Photo by Emily Hernandez
By Sawyer Cranston, Staff Writer
Moraine Valley might seem like a typical community college but it has many opportunities to fit anyone who walks through the doors.
While there are many certificate and degree programs to choose from, one in particular is the welding program. It is led by many certified welding inspectors who have had experience in the field, and offers courses for any and all skill levels. Some courses include structural steel, pipe, stick, and many more.
What is welding? It is the process of fusing two or more parts using heat, pressure, or even both at times depending on the project. Welding is typically seen as a trade because it requires specialized skills and training. It can be a physically and mentally demanding job, but also very rewarding. Ali Abuawad, who is a part-time adjunct professor at MVCC, teaches Basic Stick Welding WLD-111 and WLD-112. Abuawad stated, “Getting into a trades program is both exciting and challenging. It’s hands-on from the start, so you’re learning real-world skills in a real life-like environment.”
Moraine has an excellent and generous-sized lab for all types of welds, with supplies and room to work, and improve your skills. Abuawad continued, “There’s a strong sense of accomplishment as you begin to master new techniques, whether you’re welding, plumbing, or working with electrical systems. The pace can be demanding, with a focus on both technical skills and safety, but it is a shared experience with other students.” Most of all, it’s a future where your work is tangible, necessary, and respected.
Also with welding, people tend to go straight to thinking it requires a union membership or affiliation. However, you don’t necessarily have to join when you become a welder. Another instructor Mike Guzik, who has been with MVCC for 33 years, told me how he worked in the maintenance department of a mechanic shop and noticed the welders looking down on the “helpers” in the shop. “I wanted to be one of them guys , so I’ll better myself. (sic) I didn’t want to be a helper, I was a good mechanic and then I got to be their boss!” Mike’s wife was taking classes here at Moraine and she came home with a catalog. He started to look through it and saw welding. He decided to take a course under Jim Greer and the more Jim showed him, the more he was interested in learning. “There became a point when I was a student helping other students – not as a lab aid, but as I was taking the class – and Jim would tell me to go give that other guy a hand.” Then sometime after completing the class, Jim called Mike and offered him to teach classes on Sundays at the time. Mike was never in the trade union. He was able to take advantage of opportunities and experience without being in a union. Mike even stated he thought his horizons were broader for himself.
“The importance of welding is that it holds the world together—bridges, buildings, and machines all rely on the strength of a welder’s craft” -Ali Abuawad.
Every instructor in the welding program has had some experience out in the field of welding so they can not only teach you what they learned from courses, but can teach what they learned on the job including safety precautions and learning how dangerous welding can be if you are not careful. Welders are working with harmful gases and electrical elements. However, safety is taken very seriously, and before students even begin working in the labs, they are taught what proper equipment to have such as gloves, shoes, and helmets to protect themselves and to prevent or eliminate any hazards from happening.
In addition to safety precautions, there are other skills utilized in welding that are just as important. Welders are using math and science while welding two pieces of metal together to make sure they stay together and will not fall apart. The instructors are there to drill the safety measures into your head and show students how to perfect each skill as they learn.
Guzik and I also talked about a shortage of welders today. The American Welding Society has put out a prediction that by 2027 there will be a shortage of over 300,000 welders, so getting students to be aware of the great opportunities welding has to offer is important. Welding is in almost everything that keeps our world productive and safe without most people even realizing it. Welding is a unique skill that is always growing and improving, not only the welder themself, but the world around them.
“The importance of welding is that it holds the world together—bridges, buildings, and machines all rely on the strength of a welder’s craft” -Ali Abuawad.
All photos by Emily Hernandez, Staff Photographer
