While there are plenty of lucrative professions available throughout the country, there is one career field which might not get the recognition it deserves, the skills trade professions, which include welding, machinists, electricians and more.
“It’s getting harder and harder to find skilled craftsman, because everyone is getting into the technical trade,” said Kevin Dinwiddie, president of Formweld Fitting Inc., a local manufacturer of welded fittings. “I think your demand for welders is going to go up simply because your supply is not there for welders.”
Last year, U.S. News and World Report website stated career fields in both information technology and health care are growing. While those career fields continue to expand, the skill labor workforce is getting closer to retirement. Forbes.com published statistics revealing more than half of the skill-trade workers are 45 years or older and nearly 20 percent are between the ages 55 and 64.
Formweld Fitting, located within the Industrial Park at East Milton, manufacturers specialty welded fittings for distributors and manufacturing company all over the world, Dinwiddie said.
Currently the operation, which currently employees 17 skilled labor specialists, offers services to niche market. The company not only specializes in welding with stainless and nickel alloys, but they can also offer 24-hour turn around on their products for their customers.
Dinwiddie said his company has employed several local welders at the company, many of which have stayed with the profession for several years.
“We’ve guys that have been welding for 25 to 30 years,” he said.
Dinwiddie said a welder with nearly 40 years experience recently retired from the company.
This line of work also offers options from working at a company like Formweld Fitting to working in a shipyard, in aviation or construction.
James Stevens, a Milton resident, has worked as a welder at Formweld Fitting for the past six years. Stevens said he has used the skill since an early age In addition to learning the different skill levels of welding, Stevens said he picked up his love for welding from his family.
“I have family that is into welding,” he said. “It’s something that I picked up and I like doing it.”
Stevens has used his talent to customize golf carts in his spare time.
“I have customized golf carts and I have sent them all over the United States,” Stevens said. “You will always find something to weld someway, it’s amazing.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Skill trades put to work in East Milton