In response to the shortage of skilled welders placing a strain on businesses across the nation, the American Welding Society (AWS) Local District 10, which covers parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania is teaming up with local businesses, unions and high school educators to propose a Welding Advisory Council (Council). The Council would be a direct responder to local welding-related issues.
Three main functions of the Council would include, enhancing and generating new welding programs across the area, connecting local businesses and unions with educators to combat shortages, and increase recruitment levels and reinforce welding standards and certification. They would also help implement and provide support to many advisory committees within high school and vocational programs, which usually include an AWS Section member, welding instructor, administrator and representatives from local manufacturing companies and trade unions.
“There is a major gap in communication between our local high school level welding schools and businesses,” said AWS District 10 Director, Richard Harris. “Our welding schools thrive from donations received from area businesses, which may supply anything from metals and other materials to welding machinery and attire. These types of donations increase the vitality of our welding educational programs, resulting in a cleaner and more organized classroom setting and higher quality graduates. However, due to this gap, it is not uncommon for a welding teacher to be forced to shut down a program or teach limited skills due to lack of funding and materials. When that happens, fewer quality welders are available for hire and businesses become strapped. Our proposed Welding Advisory Council could strengthen the partnership between businesses and schools so that these welding programs can thrive.”
Recruitment of young people into the welding industry is said to be a main problem currently facing the industry and its instructors. AWS estimates nearly half of the skilled welder workforce is approaching retirement, leaving North America to cope with a shortage of more than 200,000 skilled welders by 2010. The number of welders employed in the United States has declined about 10%, from 594,000 in 2000 to 576,000 in 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
“One of the welding industry's biggest challenges today is attracting young talent, which is attributable in large part to its tarnished image,” said Dennis Klingman, AWS Education Committee Chairman. “Many people still associate welding with black and white photos of tired welders covered in scuff marks and dressed in soiled clothing. But the welding industry has undergone dramatic changes with the advancement of technology, and is no longer confined to the dark and dirty setting reminiscent of last century's industrial era. Despite this, the image problem continues to exist and parents, instructors and counselors have been hesitant to introduce students to the industry. The fact is welding can lead to a multitude of lucrative and exciting career paths, including inspection, engineering or sales. It is our hope that by forming this Council, we may be able to shift current mindsets by opening the communication between businesses, parents and instructors.”
For more information please visit the AWS website.
SOURCE American Welding Society
Nicole Camiola
New Equipment Digest
Online Content Editor