Mark your calendars for August 9-11, as the cutting-edge Careers in Welding Mobile Experience, presented by the AWS Foundation and co-sponsored by Lincoln Electric and BlueForge Alliance, will be rolling into the Montana Fair, Billings, MT. All who are interested in welding as a career or a hobby, including school groups, youth organizations, the media, and the general public, are welcome to visit this dynamic 53-foot mobile experience.
Andre Mosley, Workforce Development Specialist at the AWS Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for hitting the road once more: “I am ready to bring this remarkable and essential skilled trade into the spotlight, sharing about the huge variety of career paths and income potential in our industry.”
From skyscrapers to spacecraft, military vessels to cruise ships, appliances to medical devices, and more, welding is the backbone of modern infrastructure. Yet despite its crucial role in our daily lives, the number of skilled welding professionals is dwindling. Projections indicate that by 2028, our nation will require over 330,000 welders to meet workforce demands (source: WeldingWorkforceData.com).
Since its inception in 2011, the Careers in Welding Mobile Experience has been a beacon of welding education and career exploration. Embarking on an annual Summer tour across the country, it showcases welding as a lucrative career path with boundless opportunities. From the National Scout Jamboree in WV to the FFA National Convention in IN, upcoming tour stops promise to enlighten audiences about the diverse applications and earning potentials within the welding industry.
Attendees can explore engaging exhibits that showcase weld examples and applications designed to spark the senses and ignite interest in welding. Don't miss the chance to snap a selfie with the “Metal Maiden,” a striking five-foot metal-art sculpture resembling the Statue of Liberty, crafted by Stephanie Hoffman and Barbie the Welder.
Sponsored by Lincoln Electric, the 53-foot single-expandable trailer offers visitors an immersive experience with virtual welding on state-of-the-art VRTEX® 360 Virtual Reality Welding Simulators. Each day, the student achieving the highest score on these virtual welding stations will receive a $1,000 scholarship awarded by the AWS Foundation.
“In 2023, the AWS Foundation awarded $34,000 in scholarships throughout the tour,” Mosley remarks. “I’m happy I’m able to continue this tradition.”
This year, the Mobile Exhibit is also being sponsored by BlueForge Alliance (BFA) to promote BuildSubmarines.com, a website powered by BFA that is focused on elevating the submarine mission, integrating the industry demand signal, and aggregating education, training, and career opportunities in the skilled trades.
“We are proud to announce a two-year sponsorship of the Careers in Welding Mobile Experience with BlueForge Alliance, and for our collective efforts to be part of the critical mission to build and sustain submarines,” stated Monica Pfarr, Executive Director of the AWS Foundation. “Their sponsorship will enable us to continue to promote welding as a rewarding career path and highlight the essential role the manufacturing workforce plays in our nation's defense.”
Check out the entire 2024 CIW Tour schedule, for a full list of confirmed tour stops.
About AWS Foundation: Founded in 1989, the AWS Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Welding Society, the nonprofit organization with a global mission to advance the science, technology, and, application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes. The AWS Foundation works to ensure the growth and development of the welding industry through various initiatives, including, career awareness, scholarship programs, and grants to institutions that offer welding education and training. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, we rely on the generosity of our partners who understand the value of welding and its role in building a better, stronger economy. aws.org/foundation
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