Also called: QA Inspector (Shipyard)
Checks welds, pipes, and parts in a shipyard to make sure they meet the design.
Inspectors measure parts, check welds with ultrasound or dye, and sign off work before it is closed up inside a hull.
High school diploma, about 1 year after high school. High school diploma; welding inspection (CWI) or NDT certifications help.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Welding Inspection (certificate), Nondestructive Testing (trade school).
Shrinking (about -3% over 10 years).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Machine vision and drones speed some checks; crawling tight hull spaces and signing off welds stays human.
Classes: Welding CTE class, Geometry, Physics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9061.
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