WELD

Nathan Montes spent 12 years as a Texas rig welder before building Slickman Welding Apparel. Now, he’s using his voice in the industry to ask a question a lot of welders are feeling: What happens when the cost of doing the work keeps climbing, but the pay doesn’t? In this episode, Nathan returns to the WELD Podcast to break down the Wage Wobble movement, why he started it, and what he hopes it can...

Heading to FABTECH for the first time? Think of it as Comic-Con for welders. From meeting the people you follow online to trying equipment you might never get your hands on back home, there’s a lot more to the show than walking past booths and collecting stickers. In this episode, Beau shares his tips for making the most of FABTECH, including what to pack, how to plan your time on the floor, and w...

TIG Devil Diesel  (Diesel D'Souza) known online as TIG Devil , is a self-taught welder and TIG welding artist whose work turns stainless steel into detailed, colorful artwork and dimensional metal sculptures. In this episode, he shares how he went from picking up a MIG welder at work to becoming a full-time welder, earning CWB certifications, learning stick and TIG welding, and eventually buil...

Daniela Torelli didn’t take the traditional path into welding. After realizing a career as a veterinary technician would not give her the financial independence she wanted, she started looking through the skilled trades, and welding stood out. In this episode, Daniela, Membership Services Lead for the CWB Association and the welder and artist behind Think Pink Welding, talks about mentorship, comm...

Michael Klee’s path into welding started with a skateboard rail. After growing up around his father’s machine shop, Michael learned to stick weld so he could build his own rail—and that one project turned into a 23-year career in the welding industry. In this episode, Michael joins us in person at the show floor to talk about his path from shop work and welding technology school into automation, s...

Milena Stevanov is one of the owners of GS Engineering, a structural consulting firm supporting fabrication, welding quality programs, structural design, and more. In this episode, she shares how she and her business partner acquired the company they once interned for, what it takes to become a welding engineer, and why the best results happen when engineers and welders work together. What You’ll...

Montana Woolley’s welding career has taken her from a first-day beginner in the booth to shop work, inspection, supervision, and now education with CWB Education. In this episode, she shares how following curiosity, showing up ready to learn, and staying open to new opportunities helped her find a career path that keeps evolving. What You’ll Learn ● How Montana went from having zero tool experienc...

Al Theriault built 575 Custom Fabrications the hard way: first as a welder, then as an inspector, then in sales, and finally by turning a garage shop into a full-time fabrication business. If you’re a welder thinking about going out on your own, trying to price custom work better, or figuring out how to turn skill into a sustainable business, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-w...

Sarah Stork has built a name for herself by creating strikingly realistic metal animal sculptures that blend welding skill, texture work, and artistic vision. If you’ve ever wondered how a welder turns scrap, wire, and texture into lifelike animals, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Sarah’s process, inspiration, and approach to sculpture. What You'll Learn Why Sarah chose anim...

Trent Konrad didn’t start in an office, he started in the welding industry, grinding mill scale, learning the trade, and working his way up from the shop floor. In this episode, he breaks down how he moved from welding to education, then into leadership at the CWB Group, and why being willing to shoot your shot helped open major doors along the way. What You’ll Learn How Trent got introduced to we...

Brook Laing started in the trades as a steam-fitter welder and eventually found her way into industry media, where she now helps tell the stories behind manufacturing and fabrication. In this episode, Brook shares how she got into the trades, why she left union work, and how podcasting and content creation became part of her mission to make the industry more approachable and human. What You'll...

In this episode of the WELD Podcast, we sit down with Guy Seguin, program coordinator and welding professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, to talk about what it really takes to get good at stick welding. Guy shares the biggest mistakes beginners make, how to build consistency with arc length and travel speed, and why getting comfortable and putting in the reps matters more than chasing t...

Kayla Vander Molen is a pressure welder, welding examiner, and senior instructor with the Boilermakers in Canada, and in this episode she breaks down what it really takes to build a career in one of the most demanding trades in welding. If you’ve ever wondered how pressure tickets work in Canada, what boiler makers actually do, or how mentorship and union training can change the trajectory of a we...

The welding industry is changing fast, and if you want to keep up, it is not about learning one process anymore. In this episode of WELD, Beau Wigington takes a look inside the brand new CWB Group Center of Innovation in Milton, Canada, during its grand opening to see how training, technology, and industry partnerships are shaping the future of the trade. Beau talks with leaders from CWB Group abo...

Ian Mehlenbacher is a Red Seal Welder for the Niagara Parks Commission, and his job is anything but ordinary. If you're a welder who wants to see what it looks like to work on iconic infrastructure, custom fabrication, and one-of-a-kind projects every single day, this episode shows you exactly what that career can look like. In this episode, you'll learn: What the Red Seal certification ac...

Mohamed Amer has spent 15 years climbing every rung of the aerospace welding world, from the shop floor to engineering, inspection, sales, and management, and now he helps manufacturers break into one of the most compliance-driven sectors in the industry. If you're a welder looking for a cleaner environment, better pay, and a long-term career path, or a shop owner wondering what it actually ta...

Justin LaFond built a welding career the hard way — through shop work, sales, field experience, and learning how to solve problems most people overlook. If you’re a welder trying to figure out your next move, avoid expensive career mistakes, or understand what opportunities exist beyond the booth, this episode gives you a real-world look at where welding can take you. In this episode, you’ll learn...

EJ Naegeli moved across the country for a welding job, and two years later she’s building custom hot rods, race cars, and a whole new level of confidence. If you’re a welder starting a new job, learning fabrication on the clock, or wondering whether taking a big career leap is worth it, this episode gives you a real look at what that growth actually feels like. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How...

Mini Mayhem brings out the kind of builds that show what welding is really good for: making weird ideas work, fixing what breaks, and learning by doing. If you’re a welder, fabricator, student, or garage builder looking for real-world inspiration beyond the booth, this episode shows how mini bikes, go-karts, electric builds, and trackside repairs can sharpen your skills. More about Mini MayhemMini...

Tom Patsis turns old license plates, flywheels, camshafts, rims, and swap meet finds into custom trophies with real racing history built into every piece. If you’re a welder, fabricator, car builder, or creative maker trying to figure out how welding skills can lead to unique work, this episode shows what that process actually looks like. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to spot parts at a swa...

Your first welding job might not be the cleanest, highest-paying, or most glamorous job, but it can teach you more than school ever could. If you’re fresh out of welding school, getting ready to apply, or trying to figure out how to land your first real welding job, this episode gives you real stories from welders who have been there. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to get your foot in the do...

Robotic welding is not replacing skilled welders, it is creating a new lane for welders who understand the puddle, the process, and how to work safely around automation. If you are a welder thinking about robotics, automation, or a career shift that builds on your hands-on welding skills, this episode shows what that path can actually look like. In this episode, you’ll learn:How GTCC’s new GMAW ro...

Backyard welding events are giving first-timers the kind of hands-on shop experience that many schools no longer offer. If you’re a welder, maker, teacher, fabricator, or someone who wants to help more people get into the trades, this episode shows what can happen when a community opens the shop doors and lets people learn by doing. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why community-based maker events...

Jackson Williams is building large-scale steel sculptures with handmade bending tools, a MIG welder, and a small corner of a shared shop. If you're a welder thinking about getting into metal art, starting small, or building something original without buying a shop full of equipment, this episode will show you what actually matters. • Learn how Jackson builds full-size animal sculptures from ha...

Harrison Stone started his welding business at 24, but staying in the trade has meant learning how to work through serious health challenges, protect himself on the job, and build income beyond just welding. If you're a welder thinking about going out on your own, getting into mobile work, or trying to build a business that can survive real-life setbacks, this episode will give you a more hone...