May 30 is Welder's Day: the history and traditions of the holiday, how to congratulate

Every year on the last Friday of May, Russia celebrates Welder's Day, a professional holiday for industrial specialists, engineers, builders, scientists and teachers working in the field of welding technologies. In 2025, the celebration falls on May 30th. Izvestia tells us how interesting and dangerous the welding profession is and how to congratulate its representatives on the holiday.

Welder's Day — what kind of holiday is celebrated on May 30

The profession of a welder appeared many centuries ago and dates back to the days of the origin of metallurgy. At the same time, the oldest welding patterns date back to the 8th–7th millennium BC, when mankind had just begun to process metal. A very important stage was the development of iron about 3 thousand years ago and the invention of such a welding process as forging welding.

With the discovery of the electric arc discharge, electric welding appeared. This phenomenon was discovered and investigated in 1802 by the Russian physicist and electrical engineer Vasily Petrov. The research was continued by scientists Nikolai Benardos and Nikolai Slavyanov, who, working independently of each other, created a method for connecting metal parts using arc welding. Soon the discovery found practical application. — the metal began to be melted using two carbon electrodes, between which a high temperature was created.

However, arc welding did not provide the necessary strength, as it was used to connect only non-responsible parts of the structure. Welding quality has improved significantly with the advent of a new invention, the coated welding electrode, created by Swedish engineer Oskar Kelberg. In 1928, welding electrodes began to be produced on an industrial scale. They have been produced in our country since the early 1930s.

With the development of technology, thermite, laser, electrobeam, diffusion and gas welding have appeared. Welding operations have become possible not only in industrial facilities, but also in the field, underwater, and even in space. The same methods as riveting and forging are now only in the arsenal of artisans.

Today, welders work in such important fields for the country as metallurgy, energy, mechanical engineering, construction, oil refining, gas production and other sectors of the economy. It is their work that largely determines the strength of structures, including bridges, residential buildings, airplanes and cars.

The welding process itself is fraught with many risks: the danger of electric shock, ultraviolet or infrared radiation, as well as the likelihood of burns when in contact with molten metal. Therefore, the profession is one of the most traumatic.

To celebrate the important work of specialists, the holiday was founded. Welder's Day was first celebrated in the early 1990s. Since then, celebrations have been held annually. The celebration is not officially fixed in the calendar, but it is very popular in the professional community.

Welder's Day in 2025: traditions, how to congratulate

Banquets with tea parties and festive events are organized at enterprises on this day. The most distinguished employees are awarded prizes and diplomas. They do not forget to congratulate veterans of labor, as well as students, graduates and teachers of specialized educational institutions. Friends and relatives of the perpetrators of the celebration join the celebrations.

Congratulations are sent in corporate or private chats in messengers and social networks with wishes of good health, success in work and just a good mood. Sometimes themed souvenirs are chosen as an addition to congratulations.

On Welder's Day, you can give mugs with the inscription "To the best welder" or a personalized engraving, cakes in the form of a welder's mask, chocolate sets of professional tools and metal figurines made of screws, springs and nuts by welding.

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Welder's Day – 2025: interesting facts

The profession of a welder is one of the most sought-after and highly paid. The salary level depends on the category and averages up to 180 thousand rubles. The highest salary is in the oil and gas industry. You can study to become a welder in many colleges and technical schools in the field of "Welding production" or "Manual and partially mechanized welding welder".

Welders have their own professional associations. The first appeared in the 19th century in St. Petersburg and was called the "Russian Association of Electrical Metalworking." Today, the most famous is the National Welding Control Agency (NAKS), the organizer of the annual all—Russian professional skills competition "The Best Welder in Russia."

Monuments to welders have also been erected in a number of cities. They are located in Kaluga, Rostov-on-Don and in the courtyard of the Laboratory of Metal Science of the Siberian Chemical Combine in Seversk.

Welding is often used in decorative, applied and monumental art. For example, the artist Pablo Picasso, the sculptor Vera Mukhina and others used her to create their works. Moreover, if the appearance of rainbow streaks in production refers to serious defects, then in artistic welding it is considered a common decorative technique.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on Metallurgist's Day, which will be celebrated in Russia in the middle of summer.