Page 13 - Hobart Institute of Welding - Fall 2020 World of Welding

HIWT Instructor Retires
By: Janet Piechocki and Tom Crawford

HIWT instructor Tom Crawford’s soon realized his true calling was to teach. In 1982 Tom packed up
favorite saying is “Whaaaat???” so and moved back to Troy, Ohio to become a welding instructor at the
a student decided to make these Institute.
helmet stickers in his honor. During Tom’s tenure, he continued to develop his knowledge and
After nearly 39 years devoted to skills, eventually becoming qualified to teach all aspects of course
welding and welding education, work offered by the Institute. Unfortunately, an economic downturn
Tom has made the decision to caused temporary layoffs at the Institute. During this time, Tom
follow the lead of his last two took a position at a local fabrication shop where he was involved in
senior mentors, Jim Starry and the fabrication the orbital access arm for the NASA space shuttle
Elmer Swank, and retire this year. program.
As he reflected back to the first time he took an
interest in welding, he recalls the welding classes he took in his Soon Hobart Institute called Tom and asked him to return. There
junior and senior years of high school. were two openings at the time, one for a technical training
instructor and one for a skill training instructor. Tom had to make
Tom was raised in a small town in Indiana, first learning to be a the decision on which way he wanted to go. He had gained
butcher then changing course to pursue his dream of welding at a considerable experience as a skill instructor prior to the layoff so
local fabrication shop. As his love of welding continued to grow, he he decided to pursue the technical training opportunity to further
remembered a packet his high school guidance counselor had given strengthen his skills in knowledge. In this position Tom conducted
him about the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology. Tom decided lectures and training related to welding theory and methodology for
to relocate to Troy, Ohio to pursue an education in welding while corporate clients.
continuing to gain experience at the fabrication shop back home on
the weekends. After Tom completed the program at the Institute, In the mid-eighties, Hobart Brothers Co. began moving into welding
he returned home to the fabrication shop in Indiana. automation. Tom decided to pursue a welding technician position
with the newly developed Advanced Welding Systems Division.
Little did Tom know his life was about to change. One sunny Tom worked with all aspects of welding automation including Gas
morning, the phone rang and to his surprise it was the Tungsten Arc Welding and Plasma Arc Welding processes. His
superintendent of the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology. teaching continued with the Advanced Welding Systems Division
Tom was asked if he would be interested in a six-month contract and he traveled extensively both internationally and domestically
with an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) company based in Texas. installing welding systems and training end users.
The superintendent explained that all the necessary welding
training and testing would take place at HIWT. After completing In 1993, Tom was called to return to HIWT as a CWI/Testing
the necessary training and qualification, Tom would travel to Specialist working in the Institute’s certification department. This
Dunkerque, France to perform repairs on LNG tanker ships in new position required him to travel to customer sites where he
dry dock. He really couldn’t say yes fast enough, but he told the would conduct training and testing on location. After nearly 20
Superintendent that out of respect for his boss, who had given him years of this, he returned to skill instruction where he would finish
months off to pursue his dream of attending Hobart Institute of out his nearly 39-year career in welding education.
Welding Technology, he needed to discuss it with him before giving Tom has always had a passion for teaching others the skills he
a final answer. Tom’s boss was a great guy and after sharing the has acquired during his welding career. He has used his blessings
exciting news of this great opportunity, his boss told him to go for it of good hand eye coordination and his best customer service
because offers like that only come once in a lifetime. techniques to teach thousands of students to be the best welder
When Tom returned to Troy, Ohio, he began extensive training they can be. Tom feels he has achieved the American dream. Now
and testing on a material called INVAR. This metal was thirty six he says he is leaving the best job ever, but the memories he has
percent nickel alloy and was less than 1 mm thick. After all the helped create and shared will be cherished forever.
training and qualifications, he traveled to Dunkerque, France to Tom says that he will never really leave the teaching of welding
bring his welding education to fruition. After completing the six- that he loved. He said he will take part of it with him and has left
month assignment, Tom returned to his welding life in Indiana, but part of it with each new welder he has touched.

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