April is National Welding Month, an annual event organized by the American Welding Society (AWS) to celebrate the welding industry through education, mentorship and recognition. AWS predicts a shortage of over 200,000 skilled welding professionals by 2020 and says that spotlighting the opportunities available in the industry can help create a better future for welding and those who choose it as a career. AWS offers information and resources on the welding industry and ways to mark the occasion on its website at www.aws.org/about/page/national-welding-month.
In celebration of welders and welders-in-training, ESAB Welding and Cutting (an AISC member) is offering its National Welding Month contest, which will award one person a Rebel EMP 235ic multiprocess welder and a SENTINEL A50 auto-darkening helmet. Entries will be accepted online from April 1 to 30; to enter visit ESAB.com/welditforward. To pay it forward, the contest winner can also nominate a school of their choice to receive a Rebel 215 or Rebel 235, a welding cart and 10 SENTINEL welding helmets from ESAB. The approximate retail value of the school award is $3,599, while the value of the individual prize is $2,899.
In addition to the grand prize drawn at the end of the month, ESAB is offering weekly opportunities to win swag. Visit ESAB’s Facebook page each Wednesday during April and participate in the company’s welding trivia contest. Trivia content and the grand prize winners will be announced on the page.