Making National Welding Month Count

By Jennifer Dallos on on April 5, 2017

Reprinted with permission: The Welding Journal Eight ideas for celebrating welding this April The month of April heralds blossoming flowers, outdoor picnics, Easter bunnies, and National Welding Month. The annual designation is celebrated every April and is officially listed in the National Day Calendar, nationaldaycalendar.com. The nationwide emphasis placed on welding this month is meant to encourage us to reflect on the contributions welders have made to our society, as well as inform others about the many opportunities offered by this profession. “April is the time when we recognize how high and how far welding can take you,” said 2014 Past President Dean Wilson. To honor National Welding Month, think about the vital role welding plays in our everyday lives from the planes that safely jet us from one country to the other, to the electrical devices that make modern conveniences possible. Celebrate yourselves, a special welder in your life, and the prosperous future of the industry. Additionally, reflect on what you can do to contribute to the field’s continued growth. Need some ideas on how to honor and celebrate welding? Below are eight things you can do to make National Welding Month count.

Mentor Industry Newcomers

The most successful people can usually look back at the early start of their career and recall a person who provided guidance and support as they moved up in the industry. Whether it was a boss, a colleague, or an experienced industry leader, having someone to seek advice and tips from can be invaluable.

AWS President John Bray speaks to students at HOUSTEX Mfg. in Houston, Tex. The event was held February 28–March 2, and featured hundreds of exhibitors highlighting the latest manufacturing technologies and solutions.

American Welding Society (AWS) President John Bray is currently traveling the country speaking to AWS Sections and the welding industry about the benefits of mentoring. “For myself, it’s very important to always consider reaching back and helping someone whether it be with knowledge or encouragment,” said Bray. “I believe we can make such a great impact on someone’s future just by taking the time to share and listen. It has amazed me that sometimes the smallest amount of knowledge that someone has can make such a large impact on a person’s life. If we can all just mentor one person and stay with them, think how much we would grow the welding family worldwide.” Becoming a mentor can be just as rewarding for the mentor as it is for the mentee. This month, pledge to honor National Welding Month by introducing a student to the amazing opportunities available in the welding industry, or reach out to your company’s human resources department and find out how you can help coach an industry newcomer.

Help Boy Scouts Earn a Welding Merit Badge

In 2012, the Boy Scouts of America launched a welding merit badge, which Scouts can earn by learning about welding fundamentals. Since its inception, more than 26,000 boys have earned the badge in part thanks to companies, learning institutions, and AWS Sections that have hosted clinics. Recently, the AWS Blackhawk Section, in conjunction with Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill., hosted its third annual event to help local troops earn their badges. “We started with a safety program on Friday night at a Boy Scouts of America Center,” said Ryan Forsell, a sales representative at Superior Joining Technologies, Inc., and a Blackhawk Section member who helped organize the event. “Saturday was the fun part where the Scouts learned shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, and oxyfuel processes at Rock Valley College. The final event was welding together plasma-cut eagle templates that were donated by the Blackhawk Section. The Section also donated welding gloves for each participant.” If you’re a welding professional interested in helping Scouts earn the welding badge, or part of a Section that is thinking about how to get involved with your local Scout troop, you can find more information on volunteering with the Boy Scouts at scouting.org/volunteer.aspx.

Inspire the Future

It’s not just current welding students who need to learn about opportunties available in the industry. Sign up to talk about welding during your local school’s career day and share your passion and experience with young students who are just starting to explore different career options.

Ask Congress to Promote Skilled Trades

In 2011, Mike Rowe from the hit television show Dirty Jobs spoke to the U.S. Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to encourage the government to promote skilled trades as a viable profession. “Right now, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions…and there’s 450,000 openings today in trades, transportation, and utility,” he said. However, the skills gap has continued to grow. In February 2017, Rowe stood in front of Congress to convince the government to strengthen career technical education programs and support vocational schools. In celebration of National Welding Month, lend your voice to the chorus of industry leaders who have expressed their concern regarding the shortage of skilled workers and lack of vocational training by contacting your elected federal, state, and local leaders. For more information, visit usa.gov/elected-officials.

Visit Your Local AWS Section

One of the best ways to celebrate National Welding Month is with your peers. AWS has more than 250 Sections and student chapters throughout the country. Section members and guests attending April Section meetings will get the chance to watch a national AWS presentation that provides an in-depth look at AWS headquarters. Sections will also be receiving a kit that includes jobs in welding information, member networking benefits, a list of available scholarships, and tips on how to contact state and local representatives to request an official proclamation of April as National Welding Month. Tom Reynolds, chair of AWS’s Acadiana Section in Lafayette, La., said his Section will celebrate National Welding Month by seeing the industry at work. Members will be taking a plant tour of the Frank’s International facility in New Iberia, La. The global oil services company will then partner with the Lincoln Electric Co. to sponsor an evening presentation for Section members.

Join an Online Welding Community

At its core, National Welding Month is about education — informing people about the industry and getting them involved. This can be done in person or via social media. Joining an online social network centered on welding can allow you to contribute your unique expertise, enhance your existing knowledge, increase your professional marketability, share ideas/concerns, and display images/videos that showcase your distinct skills. Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, and Pinterest are some of the most popular websites offering access to the largest communities of welders. For example, typing “welding” on Reddit’s search engine will lead you to thousands of posts on the topic, as well as dozens of online groups you can join. Not sure what social media groups to be a part of? Visit AWS on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. If you’re an AWS member, you can also join the AWS Member Network, which allows 72,000-plus members to connect with each other and the organization. This cloud-based community platform aims to create a culture of connection between AWS’s large and highly diverse members. “The AWS Member Network was designed with our growing membership in mind,” said Cassie Burrell, AWS senior associate executive director. “The platform is a place for members to engage, network, and access member-only content 24 hours a day.” If you already have access to a social media platform, try being more active this month. For example, you can post questions or concerns and see what others have to say about it, or you can contribute to the existing pool of ideas by responding to others. However, it’s crucial to stress that social media websites can be public, which means future employers can access your posts, so make sure your online persona is a professional one.

Donate to Charity

One of the biggest hindrances to education is money. By contributing to a nonprofit charitable organization, you can help eliminate that barrier for a future welder. There are several organizations you can donate to that provide would-be welders the opportunity to go to school and develop skills that are critical to the industry. One such organization is the AWS Foundation — the society’s charitable arm, which works to ensure the continued growth of the welding industry through the funding of research and educational opportunities. According to Vicki Pinsky, associate director of scholarships, the AWS Foundation awarded $892,000 to scholarship recipients and graduate research fellowship recipients last year. Over the last five years, the organization has received an average of $1.1 million from donors. This number does not include voluntary staff pledges, which amounted to more than $17,000 for 2017. “Donating to any organization is a personal choice. Many donors to the AWS Foundation are people who have had successful careers in the industry, or companies who have successful welding-related businesses, and wish to give back,” explained Pinsky. Donating to a charitable organization can also help close the skills gap and ensure future welders develop the skills they need to be marketable in an increasingly competitive job market. “AWS Sections fund scholarships as a way to increase the number of qualified welding personnel in their area. AWS and the AWS Foundation have established efforts to resolve the shortage of welding personnel, and part of this effort includes welding-related scholarships,” said Pinsky.

Make Your Employees Feel Appreciated

If you want your employees to stick around for the long haul, it’s essential to create an environment where they feel valued and indispensible. There are several inexpensive, but highly impactful, things you can do to make your hardworking welders feel appreciated this month. Some of these include planning a company event, such as an outing or a luncheon, offering gifts, and providing behavior-specific praise. Another option is creating an employee of the month/year program, where one employee is spotlighted and commended for his or her exceptional work. Although this seems like a simple gesture, Forbes magazine asserts that its impact on employees is monumental. “The surprise was how common it is for employees to say the most memorable recognition they’ve received is being named Employee of the Month,” said Rodd Wagner, a New York Times bestselling author (Ref. 1). Conclusion However you choose to celebrate National Welding Month, make sure you recognize and honor the achivements of the industry and the opportunities to come.

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