Page 7 - Summer 2014 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

BUILDING SHIPS

(Continued from page 6)

My wife and I had just had our fourth
child and there was talk of another
year added onto my contract-for
a total of two years. Around that
same time, I heard of an opening
at a pressure vessel shop in WY.
When I told them I was a Hobart
alumni and a shipyard journeyman
– they jumped on it and hired me
over the phone while I was still
in VA. We moved our family to
Casper, where I became certified
in A.S.M.E. Code work for
2’’ and 6’’ pipe. Fortunately, I
never had a pressure vessel leak
anywhere on any of my welds.

I worked in Wyoming for nearly Brad Shade poses at the water’s edge with the shipyard in the background.
two years. My wife could not take
any more of Wyoming’s winters
and she was determined to go back to the Coast. I agreed I eventually worked my way to lead man, helping and
and I came back to the shipyard in Mississippi. It is hard to teaching HA’s (helper apprentices, aka forth, third, and some
get noticed in a work place of 10,000+ people so whenever second class welders). There was one employee, who shall
my welds were extremely awesome I would walk up to the remain nameless, without question was having the hardest
foreman I was working for, shaking my head. time welding anything - overhead- vertical downhill, etc. in
any position! He was on the verge of being fired with many
He would ask, ‘’What’s wrong?’’ write-ups for ‘unsatisfactory work’ given to him by day- shift
foremen, second shift foremen, etc. He thought it was hopeless
I would say ‘’Man, you need to cut out everything I did.’’ and I could see he was distraught and stressed. I spent two,
8-hour days working with him and explaining what was going
He would look upset and again ask, “Why?” on while I welded, teaching as instructors do at Hobart, while
he watched. I corrected angles while he welded the other
I would answer, ‘’Because you need to send everything TO half of whatever we were working on that day. I drew visual
ROME WITH OTHER PIECES OF ART!’’ teaching angles and two-dimensional drawings explaining
again the angles and the way welding works, using some of the
Then I would walk away laughing and popping my collar. same pictures depicted in the classrooms of Hobart Institute of
I started to work closely with the foreman and every time I Welding Technology that are drawn by all the instructors on
would see him talking to someone of higher rank, I would their white boards. After that two-day time span, he caught
walk up and introduce myself. One time I saw him talking to on to the techniques and is now the best vertical welder in
someone I did not recognize. I walked up and casually offered the yard; his welds look mechanical. He was being considered
to shake hands and said, “Hi, I’m Brad Shade, the best welder for a possible lead man position that did not materialize, but
you have in the yard.” the opportunity blew his mind. He thanked me and his thanks
were so genuine and heartfelt. I mean, this man has a family
When the general foreman finally left, my foreman said, “You and was very close to possibly losing his job. By helping him
know he is going to be checking on you now, right?” with his trade, I gave him a life-long skill that he can take
anywhere. That is something no one can take from you (the
I smugly said “Let him’!” teacher) ever! I’m glad to of help him and the many others
that may come in the future.

(Continued on page 9)

7