With nearly half of the North American welder workforce due to retire soon, the United States faces a potential shortage of more than 200,000 skilled welders by 2010.

Several U.S. construction and manufacturing companies continue to report significant problems due to the shortage, including slowed or halted production, according to the American Welding Society (www.aws.org).

To help to combat this problem, the American Welding Society, the world’s largest organization dedicated to advancing the science, technology and application of welding, has published a new welding career guide.

The guide – Your Career in Welding – is available free to students, teachers, guidance counselors and parents.

“Our quality of life is dependent on the strength of our manufacturing, construction and maintenance and repair industries and each of these industries require welding professionals to thrive,” Ray Shook, executive director of the American Welding Society, said.

“But too many welders are retiring and too few students are entering the field. Quick measures must be taken to help this situation, including promoting the excellent and diverse welding career opportunities that are available,” Shook added.

The AWS welding career guide is offered on the AWS website, and is intended for use as a complete welding industry resource and essential recruitment tool.

The guide features general information about welding and AWS, industry success stories, AWS scholarships, student chapter locations, and other comprehensive information about a range of welding careers and entryways into the industry.

“The new AWS welding career guide is an incredibly useful tool for introducing students to the welding industry’s many positive attributes and diversifications while highlighting various career paths and entryways. I look forward to sharing this with my students as well as others who are interested in a career in welding or its many related fields,” David Cotner, welding department head at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, said.

The various career choices and pathways featured in the guide present information on typical work environments and career demands. For example, under the welding sales career profile, common daily activities are mentioned as well as possible job requirements and types of products sold. Additional welding careers highlighted are: welding engineer; underwater welder; welding salesperson; welding technician; welding educator; and welding machine operator.

The career guide is part of the Welder Workforce Development Program, a wider AWS program that is aimed at drawing positive attention to the welding industry.

In 2006 the AWS Foundation, a subsidiary of AWS, launched this program to address the critical need for recruitment and specialized training of entry level welders while supporting industry workforce needs. The Welder Workforce Development Program is an essential component of the AWS Foundation’s $10 million capital campaign, Welding for the Strength of America, which is aimed at facilitating programs, scholarships and other initiatives in support of the welding industry.

To receive a free welding career guide go to AWS webpage, and press the tab marked “careers.” Requests can also be made by calling 800-443-9353, ext 248, or via email at weldingcareers@aws.org.