Page 7 - HIWT Summer 2013 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

SOCIAL MEDIA PROVIDES A FORUM

(Continued from page 5)
“Stretch comes from my height... I’m 6’4”,”
explained Lanse. “During our first few days
of welding classes at vocational school, we all
decided that we needed nicknames. Our class had
“Turbo”, “CB”, “Smiley”, and “Bubbles”, just
to name a few... but, no one could come up with
a nickname for me. Being that we were all in a
new school, no one knew where anything was. I
walked into math class a couple minutes late.

Our teacher was really cool but gave me a hard
time! He said, “Why are you late? You could
just stretch your legs and be here in like three
steps!” Someone quickly picked up on that and
said, “That’s it! W
e’ll call him Stretch!” And ever since, I’ve been
Stretch.”
Lanse displaying the bumper, that he constructed
Lanse needed another name for his YouTube channel, so he during Christmas break, on his Silverado truck.
shortened his middle name (Charles)
to Chuck and added an E for Edwards combined
with the year of creation 2009 and came up with www. Realistically, that is a few years down the road for me. Once I
youtube.com/chucke2009. leave Hobart, I hope to find a job within the welding industry,
although I’m not exactly sure what that will be yet. I will take
Following high school, Lanse chose to take the Combination life as it comes and hopefully make good decisions along the
Structural and Pipe Welding Program at Hobart Institute. way.”

“When I first heard about Hobart, I was a little unsure about “Social media is of utmost importance, without a doubt,”
spending nine more months in school just after I graduated Lanse continued. “People like to spend their time on various
from high school,” said Lanse. “But I ended up at HIWT and social media websites, and they browse around and end up
it’s been great! I’ve expanded my welding knowledge more clicking on videos that they think would interest them. If
than I ever thought I would. You get out of this course what they’ve ever had ANY interest in welding, even if they have
you put into it and you can learn about things you never knew never welded or know nothing about the industry, they’ll
were possible. I love the school! I really do enjoy every day click on that video thumbnail of a welder at work, and they
of it and I’m glad I came. It is definitely worth it. Instructor can explore their interest from the comfort of their computer
Tom Crawford has been the single biggest influence on my chair. I’ve had literally dozens of people write to me and say
welding training,” said Lanse. ‘I signed up for my high school’s welding class after finding
your videos;’ or ‘I hadn’t welded in twenty years but your
As for the future, Lanse does not have any plans set in stone. videos convinced me to pick up the stinger lead again.’ Social
media is the easiest, simplest, and most enjoyable way to
“I really want to move to Texas,” he said. “I have family there check out the welding industry for the first time, or for the first
and I love the atmosphere and warm climate.” time in a long time.”

“This whole YouTube adventure has been an unplanned
journey for me,” said Lanse. “I would eventually like to work
in the teaching field, be it in a classroom setting or through As you explore social media, take time to check out Lanse’s
my own online teaching adventure based on YouTube and my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/chucke2009 and the
own website. I also have an interest in marketing and there is Hobart Institute on FaceBook, YouTube, LinkedIN, and www.
a chance that I could make a career of my YouTube channel, welding.org
set up a shop and just make videos…both how-to types, and
build videos (videos that cover a project from start to finish).

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