In this episode of the Arc Junkies Podcast, Jason sits down with George Rolla, a pipe welder, inspector, educator, and industry leader with over 50 years of hands-on experience in the welding trade.
George shares his journey from welding in the Canadian Arctic and North Dakota oil fields to becoming an AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector, Certified Welding Engineer, and founder of the California Welding Institute. Together, Jason and George have an honest, in-depth conversation about what's broken in welding education, why instructor quality matters more than ever, and how poor training creates ripple effects throughout fabrication, inspection, and code compliance.
They also discuss fast-track training done the right way, the realities of workforce development, the challenges of welding codes becoming law, and why documentation, ethics, and real-world experience still matter in a rapidly changing industry.
This is a must-listen episode for welders, inspectors, educators, and anyone who cares about protecting the integrity of the trade.
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