Solving the Welder Shortage One Tinkerer at a Time
If any can be found, one of the upsides to the ongoing welder shortage has been an outpouring of grassroots initiatives aimed at mitigating the problem. Among those efforts, manufacturing companies are teaming up with trade schools to offer welding “boot camps” and many high schools have renewed their interest in skilled trades curriculum.
And now it appears at least one group is taking the message to an even younger audience. Headed by John Ratzenberger (Cliff Clavin from the hit T.V. show “Cheers”), the Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs Foundation has a number of efforts underway to raise awareness and generate interest in the skilled trades among the 16-and-under set.
The mission of NBTF in supporting these camps and other initiatives is clearly stated on its Web site: “Through mentoring programs, education, and media awareness, NBTF will once again introduce young people to the pleasures of tinkering. And in that way, we will create the next generation of artisans, inventors, engineers, repairmen and skilled workers - in short, a self-sufficient, self-sustaining society.”
Among its initiatives are Tinkering Day (Nov. 3, 2007), dedicated to celebrating the value and achievements of tinkering, and a scholarship program offering $2,500 - $5000 scholarships to week-long camps that introduce kids 12 – 16 years old to careers in the manufacturing and fabrication industries. Partnering with a variety of organizations, including the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association Foundation, NBTF gave out 20 such scholarships to camps around the country in 2007 alone.
What are your thoughts? Can programs like these make a long-term difference in the trend away from careers in the manufacturing and fabrication industries? Is part of the problem that we have not been generating interest in the skilled trades in very young children and that it’s too late by the time they are in high school? What other grass roots initiatives have you seen that attempt to solve the nation’s labor shortage? Please share your thoughts by posting a comment below.
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July 27th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
I am a high school student who just moved from New Jersey to Indiana. When I went to schedule my classes for my jouinor year, it felt like the guidance counsler was pushing for college prep and honors classes. Also, the school I went to in New Jersey also told me, don’t take anything less than CP classes. It seems like high schools around the nation are pushing their students to go to college. So are their parents. I know mine are. My point is that I believe the people in the high school systems and the parents of the students are pushing too strongly for college. I suggest going to a technical school and then they ask me how am I going to eat. My point is that 4 year college/university education is being shoved down high school students throats. But, on the other hand, will a tech school trade like welding be able to compete with a 4 year college degree job in terms of salerly? I don’t know.
I do believe that if some kids in their early teen years go to these conventions, that maybe they will be more “turned on” (lack of a better word) to career in engineering or a trade, which is good because I believe there is a shortage of labor in those industries, or so I have been told.
August 1st, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I belive that it’s a good plan.And will work ONLY if taught by…teachers or instructors that can actually teach the trade.What I mean by that is yes teach the circuillum but also be able to teach outside of it also.
Let’s face it the competition is fierece,and the work is not easy.That being said….The bare BASICS wont cut it alone.So all you NEW welders take notice it will be a battle. But by paying attention,applying yourself you can win. The trade needs more venues to give access to these type of programs.All I can really say without going political is… it’s about time.
‘’strive for perfection but be willing to except excellence”
August 5th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I think trade schools are great! Once you learn your skill your on the road to success as long as you try to get better at it everyday.I am a welder,I went to a 3month course & learned more than I did in 3yrs. of college.The reason for the shortage of welders is the payscale,factories go up on there products but don’t pay employees more.Right now the average structual welder with a machine is making $ 55.00 per hr. & the oil business is begging for them.I know of jobs paying from 45.00 to 85.00 per hr for a welder.Does a college degree pay that ? Does the factories pay that?
August 5th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I have recently left a white collar job at a tier one automotive supplier that is outsourcing jobs and work like there is no tomorrow, in order to keep manufacturing costs down. The only problem is that by doing so, thier warranty costs have skyrocketed and unless they file chapter 11, they will never survive. Needless to say, the employees are paying for bad management decisions in the form of benefit and wage cuts. This process did not happen over night, it took several years for things to progress to this point. Thank God I had enough forsight to see the writing on the wall at the beginning of the down turn. I paid my own way through a local community college (because tuition reimbursement was taken away as part of the benefit cuts) and got an Associate Degree in Welding Technology, along with a state certification for 6G SMAW pipe. To make a long story short, I answered an ad in the newspaper for the local pipefitteres union who was looking for welders. I interviewed, showed them my work history, education, and certification. I took the UA certification test, and now I’m making twice what I made at my white collar job! There are good paying jobs out there for skilled people. Nation wide, there is a huge need for skilled tradesmen, especially welders and pipefitters. In my area, local union halls and general contractors are turning work down because they are over booked and simply do not have the man power to do the work. There is nothing wrong with an education from an undergraduate school or a 4 year university, but don’t ever let some one tell you that college is the only way. I’ve done the white collar thing, and let me tell you, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Blue collar work is still looked down at by some, but the huge office buildings and complexes that white collar CEO’s and lawyers occupy, were built by skilled trades men and women. There are a lot of articles out there conveying this same message, below is a link to one of these interesting articles published by the Wall Street Journal. If it’s waht you are passionate about, pursue your dreams and be the best at what you do!!!
http://www.careerjournal.com/salaryhiring/industries/manufacturing/20060821-brat.html
August 10th, 2007 at 11:28 am
i weld for a living at john deere and have all my tickets + plasma+oxy fules. i also owen a miller 210 with aluminum gun and a plasma 375 also syncrowave 180 tig there the best machines i have ever had. i use to buy what was cheep but the weld quilty and penatration suck Any words of wisdom by miller all the way and stay away from 110v as a main machine . they just don’t cut it + wire the proper cuerrent to the plugs eg. 110v miller 135 plug it in and weld you can’t pentrate past sheet metal wire minum on a seperate line 30a to it watch how strong it is you will burn .23-.30 wire and penatrate 3/16 steel. also you do not have to spend a fortune at school if you work in a low pay shop where they will train and get you cert. then quit and get good job ps john deere is 100% miller
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:18 pm
There is a need to make the profession more appealing to younger people who have been made to think that they can’t make a decent living in a trade. Conventions, competitions, and well-trained counselors will help a lot. Finding a school nearby where students can get their feet wet is another way. Finally, showing people how many good options are available for employment is also critical.
http://www.hirewelders.com