Montana Woolley’s welding career has taken her from a first-day beginner in the booth to shop work, inspection, supervision, and now education with CWB Education. In this episode, she shares how following curiosity, showing up ready to learn, and staying open to new opportunities helped her find a career path that keeps evolving.What You’ll Learn● How Montana went from having zero tool experience to falling in love with welding through a pre-apprenticeship program.● Why working in smaller fabrication shops gave her experience with a wide variety of projects, processes, and problem-solving.● What she learned by moving from welding into visual inspection, supervision, and education.● How CWB Education builds custom training programs around real shop challenges, quality issues, and workforce goals.● Why inspection can be a strong pathway for welders who are also interested in becoming supervisors.● How micro-credentials can make welding theory and inspection education more approachable for people working while they upskill.● Montana’s advice for new welders: look at the jobs available in your area, choose a process to focus on, learn the theory, and introduce yourself to shops in person.● Why welding is such a versatile trade, from structural work and inspection to custom fabrication, artistic projects, and new technology like laser welding.● How Montana turns scrap and drop material into garden trellises, metal bugs, dragonflies, and other whimsical welding art.Montana Woolley works with CWB Education, where she oversees custom training programs and public courses. She helps companies identify training needs, build curriculum around specific welding and quality challenges, and create practical education pathways for welders looking to grow into inspection, supervision, and other roles in the industry.Connect With Montana Woolley● CWB Education: https://www.cwbgroup.org/education● CWB Group: https://www.cwbgroup.org/● For questions about CWB Education training pathways, custom training, or public courses, contact Montana through CWB Education.Download The WELD AppiOS: App Storehttps://goweld.link/AppleAppAndroid: Google Playhttps://goweld.link/AndroidIf this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #WeldingEducation #CWBGroup #CWBEducation #WeldingInspector #WeldingSupervisor #WeldingTraining #MicroCredentials #MetalArtCollaboration LinksWeldhttps://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCM0kHJXSHR1k1wtLuliKmHg/collaboration/UCnqsXS9XPRa6vQvKoDdOkRgCWBhttps://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCVbLbc7goDa6FxauaveyUHA/collaboration/UCnqsXS9XPRa6vQvKoDdOkRg  

Al Theriault built 575 Custom Fabrications the hard way: first as a welder, then as an inspector, then in sales, and finally by turning a garage shop into a full-time fabrication business. If you’re a welder thinking about going out on your own, trying to price custom work better, or figuring out how to turn skill into a sustainable business, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world perspective.What You'll LearnHow Al went from welding and inspection into sales before deciding to go all in on fabrication.Why he built 575 Customs as a tiny garage shop and reinvested every dollar back into tools and capability.How he prices custom work based on materials, complexity, lead time, and the real value of the job.Why finishing, material choice, and corrosion prevention matter just as much as the weld itself.How his inspection background shaped the way he thinks about blueprints, metallurgy, efficiency, and quality control.Al is the owner and operator of 575 Customs, also known online as the 575 Shop, where he shares behind-the-scenes looks at his work and custom fabrication projects. After years in welding, inspection, and sales, he now focuses on one-off custom pieces, TIG work, finesse fabrication, and finishing details that make a project last.Connect With Al TheriaultInstagram @the.575.shop https://www.instagram.com/the.575.shop/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@575customs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/575-Customs-100088256534836/ Download The Weld AppiOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleApp Android: Google Play https://goweld.link/Android If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #fabrication #weldingbusiness #the575shop

Sarah Stork has built a name for herself by creating strikingly realistic metal animal sculptures that blend welding skill, texture work, and artistic vision.If you’ve ever wondered how a welder turns scrap, wire, and texture into lifelike animals, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Sarah’s process, inspiration, and approach to sculpture.What You'll LearnWhy Sarah chose animal sculptures and how that subject matter opened the door to her artistic style.How she builds sculptures from the inside out, starting with a concrete base and developing the form piece by piece.What role texture plays in her work, including how welding imperfections can become part of the final artistic effect.Why she values simple starting points for beginners, especially for welders who want to try sculpture for the first time.How competitions like SkillsUSA helped shape her path and connected her to the broader welding sculpture community.Why respiratory protection matters in welding art, and how safety should stay part of the creative process.Sarah Stork is a welding artist based in Georgetown, Texas, who has been creating sculptures since 2015. She is known for realistic animal pieces that combine TIG welding, texture creation, and creative material choices to bring metal to life. Her perspective is especially valuable for welders who want to explore sculpture, improve their artistic side, or better understand how technical welding skills can translate into creative work.Connect With Sarah StorkInstagram @sarah_stork ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sarah_stork_/⁠ TikTok @sarah_stork_ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@sarah_stork_?lang=en⁠ Facebook - ⁠https://www.facebook.com/sarah.scott.33865/⁠ Download The Weld AppiOS: App Store ⁠https://goweld.link/AppleApp⁠ Android: Google Play ⁠https://goweld.link/Android⁠ If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #metalart #metalsculptor #sarahstork 

Trent Konrad didn’t start in an office, he started in the welding industry, grinding mill scale, learning the trade, and working his way up from the shop floor. In this episode, he breaks down how he moved from welding to education, then into leadership at the CWB Group, and why being willing to shoot your shot helped open major doors along the way.What You’ll LearnHow Trent got introduced to welding and why a single conversation helped launch his career.What it was like starting at the bottom in fabrication and proving himself through work ethic.Why he chose to leave welding for education and how he kept building toward larger opportunities.How one bold cold call helped him secure funding and raise his profile inside the CWB Group.Why there are so many pathways in welding beyond just striking an arc.How CWB supports welders, instructors, and businesses through education, certification, and industry partnerships.Thank you to this week's sponsor Abicor Binzel. Learn more about the xFUME Pro here https://goweld.link/abicorpod Connect With Trent KonradLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trent-konrad-13950765/ www.cwbgroup.org Download The Weld AppiOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleApp Android: Google Play https://goweld.link/Android If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #weldingeducation #cwbgroup #weldingcertification

Brook Laing started in the trades as a steam-fitter welder and eventually found her way into industry media, where she now helps tell the stories behind manufacturing and fabrication. In this episode, Brook shares how she got into the trades, why she left union work, and how podcasting and content creation became part of her mission to make the industry more approachable and human.What You'll LearnHow Brook went from college plans to welding and steam-fitting.Why she loved the work but still chose to pivot out of the trade.The difference between a steam-fitter and a pipe-fitter.Why layoff culture can make trade careers hard to sustain.How she got involved with the Sisterhood of the Skilled Trades.Why trade communities and apprenticeship support matter.How her podcast helps introduce new people to the trades.Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for recruiting and retention.How manufacturing content can focus on the people, not just the shop.What she thinks about automation, robotic welding, and the future of skilled labor.Thank you to this week's sponsor Abicor Binzel. Learn more about the xFUME Pro here ⁠https://goweld.link/abicorpod⁠ Connect With Brooke LaingLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-laing11/⁠ Instagram: @lainggerr ⁠https://www.instagram.com/lainggerr/⁠ TikTok: @lainggerrr ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@lainggerrr⁠Two Bolts Short Of A Flange Podcast: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6pmLbiTozQOjsh4d7fun2s?si=fc6f8fc7c08d4e06⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TwoBoltsShortofaFlange⁠ Download The Weld AppiOS: App Store ⁠https://goweld.link/AppleApp⁠ Android: Google Play ⁠https://goweld.link/Android⁠ If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #steamfitter #twoboltsshortofaflange #WeldingEducation 

In this episode of the WELD Podcast, we sit down with Guy Seguin, program coordinator and welding professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, to talk about what it really takes to get good at stick welding. Guy shares the biggest mistakes beginners make, how to build consistency with arc length and travel speed, and why getting comfortable and putting in the reps matters more than chasing tricks early on. We also get into stick-start frustrations, tie-ins, arc blow, TIG fundamentals, and the little setup issues that can make or break a weld.What You’ll LearnWhy stick welding comes down to practice, consistency, and comfort more than gimmicks.The best way to teach beginners without overwhelming them with manipulation too early.Why starting with an easier-to-run rod can help new welders build confidence.How to avoid common issues like sticking, bad tie-ins, arc blow, and poor setup.What to look for in a clean, stable puddle across both stick and TIG welding.About Guy SeguinGuy Seguin is a welding professor at Algonquin College and the creator behind Sewing With Fire Welding. He teaches the next generation of tradespeople while sharing hands-on welding content that focuses on real shop skill, strong fundamentals, and practical technique. His experience with stick and TIG welding makes him a valuable guide for anyone trying to level up their work in the booth.Thank you to this weeks sponsor Abicor Binzel. Learn more about the iBOTone here https://goweld.link/abicorpod Connect With Guy SeguinWebsite: https://sewingwithfirewelding.com/ Instagram: @sewingwithfirewelding https://www.instagram.com/sewingwithfirewelding/ TikTok: @sewingwithfirewelding https://www.tiktok.com/@sewingwithfirewelding YouTube: @sewingwithfirewelding5627 https://www.youtube.com/@sewingwithfirewelding5627 Download The Weld AppiOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleApp Android: Google Play https://goweld.link/Android If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #stickwelding #tigwelding #WeldingEducation #WeldingInstructor

Kayla Vander Molen is a pressure welder, welding examiner, and senior instructor with the Boilermakers in Canada, and in this episode she breaks down what it really takes to build a career in one of the most demanding trades in welding.If you’ve ever wondered how pressure tickets work in Canada, what boiler makers actually do, or how mentorship and union training can change the trajectory of a welding career, this conversation gives you a real inside look at the path.In this episode, you’ll learnHow Kayla went from welding in the field to becoming an instructor and education advocate for the next generation.What the pressure ticket means in Canada, and why it opens the door to additional pressure qualifications rather than being the finish line.What boiler makers do on site, from tube work and pressure applications to high-stakes welds that can require X-ray inspection.How union apprenticeship training builds skills through classroom learning, hands-on work, and mentorship.Why confidence, workplace culture, and asking questions matter just as much as technical ability in welding.About KaylaKayla Vander Molen is a pressure welder by trade, a welding examiner and instructor with the Boilermakers, and a contributor to educational content through the CWB. Her background includes field welding, union training, mentorship, and a strong focus on helping welders avoid the mistakes, unsafe habits, and dead-end paths that can hold them back.She also talks about the importance of keeping skills local, supporting strong workplace culture, and creating more access to practical welding education for people entering the trade.Thank you to this weeks sponsor Abicor BinzelLearn more about the iBOTone https://goweld.link/abicorpodConnect with KaylaWebsite: WeldTux.comInstagram: @weldtux https://www.instagram.com/weldtux/ Download The Weld AppiOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleApp Android: Google Play https://goweld.link/Android If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #Boilermaker #PressureWelding #WeldingEducation #UnionWelding #WeldingInstructor #WeldingMentorship #WeldingLife #TradeSkills

The welding industry is changing fast, and if you want to keep up, it is not about learning one process anymore. In this episode of WELD, Beau Wigington takes a look inside the brand new CWB Group Center of Innovation in Milton, Canada, during its grand opening to see how training, technology, and industry partnerships are shaping the future of the trade.Beau talks with leaders from CWB Group about the new innovation hub, the weld shop, the EV repair training area, and the Canadian Collision Repair Academy. From advanced inspection methods and automation to practical training for newcomers and upskilling welders, this episode shows why facilities like this matter for the next generation of technicians and fabricators.In this episode, you will learn:How CWB Group is bringing innovation, training, and industry partnerships under one roof.What the innovation hub is showcasing, including cobots, simulators, laser welding, and ultrasonic phased array technology.Why phased array ultrasonic testing is a major step forward in weld inspection and traceability.How the new EV repair center is preparing technicians for the safety demands of working on electric vehicles.What the Canadian Collision Repair Academy teaches about structural repair, aluminum welding, and manufacturer procedures.How the new weld shop is being used for hands-on training, testing, and government-funded education programs.This episode also explores Industry 4.0 and what it means for welding, automation, robotics, and AI in a field that still depends on strong manual skills. The big takeaway is simple: the future of welding will reward people who can adapt, learn, and work across more than one discipline.Facilities like the CWB Center of Innovation are more than impressive buildings. They are a sign of where the industry is headed, and why training, access to new technology, and collaboration between manufacturers, educators, and welders are becoming more important than ever.

Ian Mehlenbacher is a Red Seal Welder for the Niagara Parks Commission, and his job is anything but ordinary.If you're a welder who wants to see what it looks like to work on iconic infrastructure, custom fabrication, and one-of-a-kind projects every single day, this episode shows you exactly what that career can look like.In this episode, you'll learn:What the Red Seal certification actually is and how it differs from the American apprenticeship system, including why it's competency-based rather than hour-based.How Ian apprenticed at Niagara Parks and how going to school for welding technology allowed him to skip ahead in his apprenticeship and get his foot in the door.The wide variety of work Ian does at the park, from fabricating the iconic railings at the Falls and converting them to stainless steel, to building custom truck beds, repairing cast iron park benches, and supporting underwater welders.How Ian and his mentor Ed tackled the Aero Car canopy conversion, replacing old mild steel infrastructure with stainless steel with no blueprints, just problem-solving and a rented roller.Why working with aluminum, stainless, and mild steel on a regular basis sets Ian apart from welders who only get to touch those materials once in a while.How the CWB Hamilton Association is breaking down barriers to get young people into trades, donating to 22 schools this past year and bringing parents and students in for hands-on welding seminars.Ian Mehlenbacher is a Red Seal Welder with the Niagara Parks Commission, where he maintains and fabricates infrastructure across 56 kilometers of parkland surrounding Niagara Falls. He is also the chair of the CWB Association Hamilton Chapter, where he works to connect students, parents, and employers to grow the next generation of skilled tradespeople. His perspective is especially valuable for welders curious about the Red Seal path, non-production welding careers, or getting involved in their local welding community.Connect with Ian Mehlenbacher / CWB Hamilton:https://www.cwbgroup.org/advocacy/membership/chapters/hamilton-chapter Download the WELD App:iOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleAppAndroid: Google Play https://goweld.link/AndroidIf this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts takes 30 seconds and helps other welders find it.#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #WeldingJobs #WELD #TradeLife #WeldingLife #RedSeal #CanadianWelding #NiagaraFalls #WeldingEducation #CWB #Apprenticeship #Fabrication

Mohamed Amer has spent 15 years climbing every rung of the aerospace welding world, from the shop floor to engineering, inspection, sales, and management, and now he helps manufacturers break into one of the most compliance-driven sectors in the industry.If you're a welder looking for a cleaner environment, better pay, and a long-term career path, or a shop owner wondering what it actually takes to get aerospace certified, this episode gives you a real, no-fluff look at what that world requires.In this episode, you'll learn:What aerospace welding actually is and why it's about far more than the weld itself, covering everything from pre-weld compliance and procedure qualifications to post-weld inspection and traceability.Why material traceability is a massive deal in aerospace, including how filler material heat lot numbers, tungsten, argon flow rates, and cleaning procedures all have to be documented on the traveler.How a shop gets aerospace certified, starting with a gap assessment, building out a quality system like AS9100, and earning NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) accreditation through an external audit body.Where most shops fall short on compliance, from WPS applicability and machine setup on the shop floor to the flow-down of customer requirements reaching inspectors.Why aerospace is one of the best career paths for welding students, with clean, temperature-controlled environments, competitive pay, and clear paths into inspection, quality, and management roles.Mohamed Amer is the owner of Amer Welding Solutions, a consultancy that helps manufacturers enter the aerospace welding market and elevate their overall welding processes. With 15 years of experience spanning shop floor work, machining, engineering, inspection, sales, and management, Mohamad brings a full-picture perspective on what it takes to build a compliant, high-performing aerospace welding operation. He also volunteers at schools across the country to introduce students to aerospace welding opportunities, free of charge, because he believes the trade can take anyone further than they think.Sponsors:Save 20% on American Welding Program courses with code WELD20 at checkout at AmericanWeldingProgram.orgConnect with Mohamad Amer:LinkedIn: Mohamed Amer https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-amer-2bbb1b57/Website: https://amer-welding-solutions.com/ Connect with Beau Wigington:Instagram: @beaudiditweldingDownload the WELD App:iOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleAppAndroid: Google Play https://goweld.link/Android#WeldingPodcast #WeldingCareer #AerospaceWelding #WELD #AerospaceManufacturing #WeldingEducation #WeldingJobs #Fabrication