Welding students at Grayson College have found a way to use their welding guns to make their communities stronger. Over the past year several student welders have been working with their instructor to create works of art that are then auctioned off at charity fundraisers. They have raised thousands of dollars through this initiative, while also providing the welding training they need for their future careers.
That’s not the only good news in the welding world. Welding jobs and opportunities continue to grow.
Welding Industry
GE CEO Jeff Immelt Leads Re-shoring Movement Among Manufacturers:
“Manufacturing in the US is key to jobs, to growth, to innovation and prosperity. In a rare show of collaborative bipartisanship, leaders from both political parties urged action on key areas of education, training, immigration, investment and taxes to facilitate the change.”
Hundreds of Firms Will Benefit from Midwest High Speed Rail: “The report released Friday by the Chicago-based Environmental Law & Policy Center found that 460 manufacturers in seven Midwest states are poised to reap new business, along with a dozen more highly visible companies that make rail cars and locomotives. Those additional supply-chain manufacturers make everything from seats, couplers and bolts to ceiling panels, interior lighting and air horns. They also cut sheet metal, provide electronics and communications equipment, and supply track maintenance machinery.”
Welding Education
International Training Center Expands in Las Vegas: “A tank for underwater welding. Industrial robots. A pair of 35-ton overhead cranes. Those are some of the pieces of equipment planned for an upgraded carpenters union training center in Las Vegas.”
Community College Doubles Welding Training Space: “‘This expansion was necessary because we did not have the ability to do heavy plate welding in our current lab and there has been a considerable demand for welders from employers in our area,’ said Mike Shiels, dean of WCTC’s School of Applied Technologies, in a prepared statement. ‘We needed to expand capacity to graduate more students from our welding programs and deliver more short-term training programs.’”
Haney Technical College Hosts Welding Competition: “Haney Technical Center is hosting a region-wide welding event in the Skills USA competition. There is high school and post secondary division to compete in three categories, which include, basic welding, welding fabrication, and welding sculpture. The competition is region-wide with schools from Quincy all the way to Pensacola.”
Welding Jobs
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Prepares for Welding Job Growth: “Walker wants to invest $100 million to prepare the state workforce for jobs in high demand, such as welding and nursing. Some of the money would be earmarked for improved tracking job of openings, while increasing amounts of state aid to technical schools and universities would be tied to them providing the graduates businesses need.”
Women Hold Their Own As Welding Opportunities Grow: “Many women… have had to discover new careers after becoming dislocated workers during the recession. And, unlike when they entered the workforce, vocational careers are viable. ‘Now they’re looking at high tech, high paying jobs,’ says Dave Deal, Department Chair for Industry and Skilled Trades at Aiken Technical College. ‘Technical jobs are very attractive, and now they’re asking themselves, Why not?’”
Welding Events
AWS Shipbuilding Conference: Wyndham Riverfront New Orleans, LA February 26–27, 2013.
Weld Cracking Conference: Las Vegas, NV. March 26-27,
2013
Welding Gone Wrong
Trailer Catches on Fire Due to Welding Sparks: “The owners were reinforcing parts of the trailer by welding metal braces to the outside, when the heat from the welding passed through and into the material inside, igniting it, and filling the trailer with smoke. Chief Robert Stoker, St. George Fire Department, estimates the loss to be around $15,000 to $20,000, and possibly totaled.”
Piece of Machinery Kills Miner in Welding Accident: “52-year-old Jerry Watts was welding on the liner of a bulldozer blade when a jack slipped and Watts was struck in the head by the liner."
