Page 8 - HIWT Spring 2015 World of Welding

The World of Welding

What Kind Of Student Are You?

By Biazzio Giordano, Jr.

After teaching welding at the high school level for the past 22 the instructor, a great student has his classwork done is neat and
years I have often heard the term “Achievement Gap” being used presentable, is ready for the day’s activities with a clean uniform.
to explain why some students are successful and some just get A good student shows up “Just In Time” and the work may be done
through the process. However my experience has revealed that but it is sloppy and marginal in acceptance. A great student will
there is not so much an Achievement gap as there is an effort follow procedure and produce a high quality weld deposit on test
gap between the two types of students. As I was reading through plates that are properly prepared, while a good student may do
the “World of Welding” recently I noticed that they recognize twice as many plates they are not to specifications, and the welds
excellence with two levels of “High Academic Achievement”, and have obvious discontinuities that should have been addressed in
two for “Perfect Attendance” for the structural and pipe courses. process. Unfortunately those marginal habits will carry over into
This mirrors industry as they also recognize excellence in the form the work place and reflect on their inability to advance to a higher
of lost time awards for a safe work place, and for completing position.
projects on time and within budget, along with other incentives
for a job well done. High school students who achieve perfect We have all worked with someone who just carries half the load
attendance and academic achievement are recognized here at instead of pulling their own weight, and we know how frustrating
Parkside CTE with incentives to continue with those positive that can be especially on a scale wage job where everyone is on
behaviors. an even wage scale. But the employee who was, just okay in
school, may find themselves not prepared for the real world of
Then there is the marginal student who is late to class, gives only work. All welds even those we never see should be made with the
75% when practicing and spends more time at the smoke shack same care and attention as a weld that is high profile, something
or socializing with others talking about welds that they will never all conscientious welders do. However if a person is marginal the
make and jobs they will never get. These students are the ones who chances of that being done is minimal at best, and the possibility for
when given an assignment give only half effort or show up trying rework increases dramatically. So the foreman calls on his welders
to get it done in class often with someone else’s paperwork. When that are professional in their approach and abilities to perform such
it comes time to go to the jobsite they are at a disadvantage in the welds knowing that they will be done perfectly. Like a supervisor
hiring process and often find themselves unemployed or drastically told me one day when I had a most difficult weld to be done, and I
underemployed. was complaining about some people never get the tough welds. His
reply to me was “sorry Bill but you know I am going to work my best
So let’s take a look at the variations in students’ effort that make men the hardest” and that was a compliment to my ability and work
the difference between a great student and a good student. A ethic.
great student shows up to class early and if he has a question ask
So what type of welder are you? Is your
work up to speed, and of high quality, do
you pay attention to minor details when
welding? Is the weld area neat and free of
flammable materials, your work clothing in
good repair and clean. Do you spend time
working on your welding or hanging out
back shooting the bull with the guys? Are
you professional in your conversation with
the job engineer/supervisor or do you speak
in street slang? Do you inspect your own
work before the inspector gets there or are
you doing more than your share of repair
work? Ask yourself these questions and
reflect on your training when you go for that
first job… what kind of student was I.

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