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EDUCATORS

WELDING PROFESSIONALS

UPCOMING EVENTS

EDUCATORS

• Tips for Teachers
• Tips for Counselors
• Curriculum
• Professional Development
• Resources and Products
• Upcoming Events
• Networking Opportunities

Profiled Company:

WEC Welding and Machining
Lake Bluff, IL

WEC Welding and Machining LLC, offers you the knowledge, highly skilled professionals, and equipment required to maintain your power systems more efficiently and cost-effectively. We support the fossil, hydropower and nuclear energy sources of today and our visionary leadership is pioneering the power systems of tomorrow.

Part of Westinghouse Electric Company, WEC Welding and Machining is composed of separate affiliates, each of which has a special expertise in serving the utility industry.

Website:

http://www.wecwam.com

Profiled Company:

Caterpillar
Peoria, IL

Since its inception over 80 years ago, Caterpillar has grown to be the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. In partnership with our worldwide dealer network, we drive positive and sustainable change on every continent. We are proud to be a leader in building the world's infrastructure, and in enabling progress for millions of people around the globe.

Website:

www.cat.com

Profiled Individual:

Tiffany Dunlap
Pipe Welder
The Shaw Group
Aquasco, MD

It was my grandmother's idea. She read about the increased demand for welders. At first I dismissed the idea, but I was working in a clothing store then, and I knew I didn't want to do that forever. So I tried a welding class.

High School:	Hannah Pamplico High School Pamplico, SC
College:	Florence Darlington Technical College Darlington, SC

TIPS FOR TEACHERS

Teachers can play a vital role in showing students the many opportunities welding opens. An emphasis on collaboration and logical thinking can give students the basic skills needed to pursue a variety of careers. Additional classroom exercises focused on building, following directions and working as a team can also lay a strong foundation.

Regardless of which aspect of the welding industry attracts a student, a grounding in math and science is a great foundation. Employers also value communication, so a well-rounded education can help your students succeed whether they are fabricating medical devices or communications satellites. Shop classes, of course, can be a practical way to open the door to a welding career.

Bring a Welder to the Classroom
You can bring the vague idea of a welding career to life by inviting guest speakers from local companies to share stories from their daily lives. Look to local manufacturers, or construction companies for possible speakers. Job fairs and career days are opportunities for local welders to share their passion. Internships for teachers can also give you real-world experience. When you come back to class with stories about things you made, it will fire kids up to find a meaningful career.

Ideas for Teachers
A great way to make the idea of a welding career real is to have students create a “dream job” classified ad. After they use the Websites listed in this section, ask them to do some research about welding jobs that fit their interests. Then turn the responses into an ad that fits their skills and career goals perfectly.

1. What activities do you like to do? Are they done mostly indoors or outdoors? (Welding workplaces vary from being underwater or at the peak of a skyscraper to an automobile manufacturing plant or the laboratory of a technology campus.)

2. What are your favorite school subjects and activities? (Students who have a firm grasp of math, science and communication would do well in a welding career.)

3. Do you enjoy working on projects alone or with a large group? (Welders can take pride in their contribution to the team effort of building a bridge or the artistry of creating a unique sculpture on their own.)

4. What job holds the most interest for you at this time? (What have you learned about welding through your research?)

5. Where do you want to live when you enter the workforce? (Unlike many other careers, welding jobs are available in all states.)

Resources

Workforce3One (www.workforce3one.org) is a public collaborative that collects the latest resources and strategies to build the workforce of the future. Through podcasts, “Webinars,” white papers and a social networking site, you can learn how to reach students in new ways.

For teachers dedicated to letting kids build their own future, Odyssey of the Mind (www.odysseyofthemind .com) is a program that teams students up to solve problems. Students build cars, robots and support structures to compete with other teams from all over the world on the basis of originality and teamwork.

Another wonderful hands-on program is SkillsUSA (www.skillsusa. org/compete/contests.shtml). Encourage your students to participate in one of the many Champions at Work programs, which includes a section on welding, that requires students to demonstrate their ability to measure weld replicas, cut accurate holes using oxy-acetylene equipment and even do arc welding. The Educators section has more details about getting involved.

The student chapters of the American Welding Society (www.aws.org) are a wonderful resource for speakers, contests and scholarship opportunities.

America’s Career Resource Network (http://cte.ed.gov/acrn/teachers/careerexpclassrm.htm) can make strengthening the link between work and school easier. The story of one teacher’s dedication to showing her students that everyone can succeed is inspiring.

EDUCATORS	WELDING PROFESSIONALS	STUDENTS	UPCOMING EVENTS

The latest resources from the Weld-Ed Center, along with tips for Counselors and Teachers on navigating students toward welding careers.	Resources for the Welding Professional, including resume building, jobs in welding, AWS certification information, and more.	A wealth of information and resources to help students and parents follow the right path to an exceptional welding career.	Stay informed about the most current educational opportunities, events and news regarding Careers in Welding.

©2012 American Welding Society and Weld-Ed Center
Funded in part by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Program (DUE 0703018)