Welding may be your career or just a fun hobby, either way skills this useful are in need all over – especially in not-for-profit causes. Throughout the year many welders have invested their skills and even money to promote welding and help others. If you have the time, patience, and interest, here are three ways to weld for a cause:
Donate Equipment
We don’t all have 195 welding helmets to distribute like Airgas, but this option is a pretty easy one to try. Many welders have extra helmets, welding tools, and even welders that they no longer use. Why not donate them to a local welding school, or sell the items and donate the money to starting or enhancing a welding program.
Donate Time
In a Fact or Fiction post earlier this year, 10% of respondents to a WeldingJobs.com poll felt there is a lack of educators in the welding field. Seasoned welders will be doing justice to newbie welders, their community, the industry, and themselves if they take the time to train others in the craft of welding. You could hold your own seminar for interested youths or adults interested in the field, or take it a step further and apply to teach a course at a local school (depending on the school, you may need teaching certification).
Donate Money
This option is always appreciated and always needed, no matter the cause. Though there is somewhat of an explosion of welding programs popping up around the country, there are still many programs that are struggling. Some of them need equipment and some of them, because of lack of advertising funds, lack even students to teach. Any money you offer will be put to good use, and usually donated money is a tax write-off.
Have you used your skills in any charitable work? What other ideas do you know of for helping those in need of welding skills?