It's tough. Before I got into the water industry, only had one on the job welding training

apply for a job as a helper or even jist sweeping floor and asking lots of questions. most ironworkers will teach a man who can be and ironworker. we are a breed all are own and if you dont possesss the traits to be an ironworker then id suggest buying tools fabricators use and reading lots of straight edge and advanced straight edge development. plenty of good welding videos by mr tig jody @ welding tips and tricks and theres this older fella who does pipe and other stuff. learning pipe layout isnt hard. fuck the math learn it by sight. clearly youll need a tape measurer to get measurement located but basic math is all thats needed in most cases. making a cap with a piece of pipe is cake. 1"-3" use 4 triangles and fold them on itself and weld up, 4"-7" use 6 triangles, and as you got up it will take more triangles.lots of videos show how to make notches in tubing to bend on itself wil out using angle cuts and thats gay. use 45 degree angles for fast 90 degree angles. i like to make sweeping 90's which means i use multiple piece to make a sweeping 90 angle jist looks clean but in most case you will those only in pipe where needed. lotos makes decent stick tig welder combos that do dc and ac polarity for $500 go that route learn and if ya make it move up to lincoln for stick and ya go lincoln for tig i recommend a ideal arc 450 they do smaw,gmaw,fcaw,gtaw, subarc and carbon arc.

Colorado