Local 3 California Hosts Welding Training with Refractory Perspective

JOURNAL: ISSUE 3 - 2013

From left, IMI Welding Instructor Lars Espeland, Local 3 members Matthew Abuan, Aaron Renick, Henry Diaz, Kim Sandvei, Jose Nava, Robert Schaeffer, Martha McFarland, Matthew Johnson, and J.T. Thorpe & Son, Inc. Manpower/Safety Manager Neal Garcia and Regional Manager/Vice President Rich Giaramita.

Local 3 California hosted a welding training class for members on August 5-16th in conjunction with IMI and J.T. Thorpe & Son, Inc. (JTT), the largest refractory contractor in North America. JTT offered the use of its facilities and IMI provided a qualified welding instructor to facilitate the training.

This welding training, customized to meet the needs of the refractory industry, gave BAC members the opportunity and advantage to be the best that they can be in their craft and make them more valuable craftworkers.

Mark C. Stutzman, CEO of J.T. Thorpe & Son, Inc., said, "We welcomed the BAC's IMI Welding Instructor [out of the Chicago area] into our shop to coach our craftsmen and develop our workers' skills. Proficiency of welding is one of the many skills required to differentiate our company from the competition. This kind of responsiveness to contractor needs is a great example of how we all want the partnership between BAC, union contractors, and IMI to work."

Eight students started each day with a classroom session and quiz from the preceding night's homework. Hands-on training began with the fundamentals of setting up and using a cutting torch. After practicing running beads on flat work, the remaining instruction focused on vertical welds, which will be performed by Local 3 members in the field. 

Two members were certified in E308/ E309 and two members certified in Inconel 182 when the training was completed. Equally important, says Local 3 President Dave Jackson, "is that all of our attendees were able to improve their chances for additional employment."