I thought learning welding in Ansan would solve my job hunt

Spending weeks in Ansan just to hold a torch

I remember staring at the Ansan welding academy brochures, thinking this was the definitive pivot. I was tired of applying to office jobs that never replied, and the idea of actual, physical skill felt like a solid plan. I spent about 2.5 million won on a comprehensive course that lasted roughly three months. It wasn’t cheap, especially for someone between jobs. The instructor kept talking about how gas welding was a dying art but still essential for specific industrial projects. I spent most of those afternoons squinting through a mask, feeling like my eyes were constantly irritated despite the safety gear.

The reality of the job market compared to the classroom

Inside the facility, everything felt controlled. You have your welding jig, you have your practice metal, and you follow the lines. But stepping out into the actual industry was a massive shock. I visited a few smaller fabrication shops around the industrial complex, and they didn’t really care about the certificates I’d just earned. They wanted to see if I could work under pressure or handle the specific equipment they already had on-site. One owner told me flat out that I was ‘too slow’ for their production line, which made the whole three-month effort feel like a bit of a waste.

Using ChatGPT to rewrite my resume felt strange

After getting rejected by a few places, I tried to get ‘smart’ about it. I spent a whole evening using ChatGPT to rewrite my resume, trying to make my brief time at the welding academy sound like some masterclass in technical precision. It felt weirdly hollow. I was using AI to describe manual labor that I hadn’t even mastered yet. It didn’t lead to more interviews, honestly. The recruiters seem to prefer the standard format anyway, and my attempt at being modern just made me feel like I was hiding the fact that I was just desperate for any stable paycheck.

Wondering if I should have just taken short-term gigs

There are times when I look at the pile of safety gear in my hallway and wonder if I should have just stuck to short-term temp jobs instead of chasing a ‘career skill.’ At least with temp work, the pay is immediate, even if it’s not fulfilling. Now I’m sitting here with a certification that feels slightly irrelevant to the actual hiring managers I talk to. I don’t know if I want to keep pursuing the welding path or if I’m just trying to justify the money I already spent. It’s an uncomfortable feeling, not having a clear next step while the money from my savings keeps dropping every month.

Looking for meaning in a sea of job postings

I catch myself scrolling through employment sites late at night, often clicking on things that have nothing to do with welding anymore. I see these programs like the ‘Cheong-eoram’ initiative or university career center events, and they talk about personality types and image making. It feels so far removed from the dust and sparks of the workshop. Maybe I’m just looking for a sign, or maybe I’m just stalling. It’s odd how much effort I put into planning, and yet, here I am, still just refreshing a browser window waiting for someone to email me back.