Question for welders /fabbers

I have been in the weld/ fab business for 15 years. I am now a supervisor.. When I hire a welder,I dont ask for certifications at all. I give them a standard weld test, they Set the machine themselves, they set there gas flow. Their weld has to be good, structurally and cosmetically. They need to be able to read and comprehend blueprints, as far as weld symbols, weld size, weld length. If they pass all the requirements to weld in our shop, and I see some potential after talking with them for a little while. I will hire them on at $12.50 an hour, the pay will increase depending on production, and quality of their parts. They will max out at $16.00 an hour. Now keep in mind they are not fabricating from scratch on off pieces. These are production welders, with weld fixtures, and sometimes a robot does the welding. All they do is assemble a part, hold the right tolerances (using a fixture) , and weld it to the blueprint. That is usually the going rate around this area.