I wanted to take some time and tell you what a large impact that Duane [McLaughlin] had on me. About five years ago, Duane came to the company that I worked for to teach and consult with all the welders. I learned more in four days than I've learned in 10 years. He made such an impact on my life. He made me feel important about myself. He taught in a manner that anybody could understand, but it would take most teachers years to accomplish what he accomplished in several days. I recently read the summer edition of The World Of Welding, and the article on Duane was most fitting . Recently, I started a new job and things just aren't going too well. I've been a welder for 15 years and teach welding part-time, but lately I find myself struggling severely. Reading the article on Duane made me truly remember what he taught me and how important the welding industry is. It also reminded me what an impact we can make on others. I always thought I might see Mac again, but hey I'm convinced God needs welders, too. And he needs the best. Duane Mclaughlin will truly be missed.                              ~ Howard S. Trammell , Texas

Phil Pratt's article in the summer 2002 issue is right on target. All of us "old timers" need to spark the younger generation with our enthusiasm for the welding field.

The first place to start is with the high schools. We need to target both the counselors and the welding instructors.  Sadly, many of the instructors are only lukewarm on welding, because of many years of students with low motivation.  It appears that the underachieving students end up in welding classes, because those classes are viewed as a "dumping ground".  A strong Skills USA program with competition between high schools (similar to sports competition) would go a long way in improving the visibility of the trade.

Our local high school recently won the top three places in the state VICA competition. Was there any publicity? Nope! When trades and job skills get the same emphasis as sports, then we will have really accomplished something.

High school and vo-tech instructors should also be working at the "trade" during summer months. The experience will enable them to use more real world applications in the courses they teach. How many of our instructors across the country can actually pass a 6G pipe test? The ones that can should be commended, and the ones that can't should be encouraged. Unless the instructor has really worked in the trade, the true spirit of welding cannot be passed on to the student.

AFL/CIO Project Challenge is another program that should be expanded. I have been cross-training many men and women from fields on the decline into the welding trades. The boilermakers have picked up many of my older students because of their good work habits. Many welding jobs are also available in the plant maintenance field. Most of the men I upgrade and test are all 40+ years. It is quite a rarity to find younger welders in these plants. Until we can get the younger generation away from the video games and out into the shop, we will continue to have this problem.

Are my kids following the "trade"? The answer is yes. My son passed his first x-ray plate test at 14, and my daughter is testing today for SMAW on the 3/8" plate test at the age of 17.  They also help out with radiography of both pipe and plate tests. Do their peers show any interest in the field?  Sadly, no.

I work with the ironworkers, boilermakers, and pipefitters unions here, and they are all saying the same thing, “We can’t find enough qualified craftsmen.”  [Some] are bringing in men from Canada just to man the outages.

If this country does not wake up, we can add "welder (made in Mexico)" to the list of overseas products we are importing.                                                                                                                                 ~ Paul O’Leary, Montana

EDITORIAL COMMENT: If students in your local or vocational schools have placed high in state level SkillsUSA competition, let me know.  We may not be able to print them all… but will certainly give consideration as space permits.  Instructors or their school publicity offices need to play an active role in dispatching the information to the news media, both before and after the competitions.     
 

As a certified pipe welder of more than 20 years, I’m glad to see “The World of Welding.”  I think it is informative and accents the positive side of welding.  It is true that knowledge is power.                      ~ Stephen Crecraft, Florida

I was the person that you wrote an article about last year titled “Welding experiences in Nigeria” and when the journals came everybody here wanted to have a copy. I would like to say that I’m truly grateful to you for publishing my article. I have finished college and each job interview I went for, I went with my journal and showed the interviewers my article and you know what?  After the interview results, I got the job.

I am presently working with an American company as a QA/QC Inspector. Since I got employed I have handled jobs like Riser Pipe fabrications, platform/jacket construction, welder’s qualification tests for 5G, 6G and 6GR and presently working on lay barge maintenance that would be classified to ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) classification.  My plans for further education and establishing my own company have not changed. But I think I would like to go into consultancy in the future.

My colleague told me: Derek since you are a good welder it would be better for you to set up a training center. He had run into a lot of youngsters that wanted to become welders, but they did not know where to go to get the training, because back here, there is really no place to get the quality training one needs to make it through the Welders Qualification Tests in the oil and gas industry (where the nation’s jobs are). In the past, companies had their own  training schools and the welders they trained would soon retire from the profession.

I would like my consultancy to have Training, Inspection, and Safety to start with. That is where Hobart comes to play. I am seriously planning to attend Hobart next year during my vacation for their technical training and training on gas tungsten arc welding. In fact, I see GTAW as being marketable in the future as companies are planning to use a lot of stainless steel, duplex steels, etc.  Here in Nigeria - West Africa -  the manpower is very low.  A lot of projects now include gas pipelines, gas plants, refineries, etc.  In the future: a West Africa gas pipeline, gas pipelines to Europe etc. I know I am in the right profession at the right time.                    ~ Derek C. Isu, West Africa