Page 3 - HIWT Spring 2017 World of Welding

March 2017

INVEST- Skill Development Takes Time

“Just hired a novice welder and I need him certified, can I send him to you, get him certified and
back to work in a couple days”?

“Just can’t afford two weeks to have my person learn to weld GTAW, can you teach him in a
day”?

“I want you to do some in plant training for 10 people at once and I have one welding machine”
These are a few very common comments we get from many corporate companies in the welding
industry. Time seems to trump skill investment. Exposure vs. Comprehension vs. Muscle
Memory all vary greatly. The best way to learn to weld is to weld, and that requires practice
and more practice. The skill of welding is not an overnight journey that can be forced upon an
individual; learning to weld with high quality skill requires investment of time not the reduction
of time.

Our advice for organizations that want to enhance the skill of their welders is to allow them
the right amount of time to develop those skills at a quality level. All individuals learn to weld
By Scott A. Mazzulla, President differently where some require more time than others. HIWT offers that successful environment
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology to asses, train and test welders of all levels.
Full time students here at HIWT spend 1,330 clock hours or 38 weeks of time taking courses with these combining for over 80% hands on
in booth instruction supervised by high skilled welding instructors. This is an extraordinary amount of hood time but this is what it takes to
invest in the skill of welding.
We offer no virtual technologies and offer no shortcuts. When learning to weld as a beginner or enhancement of your skills for the job, you
must invest in time. The best way to learn to weld is to weld, and that takes practice and more practice.

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