Social media welding industry celebrity Nate Bowman helps advocate the value of AWS certifications

FULLY CERTIFIED

by Abbe Miller, editor-in-chief

T he welding skills gap has been a tough nut to crack. As Baby Boomers have been hanging up their welding guns

in favor of retirement, organizations like the American Welding Society (AWS) have been chipping away at the void left behind through a myriad of campaigns aimed at the next generation. While these efforts have made significant inroads, AWS reports that that there will still be a need for 300,000 welding professionals in the United States by 2024.

For AWS, one of the most successful strategies to date has been leveraging social media, specifically, the influencers that are flexing their welding skills online. A quick search for welding on Instagram results in young, tattooed welding celebrities that are chronicling their work through slick photos and flashy videos that boast some serious production value. And the number of likes they get don’t lie; these influencers are swiftly removing the stigma that welding is a dirty job that no one wants to do.

With 17,000 followers on Instagram, Nate Bowman is one of the influencers that’s making a difference. By day, he’s the director of welding optimization and education at Central Welding Supply Co. Inc. based in North Lakewood, Wash. In that role, he’s solving almost every welding problem imaginable – from weld failures to procedure development issues and everything in between. He also oversees continuing education for Central’s employees and customers while working with local trade and high schools, helping them create curriculums that speak to the needs of today’s welding students.

When Bowman is off the job, he’s known online as the Weld Scientist, a welding pro that knows the exact formula for laying down a gorgeous bead no matter the material or the process. But that’s just the half of it. He also serves as a mentor and go-to guy to his Instagram followers, dedicating his free time to sharing everything he’s ever learned throughout his career.

“I have people asking me questions all the time,” he says. “Someone will ask

Nate Bowman is the director of welding optimization and education at Central Welding Supply Co. Inc., but he’s also a CWI, CWE and CWS as well as a social media welding influencer. He leverages a deep understanding of the science behind welding to inspire others to take their careers to the next level.

me about a weld setting, and I’m like, ‘cut, paste, here you go, share it with all of your friends.’ Nine times out of 10, I’ll get a message back, saying, ‘these settings are awesome; they work every time.’ Some people hold that info close

to the vest, but I think that’s the wrong philosophy to have. Instead, I believe that the more that experienced welders are willing to share their knowledge, the bigger and stronger the welding community becomes.”

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CERTIFIED CAMPAIGNBowman is certified – in the sense that he’s put in his time as a welder and has the chops to prove it. His dad owned a construction company, so he was exposed to the trades at a young age. And then, shows like Monster Garage hit the airwaves, which further proved to him that his interest in welding could be more than a hobby. Even though his first jobs in welding left something to be desired, he kept pressing forward.

“When I was coming up in the industry, I didn’t have anyone to ask for help,” Bowman explains. “I was very passionate about welding, so I was trying to glean information from these older guys at work, but a lot of them didn’t take me seriously. They didn’t get why I was taking photos of my welds, and in hindsight, I wish I’d taken more.”

A deep interest in photography helped Bowman gain his status – and his

Watch the video to find out why Bowman says that earning one’s CWI is “a huge step in earning credibility as a welder.”

following – on social media. A quick glance at his Instagram account proves that his photography chops are just as impressive as his welding chops. But, in terms of a welding career, Bowman learned early on that it takes more than just chops to make it.

A turning point came when he was “officially” certified as a welder and not just in the hard-knocks sense. With an AWS certification under his belt, he says he was finally taken seriously. Today, he has three – a CWS, CWI and CWE, the AWS’s certified welding supervisor,

In his early 20s, Will Peasley is already making a name for himself in the welding world. When he’s not on the job, he’s collaborating with other welders, like Bowman, to demonstrate to the next generation of welders what their careers could have in store for them.

Nate Bowman, director of welding optimization and education, Central Welding Supply Co. Inc.

“I was very passionate about welding, so I was trying to glean information from these older guys at work, but a lot of them didn’t

take me seriously.”

campaign with a goal to get more welders interested in certification. With his unique platform on Instagram, he set out to produce a series of videos that would catch folks’ attention, but not sugarcoat the realities of earning AWS certification.

From personal experience, he knows the value of an AWS certification, but he makes no bones about it: If you’re going to pursue it, you need to be prepared to study. In a recent Arc Junkies podcast hosted by Jason Becker, Bowman said that the process for preparing for an AWS certification exam requires “a change in lifestyle.” STAR POWERThe first video in Bowman’s Certified series focuses on how to prepare for the AWS CWI test. Coming in at only 3 min., it’s a short watch that packs in a lot of advice, including being prepared to dedicate a year of studying in order to pass the CWI exam.

Bowman easily could have just sat in his welding trailer and rattled off study tips to produce the AWS video series, but that’s not his style. And it’s not what young welders need to

Peasley is qualified for D1.1 and D1.3 welding and plans to eventually advance his career with AWS certifications.

THE MORE YOU KNOW American Welding Society (AWS) certifications can take a welder’s career to the next level. There are several to choose from, but according to Nate Bowman, director of welding optimization and education at Central Welding Supply Co. Inc., the most valuable include the Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS) credential as well as the Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and Certified Welding Educator (CWE) credentials. He’s earned all three.

CERTIFIED WELDING SUPERVISOR (CWS)The road to earning a CWS certification gives welders the deep knowledge they need to reduce costs, increase productivity and, ultimately, become more competitive. To qualify for the exam, welders can fill out a simple application form and from there, take the test at one of the hundreds of accredited testing sites around the nation.

Bowman recommends studying for up to a year for the exam and then enrolling in a week-long seminar right before taking the test.

“The CWS credential and studying for it is all about how welding works from 30,000 ft., and I think that everyone should get that credential first,” Bowman says. “It makes you a better welder and will ultimately make you a much better weld inspector.”

CERTIFIED WELDING INSPECTOR (CWI)Out of all of the certifications available through AWS, the CWI is often considered to be the most popular and the most helpful in terms of elevating

one’s career. It’s recognized both nationally and internationally, allowing a CWI to take their career to almost anywhere on the planet. Bowman can’t stress enough, though, how advantageous it is to earn a CWS first. The more a welder knows about the science behind welding the better they will be at inspecting others’ work.

“With a CWS, you can say that you understand how voltage works and understand how shielding gas affects the width of penetration,” he explains. “That gives you a much greater understanding of procedure development. That’s why I think the two certifications should go hand in hand and why the CWS is super advantageous for someone that’s looking to get into weld inspection.”

To apply for the CWI exam, a welder must pass a vision test and have a combination of qualifying education and work experience, with supporting documentation. From there, online training, seminars and other resources are available through AWS to prepare for the test.

CERTIFIED WELDING EDUCATOR (CWE)The exams for the CWI and CWE certifications are identical, minus the Part C - Code Book portion that’s not required for CWE certification. The CWI and CWE certifications may be earned simultaneously. For those welders that have already earned their CWI and meet a variety of pre-requisites, no testing is required.

“I got my CWS first, then my CWI and for my CWE, fortunately, I had enough time in front of students that was documented that I could just pay the extra money to get the CWE endorsement when I took my CWI exam,” Bowman explains. “I was fortunate that that was the path that I took.”

inspector and educator certifications, respectively.

Assuming that other young welders are experiencing the same frustrations Bowman encountered early in his career, he was more than willing to partner with AWS to help the organization launch its Certified

Nate Bowman, director of welding optimization and education, Central Welding Supply Co. Inc.

“If we don’t have solid welding educators, we don’t have a future in

the welding industry.”

be inspired to take what Bowman describes as the long journey to certification.

So, he tracked down a friend of his, Jesse Larson, that just happens to have won a few Emmys for cinematography, and the two of them set off on a journey of their own to film in Bend, Ore., four hours from Bowman’s home.

“If we were going to make an impact with these videos, we felt like we had to create a new standard for the welding industry,” Bowman says. “It had to be really cool. Fortunately, we were starting off on a good foot – with an award-winning videographer.”

Knowing his audience, Bowman also sought out welders to shoot for the video that had experience earning AWS certification and D1.1 qualification. First on deck was Will Peasley, an up-and-coming welder with a lot of passion for the trade.

“Will is only 22 years old, but he’s already a killer welder,” Bowman raves. “We also used Blair Haverstraw in the video, a welding engineer that works at Central Welding Supply. Blair was the perfect complement to Will as he could give viewers a different perspective – one from the engineering side of things. Blair earned his B.S. in engineering, has his CWI certification and is heavily involved in helping Central’s customers develop effective

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To produce the series of videos for the AWS Certified campaign, Bowman solicited the help of his good friend and award-winning cinematographer, Jesse Larson.

on the specific certifications – CWI, CWS and CWE – while the remaining two will focus on the value of AWS certification from a welder’s point of view and then from a business owner’s point of view “because they’re the ones typically writing the check,” Bowman explains.

“I felt it was important to also speak to the guys that are cutting the checks,” he says. “It’s their money, so it’s critical for them to understand why they should invest in their welders.”

When it comes down to it, Bowman recommends welders go after the CWS first. This is the certification that Bowman says was the personal gamechanger for his career. It’s what inspired him to take a deeper look into the science behind welding and it’s what he says, “will give you the opportunity to gain the most knowledge about the welding process, which will make you an indisposable asset in the welding industry.”

Like the CWI exam, Bowman recommends a year of studying prior to taking the CWS exam. Also like the CWI certification, a CWS certification

will open up job opportunities as well as higher rates of pay. As far as the CWE goes, Bowman doesn’t mince words in terms of its importance: “If we don’t have solid welding educators, we don’t have a future in the welding industry.”

It’s statements like these that make Bowman the perfect spokesperson for the value of AWS certifications. But it is his career as a whole that makes him the perfect role model for the welders that will come after him.

To check out Bowman’s AWS certifications video series, head here. To follow him on Instagram or ask him welding-related questions, head here.

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welding procedures. On top of that, he’s currently studying for the CWS exam.”

In Bend, the filmmakers encountered a dramatic backdrop, one that started out with blue skies that was later cloaked in a haze from the wildfires that had been raging for weeks on end in 2020. As they filmed, temperatures rose to 107 degrees F,

but that didn’t stop them – they were in the zone. Leave it to a team of welders to not be phased by the heat. MISSION CRITICALOverall, Bowman plans to release five videos using footage taken from the Bend trip as well as additional footage taken in his own welding trailer and on-site at Central Welding Supply. Three of the videos focus

NATE BOWMAN, @WELDSCIENTIST

AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY

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