In our fast-paced ever-changing world, welding instructors are faced with many challenges.  The instructors of Hobart Institute have over 480 years of combined teaching experience and I was interested in learning whether they find it different to teach the X–Generation (born between 1965 and 1980, depending what source is used) and the Y-Generation, also known as Echo Boomers, born in the 1980’s and later.   Our instructors have to deal daily with many differences amongst students such as slow learners, fast learners, attitudes, attention spans, personalities, and learning styles to name just a few.   These characteristics in themselves have not changed but a bigger shift has taken place in today’s Y–Generation students.  Several change agents are responsible for this shift. 

A large percentage of the X–Generation students came from farms where life is somewhat more leisurely paced.  According to the U.S.  Department of Agriculture, more than 25,000 farms go out of business each year.  We see far fewer of today’s students coming from a farming background with its inherent traditional values.

The Y-Generation is growing up in a faster paced world of bustling cities and they have never known a world without cell phones, pagers, answering machines, laptops, instant internet access, remote-controlled TV’s, CD’s, DVD’s, Nintendos, bottled water, fast food and pre-prepared meals, to just mention a few of the differences.  The students we see today are a very diverse group, not unlike the X–Generation but with distinctive characteristics that differentiate the students of today from previous generations.

The Y–Generation student learns better in a fast-paced environment.  It is likely that the influence of the rapidly changing technology and on-the-go lifestyles makes the student of today more readily adaptable.  They also have a strong desire for instant gratification, another notable difference from the X–generation students.  However, this is in conflict with the way our muscle memory development works. 

In the world of welding, part of the learning process consists of memorizing what movements to make with the electrode, based on visual observation of the arc.  What the welder sees with his eyes is input to the brain and the resulting output is what the welder does with his body.  The scientists refer to this process as “sensory-motor” learning, developing a “kinesthetic memory”.  The novice student starts with “seeing-thinking-doing”.  It is our experience that it takes between 25 and 30 times repeating the same movement, in response to arc variables, to be able to consistently repeat the same weld.  Much more experience (arc time) is needed to become a skilled welder who creates a high quality weld by “seeing-doing” only.  When this stage has been achieved the student has developed muscle memory!  He can now concentrate his training on speed, since he has memorized the “thinking” part.

Unfortunately, some Y–Generation students do not have the patience to develop the required muscle memory and would like to take short cuts!  Because of the reasons outlined here, it is not possible to become a skilled welder by using short cuts.  Only supervised practice, as demonstrated through our instructors, trains skilled welders the industry so badly needs.      

The Y–Generation does perform better on written tests.  They are more observant when the instructor talks and comprehend the audiovisuals easier and faster.  Their reading skills frequently exceed those of past generations.  

The Y–Generation works together and interacts better with their counterparts than in the past, when they paired off in small groups.  There is more teamwork today where students communicate easier and share information more readily.  The Y–Generation is more relaxed and often confident beyond their years and some have a hard time recognizing the need to learn.  The Y–Generation tends to make a less pronounced distinction between right and wrong.

In summary we can say that today’s students are as good as or better than the X-Generation students.  One drawback is their desire for “instant gratification” or lack of patience, which makes it more difficult for them to learn to become skilled welders and develop muscle memory!