Page 21 - HIWT Summer 2013 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

MAKING HOBART INSTITUTE WORK HIS WAY

By Marty Baker, Editor
The World of Welding

While many students finish high school, attend Hobart Institute
of Welding Technology (HIWT), and then go to work for the
union, following chronological order, a certified welding
inspector from Wisconsin, James Wade Radtke has pursued
his welding education at Hobart Institute in a unique way.

“In 2005, I started a five-year plumbing apprenticeship with
the United Association in Wisconsin,” James explains. “By
February 2008, I was also in the Army Reserve Drill Sergeant
Unit and was deployed to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin and formed
the Regional Training Center – North. My unit did pre-
deployment training for other reserve units.”

“I received my honorable discharge in February 2009 and
returned to continue my apprenticeship,” James continued. “I
completed that program and became a journeyman plumber
for UA Local 400 Plumbers and Steamfitters in May of 2011.”
James Wade Radtke
At that time, there was very little local work for plumbers
in Wisconsin, so James chose to come to HIWT because he
needed skills to set him apart from his peers.

“I first took Pipe Layout for Fitters and Welders to see how James returned home to the UA Local 400 as a welding
Hobart’s instructors would work with students who have little inspector with a Hobart Institute diploma, giving him the
or no background in pipe layout,” said James. “The format marketable skills he needed to fast-track his career.
Hobart used to train… going from simple to gradually more
complex…and Instructor Jim Starry’s hands-on approach sold “I began obtaining my UA welding certifications and spent
me on coming back for the complete Combination Structural some time welding for various mechanical contractors. By
and Pipe Welding Program.” September of 2012, I was working as a certified welding
inspector.”
“While I have taken welding courses from other schools
before coming to Hobart, I wanted any current mistakes or In February 2013, James once again returned to HIWT for

misconceptions of welding cleared up,” James commented. one week and completed the Liquid Penetrant and Magnetic
“Six months into the program, during the Weldability of Metals Particle Inspection course. He has enjoyed the Hobart
course, Nelson Morales recommended I take the Preparation experience and may be back for future continuing education
for the American Welding Society’s Certified Welding Inspector courses.
Exam course. He provided some study materials and was able
to answer any questions I had.” As a certified welding inspector, James works with welders and
foremen to insure high quality welds. His job involves visual
Just two weeks after completing the Structural and Pipe inspection, hardness testing, blueprint reading, checking pipe
Welding Program in June 2012, James completed Hobart dimensions, and working with customers to ensure the final
Institute’s preparation course for the CWI® exam and became product meets their expectations.
a certified welding inspector.

21