Page 7 - HIWT Fall 2012 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

IMAGE OF WELDING

(Continued from page 5)

My wife and I traveled and worked in this field for several
years, with her designing instrumentation and me working in
the weld department as an inspector or fi eld engineer.
Then the Three Mile Island disaster occurred. And our family
began to grow. Meanwhile, realizing that I had an opportunity
to learn more, I entered the local community college and
achieved a degree in welding science, using the GI Bill to help
pay for it all. Once again, my image of welding improved
even more, and gained some credibility in the industry.

Today I am a welding teacher who once again is facing the
challenge of the Image of Welding, not with my students but
with their moms and dads. I let my students know that, if they
want to, they can be anything they want to be in the welding
field. I have speakers come in and speak to the students and

job opportunities are posted weekly. Former students return
and share with current students the opportunities to work and
earn excellent wages. But occasionally parents still have the
vision of the farm shop with low wages and dirty conditions.

So how does one convince parents that today this is not
grandfather’s shop? First and foremost by educating the
parents because the parents are your best friends with high
school students. Parent-teacher conferences and PTA meetings Sculpture created by Eli, one of Biazzio’s students.
do not have to be about Junior’s performance; in my shop it
is a time to educate and inform the parent of the opportunities This is how I have tried to improve the Image of Welding…by
available to their son or daughter. I show them pictures of showing opportunity, sharing my experiences, and informing
when I was a student, of my experiences, share with them the parents of opportunities for employment and education.
educational opportunities like Hobart Institute and jobs I make sure all my parents know of education opportunities
available in inspection or engineering. and show them the jobs and wages available to those willing
to learn the trade.
Many parents think that their student cannot go to college
if they take vocational classes. However I am living proof My journey from the blacksmith in an old barn to nuclear
that you can achieve both. The wages are available for those construction to education has been a learning experience
who are willing to travel and expanding their skills are key to where I learned firsthand that not all welding required the

earning an excellent wage. That is why it is important for us same degree of preparation or quality assurance. But that for
as welders to stay current with the industry so our skills do not those who wanted to, welding would require a high degree of
become dated, and fortunately Hobart Institute is available to skill and training with attention to detail. I learned that I did
help stay current or learn new skills. not have to spend my entire life under the hood burning wire
and that many jobs and experiences are available for those
We have shops that are air conditioned with controlled willing to work hard and keep learning the ever changing
environments, inspection facilities, engineering schools, Image and world of welding.
robotics and computer controlled plasma/laser cutters. Weld
equipment that has digital readout and multi process at a Biazzio Giordano Jr. is the welding instructor in Career Technology
fraction of the weight of our old welding machines. Yes, the Education at Parkside High School, Salisbury, Maryland. Last year
old shops do still exist as do the blacksmiths and the horse and he attended the Hobart Institute’s summer session of the Welding
buggy. But today the trend is toward safe work environments, Instructor Course. He continues to enjoy blacksmithing occasionally.
One of his favorite quotes is from Capt. John Smith, 1608: “He who
and quality workmanship. shall not work shall not eat.” Biazzio adds, “Eat well… Learn to weld! “

7