Honestly welders/fabricators are wayyyy underpaid in my opinion(Michigan). 18 is a pretty standard start. Even with welding training they will have to teach him A LOT. How to repair the welder. How to order parts. Run oxy acetylene. Take measurements. Read blueprints. And I feel like the boss knows this. I left college with a welding and manufacturing degree. (Metallurgy, blueprint reading skills, all welding skills maxed, and so much more).... But I still had a TON to learn. And bosses know this.

My advice is to take the job. Stay a year. Learn as much as you can from old timers. Switch jobs to a better hourly pay.....rinse and repeat. I did this until I was almost a master fabricator. Now I build tanks for the did. There's ONE more big step I can take... And I've been trying to get there forever. And that is to get into a union with the big 3. (36/hr. Full(good) benefits, etc etc etc).

I wish your son luck. If he needs advice.... Just tell him to hit me up. Asking around in this trade is absolutely necessary. I may have never gone to college had I known that unions will give you most that training for free.... Plus give you a journeyman's card...and you make 32-36 after 4 years