PARENT TO PARENT TESTIMONIALS

“I never thought my son would find a career he enjoyed. He has always been a good student, but he lacked focus. When a friend of his encouraged him to sign up for a welding program at school, he enjoyed it so much, his whole life changed. Now he’s planning on becoming an engineer, and thanks to the American Welding Society Foundation, he has a chance of earning a four-year scholarship. I never thought I’d say welding changed our lives…but it has.”

– Barbara Spring, Arizona

''We always told our son not to just settle for a high-school education. We wanted him to have a job that pays well and that he liked. On Mother's Day, he gave me a coat rack he had welded himself. I was very proud of that – more than if he went out and bought something.”

– Sherrie Ferguson, Michigan

I’m a typical parent. I have a Master’s degree, and I expected all my kids to go to college. But my straight-A, math-whiz daughter surprised me. In her junior year, her grades started to plummet and she started talking about dropping out. She was bored with school until she enrolled in a metal-shop class because it was different. Surprisingly, she found it challenging and inspiring. She’s so good at it, she’s already had several job offers and she hasn’t even graduated. All I ever wanted was for my kids to be happy in their careers and their lives. I thought they had to get a college degree to do it; I’m thrilled that she proved me wrong.

– Carl Reedley, California