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Job Description

Overview

Optimas is seeking motivated individuals for a 2-Year Cold Header Operator Apprenticeship Program in Wood Dale, IL. This paid, hands-on training opportunity aims to develop the skills necessary for a career as a Cold Header Operator, with no previous experience required.

Responsibilities

  • Learn to safely set up and operate cold heading machines.
  • Inspect incoming wire, materials, and finished products to ensure quality standards are met.
  • Use measuring equipment to verify product dimensions.
  • Follow work instructions, safety procedures, and production requirements.
  • Complete quality and production documentation.
  • Assist with routine maintenance and troubleshooting.
  • Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work area.
  • Participate in all required apprenticeship training.
  • Work effectively with trainers, supervisors, and team members.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or GED required.
  • Strong mechanical aptitude and willingness to learn.
  • Interest in manufacturing, machining, or mechanical systems.
  • Ability to perform basic math and read measurements.
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
  • Basic computer skills.
  • Reliable attendance and strong work ethic.
  • Ability to work safely in a manufacturing environment.
  • Previous manufacturing experience is preferred but not required.

Additional Information

  • Year 1 pay is $22.00/hour and Year 2 pay is $24.00/hour.
  • Successful completion of the program may lead to a Cold Header Operator position.
  • Apprentices may earn industry-recognized apprenticeship credentials.
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How this job compares in Wood Dale, IL

Pay in context

At roughly $23/hr, this posting comes in about 28% below the $32/hr median for welding jobs across Illinois, where the middle half runs $27–$43/hr across 251 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 10% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Wood Dale, IL

Wood Dale, IL is a small market in our index: 2 other active welding openings alongside this one, from 2 employers. Across Illinois as a whole we're tracking 342 other active welding openings from 206 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across Illinois.

The most active employers in Illinois at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Gerber Collision & Glass (16), S&C Electric Company (10), and Crash Champions (9). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Illinois, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Chicago at $38/hr, Downers Grove at $36/hr, and Elk Grove Village at $34/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Wood Dale, IL

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. 1st Shift Cold Header Operator Apprentice figures were last recalculated when this page was built.