Welding Journal

Although compounded by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the current welder shortage is nothing new. The aging welder workforce, the lack of a substantial new generation of welders, and career advancements/ transitions along with an unprecedented surge in the demand for metallics across all industries caused a headache for welding shops long before the pandemic. But that brewing storm strengthened to a hurricane once the pandemic hit.

“COVID has hurt us pretty bad,” explained Mark Moye, plant manager at Advanta S..