Welding community perfecting the art of adjusting on the fly

Like many, welders have had to pivot over the past year. We've recently featured individuals and companies who, when confronted with a problem or an internal dilemma, made bold adjustments, including Kristen Albro (left), Tajzi Thompson (center), and shops like DeWys Mfg.

My first editorial of a new year is usually an optimistic, resolution-filled forecast of the year ahead. So, midway through February here’s what I’ve got for optimism: If you’re reading this, you made it. We made it. I don’t know how this year is going to pan out or when we’ll return to normal (dining out, going to concerts and sporting events, leaving home without a mask … that sort of thing), but I am choosing to believe it will happen eventually.

That was sort of optimistic, right?

2020 was a difficult year for so many reasons, and it tested our agility—how quickly we could pivot from normal to, well, now. While it’s been a little bumpy, I’d say, as a whole, most of us have done pretty well. Perhaps we’ve even surprised ourselves at how well.

As I write this, I am sitting at the dining room table in my sister’s house while my 7-year-old nephew attends school remotely. I’ve been working from home full time since roughly mid-November because of COVID-19 mitigations put in place by the state of Illinois. Fortunately, we already had the infrastructure in place to work remotely. While not being face-to face with co-workers does pose a few challenges, it’s been fairly smooth. Thank goodness we live in an age where technology can help bridge the gap while we are forced to remain at a distance.

My nephew’s school has held in-person classes since August, but they’ve had to be ready to switch to remote learning on the fly, like right now. Those of you with experience with 7-year-olds know the challenge of getting them to sit still and focus on a computer screen (that’s not playing cartoons). I have to give my nephew credit. He has managed to stay focused even with all the distractions of being at home, with his dog, snacks, and toys within reach. And his teacher is a saint, plain and simple.

Welders also have had to make adjustments. Tajzi Thompson, a 25-year-old from Norcross, Ga., knew what he wanted to do with his life the moment he picked up a TIG torch in high school. After finding a home at a fabrication company doing highly scrutinized TIG work, Thompson had to change directions after being let go because of a COVID-19-related slowdown. So, he adjusted the best way he could.

We've recently featured individuals and companies who, when confronted with a problem or an internal dilemma, made bold adjustments—from companies looking for a better way to hire and prepare their welders to an artist who set aside her degree from a four-year institution to follow her gut and pick up a welding gun.

How have you had to adjust over the last year, and where have those adjustments led you at the present?

Best wishes to you all for the year ahead. We look forward to engaging with you as we continue to navigate toward the light at the end of the tunnel.