Welcome to another episode of "Lost Art of The Skilled Trades," where today we tackle a provocative question: Is welding a dying career? Joining us is the seasoned John King, owner of JK Welding and Trail Westgate, whose hands-on experience has sculpted his views on the trade's future, and our very own Andrew Brown, who brings his entrepreneurial insight to the table.
In this episode, John King, who you can find sharing his expertise on various social media platforms under the names John King and JK Welding Trails West, will touch upon his compelling personal backstory of overcoming adversity, his work ethics shaped by a hustler’s mindset, and the challenges of staff management when top talent clashes with company culture. He frankly discusses the departure of a skilled yet disruptive worker named Barry and the ripples it caused within his business.
We'll dive into the stark statistics that paint a picture of the shortage crisis in the welding industry—360,000 welders needed by 2027—as well as the wide gap left by retiring veterans. Despite a growing industry and increasing wages, where is the new blood? We'll explore this with our guests, who emphasize the irreplaceable value of seasoned human expertise over machines and the urgent need for hands-on mentorship to bridge the skills gap.
Notably, John King will share a teaser about an upcoming project poised to make history in the Guinness Book of World Records. He'll also reflect on the entrepreneurial spirit, the pragmatic value of old-school values in training, and how on-the-job learning can transform willing helpers into skilled tradespeople in under six months.
We'll discuss how basic skills like reading a tape measure remain fundamental, the impact of technology on these skills, and the respect and admiration for the artisans of welding. Finally, we'll examine the significant role of social media for businesses today.
Andrew and John will also talk about their unique paths that led them from diverse beginnings into the heart of the skilled trades, with Andrew recounting a pivotal life shift post-9/11.
So grab your gears and fire up your torches as we weld together insight, expertise, and real-world stories to understand the livelihood and legacy of welding in this edition of "Lost Art of The Skilled Trades."
Employee Termination, 2. Top Performers, 3. Organizational Culture, 4. Social Media Marketing, 5. World Record Project, 6. Skilled Trades Shortage, 7. Welding Industry, 8. Creative Work, 9. Overcoming Adversity, 10. Hustle and Determination, 11. Career Transition, 12. Entrepreneurship, 13. Workshop Mentoring, 14. Trade Skills Training, 15. Employee Development, 16. Measuring Skills, 17. Technology Impact, 18. Continuous Learning, 19. Knowledge Transfer, 20. Welding Apprenticeship, 21. Welder's Salary, 22. Inflation Impact, 23. Female Welders, 24. Custom Fabrication, 25. Business Acumen, 26. Social Media Influence, 27. Welding Job Statistics, 28. AI in Welding, 29. Academic Vocational Training, 30. Student Welding Competitions
Follow Andrew Brown
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Toolfetch
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-brown-b1736a5/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrew.l.brown
- Website: https://www.toolfetch.com
