Welding is important work. Over half of the gross national product is related to welding, making it vital to the American economy. Even though you probably don't notice it, the evidence of welders at work is everywhere. In one way or another, welding touches everything in our daily lives from the coffeepot that wakes us in the morning to the commuter train that takes us home at night. Welders help make vehicles like cars, ships, submarines, and aircraft. They are employed in construction, working with sheet metal in roofs, air ducts, gutters, and vents. They work on huge infrastructure projects, like building and repairing skyscrapers, bridges, dams, refineries, and power plants. They also make tiny things like electronic components. From toasters to space stations, welders are involved in thousands of manufacturing activities.