AS I SEE IT 

25,000 more to go…

by Andre Odermatt

The AWS Foundation advises in the January 2004 Welding Journal that each year 25,000 students start their welding career.  But to fill the industry need, twice as many are needed.  The lack of interest for young people to start a career in welding is often blamed to the poor image welding has. Efforts have been made to improve the image of welding but I am afraid many of these efforts have not been focused on the root cause of the problem.

As I mentioned in the The World of Welding (Spring 2004, page 23) the law of supply and demand also applies to welding skills. Those companies who use welding must realize that without this key manufacturing process they could not exist, since they would have no competitive product to sell. A skilled welder is a professional, should be treated with high respect, paid well and should be provided with the best equipment in the best possible work environment.

Practical Welding Today features a “Reader’s Forum” and in the January/February 2004 issue (v.8, no. 1, pg. 8) is a letter from a welder which I think describes the problem well: 

A professional welder with certifications in shielded metal arc, gas tungsten arc, and flux cored arc welding processes with seven years experience changed careers.  He has seen the same problems regarding low wages, poor working conditions, and worn out operating equipment, no matter where he went. 

Having been in the welding equipment business for many years, I often found that welding machines are at the bottom of the list for replacement or upgrading!  In his particular geographical region, better wages and benefits are available in the fast food business than in welding. Welders with certifications are “overqualified”!  What in the world are these companies thinking?  Do they really understand how much a well-trained and highly skilled welder could save the company in wasted production cost in the form of labor, scrap and rework?

Those companies who understand the welding process and the importance of having well-trained welders pay accordingly, have good working conditions and efficient equipment.  And then there are still those who think welding is a “back alley” process and can be performed by trained monkeys. As I see it, this is where an Image of Welding problem exists and unfortunately there are still too many of these type companies conducting business!  How do you see it?