Welding Class Visit
Jim Crowder, CWE
Launch the media gallery 1 playerMost teachers agree, it's wonderful to have a fellow professional and friend come to make a classroom visit. It's especially nice when they share their knowledge both on a professional and a life skills level.
This was the case November 28th, when Jim Crowder, a long-time friend of Mr. Spangler's, visited KACC to speak with students about where his welding career has taken him.
It appeared to this reporter, Mr. Crowder left a really good impression with students, knowing what a successful welder can accomplish.
Mr. Crowder attended Kankakee Community College. Since then, he has worked, learned and traveled around a great deal. Currently, Mr. Crowder is a Certified Welding Educator (CWE).
There are many advantages to being a welding educator. For Mr. Crowder, it has afforded him an opportunity to travel to various businesses, meeting and teaching a wide variety of different people. This position is also more of a corporate type position, whereby he is allowed benefits such as sick and vacation days, and time off with pay. This is a great advantage for some jobs which don't allow paid time off at all.
The various types of jobs Mr. Crowder works on may take him several hundred hours to finish. Others may take him a mere couple of days or maybe a week or two. It all depends as the jobs really vary, which, he says "Keeps life interesting."
Of special note were some thoughts expressed by Mr. Crowder. The philosophies he shared were: "You can't hate the field that you are in; The environment can be a hard factor; Take advantage of what you have to offer and share it; and, and oldie, but a goodie, You get out of life what you put into it.
Mr. Crowder encouraged students at the Career Center to take advantage of the training opportunities available at KACC and to continue on with their education, ether that be at a Junior College, trade school, or going straight to the trade unions.