Success in metal fabrication and welding is measured by quality, not quantity

Many in the manufacturing, metal fabrication, and welding industries put a lot of emphasis on quantity. But what about quality? Quality of the product, experience, or culture? Getty Images

Most times we measure our success strictly by quantity—amassing a lot of following, increasing the number of sales leads, hitting certain financial goals, winning a certain percentage of games, implementing X number of new ideas, or saving X amount of money before retirement.

We put a lot of emphasis on quantity, but what about quality? Quality of the product, experience, or culture?

Maybe this is a credit to his teaching ability, perspective, or both, but during an interview with Bill Duncan, welding instructor at Harlem High School in Machesney Park, Ill., explained perfectly why the quality of experience exceeds quantity.

“There’s always a place for someone in this class. Even though they may not take it all the way, they’re around it, they’re seeing what their peers are doing, and they’re absorbing it,” Duncan said.

Being that it’s a high school class, Duncan gets students with varying strengths, weaknesses, aptitudes, and even interest levels pertaining to the subject matter. It’s his job to teach the necessary skills, but also give students the freedom to gravitate toward their strengths.

His success as a teacher isn’t how many of his students go on to be welders or work in metal fabrication, it’s about what the experience meant to them and how it changed their perspective. While most of his students don’t go on to become welders, Duncan said some get emotional when they see the finished product, usually an elaborate grill—something that symbolizes a year’s worth of work—delivered to its new owner. Whether that person laid all the welds or simply was in charge or performing all of the measurements, it’s the quality of the experience that stands out to them. Isn’t that what matters the most?

As we close the book on 2019 and look ahead to 2020, I just want to thank the wonderful people who agreed to put themselves out there and have their story told by The WELDER throughout the last year.

Also, thank you to all of the equipment manufacturers and service providers who believe in this p enough to throw their support behind it.

And finally, I want to thank you, the reader. Thank you for investing the time to read our stories, for emailing me your thoughts about what you’ve read, and for passing the magazine along at work or sharing links to friends.

We look forward to sharing more stories like Duncan’s with you in the coming year.