New Trades Career Assessor Tom

Ode to a Welder; thoughts from Tom, a New Trades Career Assessor

Whilst working in a training Centre in Birmingham I came across a poem called ‘Ode to a Welder’, it went like this:
Tell me, tell me, earnest elder
How do I become a welder?

It was taken from a copy of Punch in 1948 and the author of the poem must have had a good insight into the ways of welding because it covered all aspects of the welding profession.

Many years before, I left school to seek my way in life. I walked straight into a situation as an apprentice welder. As apprentices we all gathered around a heater at breaks, an older boy was attending night school. He started to discuss what they were learning, and I instantly became very interested. In the August two of us travelled down to the nearby town to enrol in a City & Guild welding course. And there began a love affair between me and learning. Rain hail or shine I had to travel three nights a week. Thankfully times have moved on and now it’s possible to learn welding through flexible courses which allow you to continue working but also study at your convenience, like the courses I teach with New Trades Career.
My big break came when a neighbour spotted a position for a welding instructor. We drove through to an interview just outside Glasgow. I heard nothing for two weeks until one night about 7pm there was knock at the door and standing there was a stranger who calmly asked my name, introduced himself, then dropped the bombshell; “I’m here to offer you the position as an instructor”. And, so began a journey that is still on going to this day.
Gaining my wings as a new-recruit I embarked into the teaching profession. I settled in to pass my knowledge to apprentices.
Two years later and an advert in a national paper led me to changing coasts to the East coast of England for a new teaching challenge teaching for the Government Industrial Training Boards. It was a custom-built training centre housed in twenty-two acres. I loved it there and would have remained there for life. Unfortunately, after fourteen years the Government of the time decided to close the Industrial training Boards. But I was soon back to teaching with a nationally Recognised Company. After four years I was offered a job training abroad, in the Middle East. The military
of the UAE (United Arab Emirates) had decided to run welding training courses. Once I had settled in the Middle East I enjoyed a new way of life. I went to the World Skills in Helsinki as a welding expert, quite an honour as only one person from each country attends for each skill.

After 14 years I moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai to teach in their largest college. I eventually missed the UK and just had to return.

The UK Government of the day decided that all people in training should have a recognised teaching qualification, there started two years at University to gain my teaching degree. I also undertook my A1 Assessors Certificate.
I then joined my present company where I work as an Assessor helping New Trades Career students to become welders.

My life has been one of teaching which has taken me to the corners of the earth.

I will always remember my first year at college. I kept asking myself ” How do you get a job like this?” The answer is hard work. If you have decided to take the first step into another world then you have made the decision to accept change and accept going back to learning after perhaps leaving school years before.

New Trades Career courses are available to assist you to get qualifications both theoretical and practical, recognised by industry which will allow you to step up the ladder towards your goal.

My own speciality is welding. There are numerous avenues to follow once you have gained qualifications; Welder, Gas, MIG, TIG, MMA. From there you will be able to specialise in one of these to become recognised as a welding specialist.

The rewards are well worth the effort, 45 years later I am still learning and am always keen to take up a new challenge.

If you want to get into this amazingly rewarding career please contact us at www.newtradescareer.co.uk