Weld Wednesdays w/ AWS Leveling Up in 2026 – Where do I start and How AWS Can Help? Feat. Dr. Josh Burgess
Release Date: 01/14/2026
Weld Wednesday w/ AWS Robots vs. Cobots: Building an Automation Program with Anthony Nighswander of APT Manufacturing
Arc Junkies
In this episode of Weld Wednesday with AWS, host Jason Becker sits down with Anthony Nighswander, founder of APT Manufacturing and one of the top FANUC integrators in the country. Anthony breaks down the real difference between traditional industrial robots and collaborative robots (cobots), why welders — not controls engineers — make the best cobot programmers, and how schools can bring automation into their programs without blowing up an already-packed curriculum. They also dig into FANUC's education grant structure (up to $400,000 in matching software value), what a robotic welding cell...
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Weld Wednesday w/ AWSThe $100K Myth: What It Actually Takes to Hit Six Figures in Welding — with Dabs Wellington
Arc Junkies
Sean "Dabs" Flottman — welder, fabricator, educator, and bracelet-shipping hustle machine — joins Jason on this month's Weld Wednesday with AWS to tackle one of the most debated topics in the trade: the six-figure welding salary. Is it a myth? Is it achievable? And more importantly, what does it actually take? Dabs brings nearly 30 years of experience to the table, starting at $6.30 an hour and working his way through sheet metal, fabrication, and eventually into welding education at a trade school. He and Jason break down the ingredients required to reach $100K — from the top-10%...
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402. From Welding School to $100K: The KWI Kids Proving Everyone Wrong w/ Landon Earlywine & Jackson Settler
Arc Junkies
Think fresh-out-of-welding-school means starting at the bottom? Landon Earlywine (19) and Jackson Settler (18) are about to change your mind. Six months after graduating from the Kentucky Welding Institute, these two are working 60-hour weeks doing TIG stainless pipe fab for data center infrastructure up in Logansport, Indiana — earning $38/hr plus $120/day per diem. In less than seven months, they've pulled in $95,000 combined, started Roth IRAs, bought reliable trucks with big down payments, and are on track to blow past $150K in their first year. Jason sits down with both of them to find...
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Weld Wednesdays w/ AWS| Resistance Welding Demystified with Don DeCorte — The Process Hiding in Plain Sight
Arc Junkies
Don DeCorte spent 46 years in resistance welding, including 31 at Roman Manufacturing, and now teaches the AWS Certified Resistance Welding Technician (CRWT) certification through his consulting company DTS Technical Services. He sits down with Jason to pull the curtain back on the welding process most arc guys never think about — but interact with constantly. From the 1,300+ resistance-welded products hiding inside your local Home Depot, to the flash welds on every commercial jet's front landing gear, to the butt-welded steel wheels under every 18-wheeler and state trooper car, Don makes...
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401. Data Centers, Nuclear, and the Steel Boom Coming for Welders w/ Stephanie Hoffman
Arc Junkies
Stephanie Hoffman is back on the show, this time as the new Director of Industry Development and Engagement at Miller Electric. Jason and Stephanie catch up on her time away from the industry, what pulled her back, and the work she is now leading across education, business development, national accounts, customer experience centers, and process training for one of the biggest names in the trade. The conversation covers Miller's Instructor Conference happening this July at the Appleton, Wisconsin headquarters in partnership with Fox Valley Technical College, and why Miller is approaching CTE...
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400. "World's Strongest Welding Table"… Prove It w/ Jason Marburger of Fireball Tool
Arc Junkies
Jason Marburger of Fireball Tool returns for our annual conversation — and he's not pulling punches. We dig into the public feud between Fireball, Sigmund, and Quantum Machinery over fixture table claims, why "world's strongest welding table" needs data to back it up, and Jason's push to standardize testing across the industry. He also walks us through the grinding disc performance guide his shop spent months producing, the surprising winners (the $2.50 Steel Savage, the new 3M Cubitron 3), and why pressure — not RPM — is what most welders are getting wrong. Plus a preview of what...
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399. From Helper to Foreman: Building a Career in Structural Steel with Chad Doucette
Arc Junkies
Chad Doucette, foreman at Ace Welding in Oceanside, California, joins Jason Becker on the Arch Junkies Podcast to talk about going from a random job offer on the street to running a structural steel shop — all in five years. Chad breaks down the real path to growth in this industry: why the helper position is the most underrated opportunity in any shop, how attitude and work ethic matter more than your cert, and why he's now setting his sights on the CWI. He also gets candid about where he came from, how welding changed his life, and the mindset shift that made all the difference. If you're...
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Weld Wednesday with AWS | National Welding Month Special
Arc Junkies
In this special National Welding Month edition of Weld Wednesday with AWS, host Jason Becker sits down with three guests who each represent a unique and exciting path that a welding career can open up. Kicking things off is Austin Ross — known across social media as A-Ross Welding — a pipeline welder with roughly a decade of experience and a member of Pipeliners Union 798. Austin breaks down the real cost of life on the pipe, how to break into the industry as a helper, what it takes to earn your spot, and why attitude and thinking ahead can make or break your career out there. Next up,...
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398. From Night School to Lincoln Electric's Head of Innovation w/ Sheldon Wray
Arc Junkies
Jason sits down with Sheldon Wray, head of Industrial Technology and Innovation Strategy at Lincoln Electric, for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring career story and inside look at the future of the welding industry. Sheldon shares how he went from studying electronics and computer engineering in LA to falling in love with welding at night school class — and how one chance encounter at a career fair changed everything. He breaks down Lincoln Electric's legendary welding school, what it actually takes to earn your place in the field, and the inside story behind the development of...
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New CWI? Here’s What Nobody Tells You About Welding Inspection w/ Daryl Peterson
Arc Junkies
Passing the CWI exam is a huge accomplishment — but it’s only the beginning. In this episode of the Arc Junkies Podcast, Jason Becker sits down with veteran welding inspector Daryl Peterson to discuss what new Certified Welding Inspectors really need to know after earning their certification. From ethics and inspection authority to metallurgy, code interpretation, and non-destructive testing, this conversation breaks down the real challenges that many new CWIs face when they step into the role for the first time. Daryl shares insights from 40 years in welding inspection, including the...
info_outlineIn the first Weld Wednesdays with AWS episode of 2026, I'm sitting down with Dr. Josh Burgess, current President of the American Welding Society and Senior Program Manager for Metallurgical and Welding Engineering at the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Dr. Burgess shares his path from welding in high school and competing at the national level to earning his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in materials science and engineering. Along the way, AWS played a pivotal role—providing scholarships, networking opportunities, mentorship, and leadership development that shaped his career.
This conversation covers:
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How AWS membership opens doors at every career stage
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The value of section involvement and industry networking
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Leadership development through volunteering
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Welding metallurgy, inspection, and failure analysis
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Workforce development and future career paths in welding
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Emerging technology like additive manufacturing and automation
Whether you’re a student, working welder, inspector, educator, or industry leader, this episode highlights why welding remains one of the most versatile and opportunity-rich trades available today.
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