Thinking of becoming a welder

So I've got a back-up plan in case my plan for getting to work for somewhere in the game design/art department doesn't pan out.

I wanted something that I could still utilize towards making art... and I really enjoyed metalsmithing class. So why not learn industrial welding? I could easily turn that around down the road of my life to use it for metal sculptures.

I've heard most non-certified welders make around $15/hour and most certified welders (who are specialist trained and able to keep passing the exams to keep their certs) can make up to $80k a year with benefits and pension because businesses are starting to have to go to foreign countries to get certified welders and machinists... young people these days just simply aren't learning those trades at all in the US.

Then of course there's wet and dry underwater welding which pays an obscene amount ($120k a year is considered an entry salary). I could probably do that for 5 years and have enough to start up my 10 year goal plan of a studio 5 years earlier... and have plenty to spare to take care of my family. It's dangerous but at the same time I was looking at some videos by underwater welders who were saying that most of that is hype and it's just as dangerous as any other job really... you just have to be able to focus on the job with tons of things going on around you regarding the ocean (unless it's dry underwater welding then you just have to be content to be stuck in a pressurized habitat for several days/weeks while you get the job done).

My only problem is, I can't see a downside... which means it might not be a good idea because everything has a downside.

Anyone done industrial welding before?