Lincoln Electric partners with U.S. Army for welder training

Lincoln Electric is once again partnering with the U.S. Army for welder training. The program graduates 450 students per year, including U.S. Army soldiers as well as Marines. Military students spend 12 weeks learning oxyfuel welding, SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW. To keep up with the latest technology, the Army allows military instructors to train with civilian industry experts.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Gandee recently became a welding instructor with the Army's Ordnance Mechanical Maintenance School at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Md. He is stationed at Lincoln's headquarters in Cleveland to learn about new welding technologies.

Working directly with the technical training department, he has participated in the company's various welding courses, gaining knowledge of new teaching methods to implement in the Army's classroom. He provides a monthly report to the Army detailing his specific experiences.

Gandee is working directly with Lincoln's staff of welding experts who have written the materials he and his fellow instructors teach at Aberdeen. The company also has given Gandee the opportunity to develop his teaching skills and help write curriculum for other organizations such as the 4-H Club and welding education programs.