As students reach the end of their high school career, they need to look at what their next steps are, and start making moves towards their future. Career Explorations 2014 brought area high school students to the Gallagher Centre to show some of the opportunities that are out there in post-secondary education.
The Canadian Welding Association (CWA) was at the show with a welding simulator, to encourage students to consider a career in welding for their future. The booth attracted large crowds of students who tried their hand at virtually welding.
Ken McKen with the CWA says that the simulator is something that sparks curiosity in students, but it's also the best way to begin teaching, because it's as close to welding as you can get without actually welding. The simulator is the first step in learning how to weld, with the goal of getting people basic skills before they're introduced to a real world environment.
"It's safe, we can take it into a classroom, we can take it into a library, we can take it anywhere. There are no sparks, no heat, and yet it does teach the aspects of welding and the muscle memory that's required."
The simulator itself is also a fun way to raise a serious point, McKen says, that being there is going to be a need for more welders in the very near future, and those kids taking their first crack at the simulator are the people the industry needs.
"More people are realizing the importance of trades. If you look in the facility here, pretty much everything we see has been welded, whether it's the equipment in front of us, the building itself, the chairs we sit on... Welding is a huge profession that has been underlooked for many years."
There's a shortage of trades right now, McKen says, and it's becoming more acute as the older generations begin to retire. That shortage in the trades in general, and welding in particular, means that there needs to be a renewed focus on getting students to consider entering the trades as a career.
"It's not just about welding either, here are so many opportunities after that, whether it's engineering, welding inspectors, welding examiners, draftspeople, you could own your own business or own your own rig. There are so many facets of welding from construction to repair work to shipbuilding... All kind of facets of welding to get into."
While a male dominated trade at the moment, McKen also says that it's a trade anyone can pick up and many of the highest scores on the simulator of the day were from young women. He says that the career is something that has opportunities for anyone, and they hope that they reached out to a wide spectrum of potential welders.
"All facets of people can pick up welding. There are a lot of artistic abilities in welding and that's another thing I'm really pushing, if you've got any artistic abilities at all you could make out to be a good welder."
