When manufacturers, workforce pipeline providers, and educators convene, the three terms that resound most urgently are high demand, skills gap, and critical need. Unfortunately, these terms paint a stark picture of the current state of the welding workforce.
Why is that? The nation’s aging infrastructure will require the expertise of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers to help rebuild bridges, highways, and buildings. These workers are also needed in manufacturing plants, such as those that produce metal products and machinery, combined with an aging skilled trades workforce. According to the American Welding Society, more than 42% of welders are over the age of 45, and more than half are approaching retirement.
That’s why workforce development programs like the one at Project LIFT are critically important, not just for the manufacturers and fabricators who need talent but also for young people seeking an alternative career path. Again, according to AWS, attending a technical school to become a website is an investment that pays off quicker than pursuing a four-year degree.
Enter Project LIFT – On his first day, a struggling teen who was once told he couldn’t be trusted is handed a 2800-degree welding torch. This sparks an interest that becomes a replacement behavior that becomes a career.
When visiting Project LIFT in Palm City, this story unfolds in real-time in the workshop where vocational training meets mental health therapy.
Founded in Martin County in 2010, Project LIFT uses an innovative combination of skilled trades instruction and evidence-based therapies to restore dignity, hope, and work ethic to at-risk teens and young adults, resulting in a healthy, sober, career-ready workforce. The organization serves more than 700 students annually in a variety of programming.
More than 50 Project LIFT graduates have either secured employment as welders for local businesses or have gone on to pursue post-secondary welding certification programs. Many others have succeeded in carpentry, construction, HVAC, and automotive repair, all taught in conjunction with welding across the non-profit’s 3 locations.
To learn more about A Project LIFT welding success story, visit or to inquire how your company may benefit from a Project LIFT graduate, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIraPmY9mPk
For more information about Project LIFT, visit www.projectlift.org
