says. Outfitted in safety gear and overalls, welders work with rod temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees Celsius, so a tolerance for heat is a must.

The average wage for a welder is between $18.50 and $20.50 an hour. A trainee can expect to earn between $15 and $16.50 an hour.

Like any other trade, the more you know, the better, and welding is no exception. Some people get into the trade and decide they only want to weld, while others use welding as a steppingstone to other trades.

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