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My brother-in-law, a welder, told me he thinks our trade's focus on certifications is overblown.
We were at a family cookout in Akron and he said, 'I've seen guys with a stack of papers who can't read a weld puddle, and guys with no certs who can fix anything.' It got me thinking about a guy I worked with last year on the Toledo job, who had 20 years of experience but kept getting passed over for lead spots. What's the real balance between paper and practical skill on your crews?
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rivershah9d ago
Ever seen a certified guy who couldn't weld his way out of a wet paper bag?
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smith.anna9d ago
Seen it plenty, rivershah. A paper cert doesn't mean someone can run a good bead under pressure. I watched a guy pass his plate test but then couldn't fix a simple crack on a trailer gate because he kept burning through the thin metal. The real test is always outside the booth.
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