Welding Schools Play an Important Role in Alabama’s History

Article by William Hauselberg

Alabama has a long and storied past when it comes to welding and Alabama welding school. When Birmingham first came to prominence, the large quantity of raw steel produced in the ‘Magic City’ consequently led to demand for finished steel products such as steam boilers and industrial lathes. This led to the first boom in welding schools, although at first they were quite primitive. The first accredited and nationally recognized welding schools came to Alabama during the Second World War, as Mobile became a major manufacturer of ships for the merchant marine. While shipyards in Boston or New York are more famous for their production of “Liberty Ships,” Mobile produced the vast majority of the ships used in the trade between the United States and South America, which was the primary source of rubber used by American war machines.Welding’s Role in Alabama TodayWhile worldwide trade and the decline of American heavy industry has led to a decline in Alabama’s welding schools, there are still many notable schools located in areas where industry is still practiced, especially in the realm of auto manufacture. Companies from Mercedes to Toyota to Hyundai have all chosen to produce cars in Alabama due to abundant labor and inexpensive real estate. While these factories are largely automated, a lot of the more delicate work (and all of the robot repair) must be done by hand. Therefore, Alabama welder programs have shifted away from teaching students about large-scale industrial welding in order to allow them to focus on delicate, detail welding, as is needed in auto manufacture. What to Look For in a Welding SchoolThis makes it easy for would-be welders to find a school that offers them the best chance at later employment. Not only should the classes ideally be small, they should offer courses in the sort of detail welding and spot welding necessary for auto manufacture. A good way to tell if the class is appropriate is to see whether or not the class has access to real car doors, bodies, and other parts with which to practice welding. It is also important to find out where the graduates of various schools end up. If you want to work for a certain auto plant or industrial welding facility, ask current employees where they got their education. Many employers will aggressively recruit from a handful of schools which they trust, and therefore looking at who is already employed and where they learned their trade is a great way to ensure that you receive the same education from a trusted institution.

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