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LISTEN
TO THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
By
Marty Rice
Welding Instructor
Dale Jackson Career Center
Lewisville, Texas
Iron
Workers Local #263
Here’s
some advice for all of you getting ready to hit the welding
field. You can take
it or leave it, but the advice I’m giving is tried and true.
Some of it I learned from “old timers”, some of it I
learned myself, the hard way!
The
more articulate you are, the more you can express yourself
clearly and effectively, the better you are going to have it.
The way you learn to be articulate is by educating
yourself. Not just
in school, but through reading, watching the news for current
events, and learning from those who’ve gone before you.
No
matter what you are doing, do it with confidence.
Confidence is half of the battle. People respect people
who are confident.
Do
not confuse confidence with cockiness!
Being cocky is bad enough when anyone does it, but
becomes much worse from someone who is new at what they are
doing. I gotta’
tell you there ain’t much worse than some new welder acting
like they “know it all!”
Don’t
think that just because you ran perfect plate tests and had
great grades in class that you are an A#1 welder.
Now don’t get me wrong!
It’s OUTSTANDING if you did great in school.
But I’m telling you now that there’s going to be a
lot of old hands out there who could care less how you did in
school. All they
care about is how you’re going to do on the job.
I’ve
been welding 25 years and have a couple of degrees.
That’s all well and good.
But it don’t mean “nothin’” on the job until
I’ve proven myself. Welding
is the most demanding trade there is when it comes to proving
oneself. You may be
a nuclear certified welder when you go to work on a powerhouse.
They will look at your papers and say, “That’s nice,
now go take the test.” After
you pass the test, then you have to pass the test of being a
good hand. You must
prove yourself on every job.
Once you do, your reputation will begin to grow, and the
more accepted you’ll become by the older hands.
It
is a whole different ball game out in the shop and field. There are a million and one different situations you’ll
find yourselves in on different jobs.
That’s one thing I love about the field… the
diversity in jobs. On
the “big job” you’ll find yourself doing something
different almost everyday.
Any
advice given in the field of welding should include the quote
from the late and great Duane McLaughlin, “Your weld is your
signature!”
If
there’s no work, pack your suitcase!
Max
out your retirement options and save 10% for “rainy days.”
You can save $3000 yearly on your own in an IRA
(individual retirement account).
That’s only a little over $8 bucks a day.
At 7%, which isn’t hard to get, you’ll have around
$123,000 in 20 years. 20
years will go by faster than you know!
Always
give a hundred percent. In
the Iron Workers Union we give “8 hours work, for 8 hours
pay.” If you work
hard you will not only be successful, but you will feel good
about yourself!
Finally,
BE SAFE. If it
doesn’t feel safe…don’t do it!
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