Still Building America: Baltimore welder strives to give back to community

Rick Bishop says the multiple job roles and various responsibilities he’s had over his still young career has helped prepare him to start his own welding company. (All photos provided by Rick Bishop.)

It’s always a blast to connect with young, driven entrepreneurs in the welding industry. At FABTECH® 2018 I met Rick Bishop, a 31-year-old welder from Baltimore, Md.. He has soaked up every opportunity to learn about welding and business along his journey. Eventually he turned those skills into a full-time welding company. Track his projects on Instagram. He hopes to get his business into a position to give back to the trade school and community that have encouraged him along the way.

Josh Welton: Could you explain what kind of work you do?

Rick Bishop: I am currently the owner and operator of Rick’s Welding Service LLC in Baltimore. My company specializes in mobile welding services with a strong focus on stainless steel and aluminum repairs. Projects vary from on-site aluminum repair to contract welding for structural and stainless projects. My decision to take the company full time was based on several factors: one was being maxed out at my previous full-time position for any potential growth. The other reason was calculated risk based on lead analytics.

JW: Awesome! Tell us about some projects that you are working on right now.

RB: I am currently working on a large commercial project as a subcontractor for an HVAC company. This project mostly involves welding stainless steel ductwork for a new science center. It’s my first long-term contract – so that is pretty exciting. I am also working on another large stainless steel project in a fire suppression application during my second shift. The customer for this work is, ironically, my previous full-time employer.

JW: That’s rad. How did you decide on your career path?

RB: My personal journey was consistently filled with education, experiences, and learning from errors. However, welding continues to be a constant resource for prosperity.

JW: Who were your career influences, and who has impacted your life?

RB: I have had great sources of influence growing up—both positive and negative. I've spent a lot of time with incredibly talented individuals whose work ethic is unparalleled, most of whom are self-employed in the trades. Home life for me was a sink-or-swim. And it was certainly a factor to stay educated so I could provide myself an exit strategy.

JW: Tell us a little more about your background and training.

Bishop says his love of welding started in middle school.

RB: During my eighth grade year in middle school, we had an assembly that presented skilled trades by the Center of Applied Technology North (CATN). For those that were interested, we were able to select four trades from a list for our ninth grade year. The classes were split between each marking period throughout the year and provided fundamentals of each trade. You then had the option to continue training for your 10th and 11th grade years with half-year trade classes.

I also had the opportunity to get involved with Skills USA for leadership development and trades competition through the trade school. CATN also provided a work study program for many top companies in the area from the NSA to the United States Coast Guard. I was fortunate to interview with both companies. I ultimately worked for the USCG for about two years until I left for college to attend Wyoming Technical Institute-Blairsville. I studied automotive technology, chassis fabrication, high-performance engines, and applied service management.

JW: What is your favorite thing about welding?

RB: The constant challenge to execute a perfect weld that will never exist. I am also fascinated by the amount of metallurgical science that's involved.

JW: What has been the most challenging part of your welding career?

RB: Taking my company full time has been the most challenging part to date, but also the most rewarding.

JW: What is a favorite project that you have worked on?

RB: The project that stands out above all else was my involvement with a 3D ride simulator for Universal Studios. The company I worked for at the time built everything for the Transformers ride from start to finish, and I helped fabricate and weld the frames. All UT inspection.

JW: If we were to talk to Rick Bishop in five to 10 years from now, where do you hope this career will have led you?

RB: My intention is to have my company in a position to give back to the trade school and community that helped me along the way.

Bishop started his own welding business after his previous jobs didn’t allow for the growth he wanted.

JW: What advice would you give your peers if they are interested in following your path or just need a little encouragement?

RB: Never stop learning or turn down opportunities. My previous full-time position was for a national fire suppression supplier. There I capitalized on every opportunity to learn everything I could about business firsthand. Here is my job progression: welder, welding lead, welding supervisor, fabrication supervisor, warehouse and logistics manager, and then sales/operations. The multiple job roles and various responsibilities significantly helped prepare me to take my company full time.