Page 6 - HIWT Spring 2015 World of Welding

The World of Welding

When The Student Becomes The Teacher

In the welding trade to teach whoever showed up how to weld. The shop improved as
apprenticeship or passing did the equipment, and soon the word was out, that you could learn
along welding skills has a to weld in town. I kept at it for many years and one day another
strong tradition, many of newspaper ad caught my eye, “Welding Teacher Wanted” the
us learned from our fathers headlines jumped out at me in bold print, and I knew that I had to
and grandfathers maybe try and get that job. That was 23 years ago and now I am reaching
a neighbor, or started the end of my public teaching career in a couple of years, and
in high school learning naturally I am thinking about the future of welding as we know it
from a master welder. My here in our county.
own experience started
while I was still running One thing about teaching welding as the industry changes so does
around barefoot out in the the workplace and todays workplace requires more semi-automatic
country. My neighbor was and pulse processes, new industries like wind power and solar
a Baptist minister who begin to take hold with new requirements and codes, ships become
By Biazzio Giordano, Jr. worked his farm with a pair larger elevators bigger and buildings taller. A teacher has to keep up
of “Hosses”, had a small with the times if he wants to stay on top and I soon discovered that
forge, and still took two hogs every fall. Naturally as a kid when I the HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELD TECHNOLOGY would fill the bill.
saw him out working his lane with the horses I would be right under My first class was a week long and for welding educators, I wish I
foot begging for a ride on the drawn sled he used to keep his dirt had attended it when I first started my teaching career, I would have
drive in order. Mr. Sampy as I knew him would always let me climb been much more effective.
up and ride along, ending our ride at the barn where he would let
me brush the horses, and fill the water bucket, and that is where I Later I invested time and effort into weld inspection and code work,
saw the forge. Not really knowing what it was he explained how it attended the prep course for CWI/CWE, I knew that the industry
was used and the next time I heard the anvils ring, I was standing was changing and I wanted my students to be at the top of the
there watching him shape some hooks for his out buildings. Well employment chain. To get them there I had to keep current and one
Mr. Sampy was old when I was a kid but he had two sons that thing I noticed about HIWT is that all of the instructors had attended
were in their mid 20’s and they had an AC arc welder in the barn the school and then achieved real world experience before returning
also, so one day they had it out and were repairing some older farm to teach at the school, in fact it seemed that no matter who I spoke
equipment and natural like a moth to flame I was attracted to the with there, they all had attended the school in one capacity or
light, thus was my introduction to metal working. another, the tradition of more experienced teachers teaching the
trade to younger up and comer’s was alive and well here.
Later in life I turned those interest into a successful welding career
by attending the “Wicomico County Vocational and Technical Now I am still a couple years away and some of my teaching
Center” in Salisbury Maryland, and majoring in Welding. My friends are about to retire also as that national trend continues, I
instructor was in his mid 30’s and shared with all of us the skills am thinking who will replace me? Will it be some new college grad
necessary to get a job, using the SMAW process. Later I attended long on Tech. education but short on actual experience, will it be
the US NAVY welding school in San Diego, where my instructor one of my former students who like those at HIWT came back to
was a 20 year navy Lifer who taught me not only welding but how share? My preference is one of returning students becoming the
to keep a damaged ship afloat. At this time I had been learning and instructor, one who can weld multi process, fabricate and has real
welding for about 6 years when my new wife and I decided to work world experience, and most importantly has the skill to be able to
in the nuclear industry, her with skills as a draftsman and me as a pass that knowledge along to others. HIWT has a long tradition
field engineer for the free world’s largest contractor. I learned many of training welders ready to go to work, right out of the gate as
things there from some welders who had golden arms, their welds Is evident from the success stories we see in “THE WORLD OF
looking like art. Hungry for more weld knowledge I wound up in Fort WELDING’. The instructors are world class and experienced, with
Pierce Florida and attended the local community college graduating the ability to communicate ideals to others, helping to replace
with a degree in welding science. The die was cast but I did not todays welding work force. I encourage all my students to attend
know it at the time. Returning home I worked in the local shipyard, HIWT. I know from firsthand experience that the school is effective,
then as an aluminum GMAW welder making floating bridges, and the instruction excellent, and they have many jobs posted attesting
for a large non-union shop out of Texas for a major nylon producer, to their ability and the quality of instruction. The end result is the
but an advertisement for the local community college for a weld true test of when the student returns to be the instructor.
instructor caught my eye. It was not upscale by any means just two
dome top AC/DC welders, three leather weld jackets and gloves Knowledge will be passed out every day, please bring your own
that did not match, but it was my weld shop, and I was determined container.

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