Page 19 - Spring World of Welding - HIWT

Reaping What Has Been Sown

By Janet Piechocki

Elmer Swank, Technical instructor at Hobart Institute of Welding
Technology began his career at Hobart Brothers in 1969. He had
just graduated from Hobart Institute in October of that same year
and Hobart Brothers was offering jobs to those students that
successfully completed the welding program. It also didn’t hurt
that Elmer received a scholarship from Hobart Brothers to come to
Hobart Welding School as it was known back then. But some people
wondered how Elmer found his passion for welding that led to a
successful career that has lasted over half a century.
As Elmer tells it, his love for welding started back in high school
when he was part of FFA (Future Farmers of America). He had a
class that had a welding machine in it and although the teacher
didn’t have any formal training, he would allow a few of the
students to use the old stick welder. Elmer enjoyed practicing stick
welding but the real story goes back to his life on his family’s farm.
Growing up, Elmer’s family didn’t have a lot of money but they
were rich in farm animals. Elmer worked hard on the farm to help
his dad out. One day a salesman came to the house and he was
selling Forney welders. Elmer’s dad knew how much Elmer liked to
weld and before you knew it, Elmer’s dad became the proud owner
of a Forney twin carbon arc welder which he gladly traded for two
hogs. After that the rest was history. Elmer’s dad had him welding
everything that needed to be fixed on the farm. That led to finding Elmer Swank
out about the scholarship to the Hobart Welding School. Since then,
Elmer has been helping others attain knowledge in the trade. Elmer
retired in May 2020, so If you have had the opportunity to take a
class that he has taught or if you have a fond memory to share with
him, please go to our Facebook page and let him know.

Not your Typical Curriculum at
New York Harbor School

By: Emily Fox

Career Development Representative Emily Fox had the opportunity to speak with students
at the New York Harbor School in New York, New York in February 2020. The students that
attend this school start and end their school day very differently than most students. They
have to ride a ferry boat to and from school because their school is located on an island.
This unique situation lends itself to having a curriculum that is quite different. Students
have the opportunity to learn to sail, learn about marine biology, and learn how to weld
just to name a few of the various paths available to them.
The welding students are given the opportunity to weld on boats and marine vessels. The
students at this school also participate in the Billion Oyster Project. This Project is about
restoring oysters in New York Harbor. There are many facets that go into this project but
the welding students design and fabricate the metal cages that are built for the oysters
to attach to. They use these metal cages to create reefs throughout the harbor. With
collaboration the goal is to restore one billion oysters into the harbor (https://www.
billionoysterproject.org/). HIWT wishes them the best in their endeavors to restore the
Welding students at NY Harbor School build metal oyster population.
cages designed to create reefs in NY Harbor.

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