ESAB
Search icon
  • Log in | Create an account
  • Products & Solutions
    • ESAB Products & Solutions
      ESAB
    • ESAB Product Search
      Product Search
    • Featured Products and Solutions Featured Products and Solutions
      Featured Products and Solutions Featured Products and Solutions
      • Burn & Earn
      • Future Fabricators
      • Warrior Edge CX System
      • Renegade VOLT
      • Rebel Multi-process Welders
      • Ruffian: Engine-driven Welder
      • Sentinel A60

    • Accessories and Consumables
      Accessories and Consumables
      • Filler Metal Accessories
      • Gas Equipment Accessories
      • General Supplies
      • Chemical Aids
      • MIG Torch Consumables
      • Conductor Tubes / Torch Neck
      • Contact Tips
      • Gas Diffusers
      • Gas Nozzles
      • Liners / Conduits
      • Plasma Accessories
      • Welding Equipment Accessories
      • Cable Connectors and Lugs
      • Electrode Holders
      • Ground Clamps
      • Other
    • Carbon Arc Gouging / Exothermic Cutting
      Carbon Arc Gouging / Exothermic Cutting
      • Automatic Gouging / Travel Systems
      • Carbon Arc Gouging Electrodes
      • Carbon Arc Gouging Torches
      • Exothermic Cutting
    • CNC Cutting
      CNC Cutting
      • Controls
      • Cutting Machines
      • Gas Cutting Torches
      • Plasma Systems
      • Process Tools
      • Beveling
      • Drilling
      • Grate Cutting
      • Marking and Labeling
      • Pipe Cutting
      • Software
    • Filler Metals
      Filler Metals
      • Aluminum
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Cobalt
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Hardfacing
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Oxy-Fuel Rod
      • Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Low Alloy
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Mild Steel
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Nickel
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Strip Cladding (SAW/ESW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
      • Other
      • Ceramic Backing
      • Repair and Maintenance
      • Stainless Steel
      • Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW/MCAW)
      • MIG Wires / TIG Rods (GMAW/GTAW)
      • Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Wires (FCAW)
      • Stick Electrodes (SMAW)
      • Strip Cladding (SAW/ESW)
      • Subarc (SAW)
    • Gas Equipment
      Gas Equipment
      • Cutting Machines
      • H/VAC and Plumbing
      • Outfits
      • Torches
      • Wear Parts
      • Outfits
      • Regulators
      • Safety Accessories
      • Steel Industry Products
      • Torches
      • Straight Torches
      • Torch Attachments
      • Torch Handles
      • Wear Parts
    • Manual Plasma Cutting
      Manual Plasma Cutting
    • PPE / Safety
      PPE / Safety
      • Fume Mitigation
      • Head and Face
    • Robotics
      Robotics
      • Cobots
      • Cobot Solutions (RTW)
      • Robotic Equipment
      • Robotic Feeders
      • Robotic Power Sources
      • Robotic Torch Cleaning Stations
      • Robotic Torches
      • Software
      • Weld Data Monitoring
    • Guns and Torches
      Guns and Torches
      • Carbon Arc Gouging Torches
      • MIG Guns
      • Fume Extraction
      • Push Pull
      • Spool Guns
      • Standard
      • Plasma Torches
      • Manual Plasma Torches
      • Mechanized Plasma Torches
      • TIG Torches
      • Air-Cooled
      • Water-Cooled
    • Welding Automation
      Welding Automation
      • Mechanized Welding
      • Orbital Welding
      • Custom Solution Development
      • Fusion Systems
      • Pipe Systems
      • Submerged Arc Welding
      • Column and Boom Systems
      • Controllers
      • Flux and Wire Systems
      • Gantries
      • Joint Tracking Systems
      • Power Supplies
      • Roller Beds
      • Welding Heads
      • Welding Tractors
      • Weld Data Monitoring
    • Welding Equipment
      Welding Equipment
      • Battery-Powered Welders
      • Engine Driven Welders
      • MIG Welders (GMAW)
      • Multi-Process Welders
      • Software
      • STICK Welders (SMAW)
      • TIG Welders (GTAW)
      • Weld Data Monitoring
      • Wire Feeders
      • MIG Guns
      • TIG Torches
    • ESAB
    • Arcair
    • Exaton
    • Stoody
    • Tweco
    • Victor
    • TurboTorch
    • Alcotec
    • AMI
    • Swift-Cut
    • Thermal Dynamics
    • InduSuite
    • Nuclear Welding Solutions
    • Wind Energy
    • LNG Solutions
    • Repair and Maintenance
    • Petrochemical Solutions
    • Pipeline Solutions
    • Mobile Machinery Solutions
    • Shipbuilding Solutions
    • All Industries
    • Promotional Pricing
    • Value added engineering
    • Online Training Courses
    Contact Us

    (905) 670-0220

    Find a Service Center Partner Login
  • ESAB University
    • ESAB University ESAB University
      ESAB University
    • Articles Articles
      Articles
    • Blogs Blogs
      Blogs
    • Online Courses Online Courses
      Online Courses
    • ESAB ESAB FAQ
      ESAB
    • Videos Videos
      Videos
    • Webinars Webinars
      Webinars
    View all
    • How To Write A pWPS (Preliminary Welding Procedure Specification) with ESAB WeldCloud Notes How To Write A pWPS (Preliminary Welding Procedure Specification) with ESAB WeldCloud Notes
    Future Fabricators View

    ESAB's Future for Fabricators platform is committed to highlighting those who lead education for aspiring future fabricators. We aim to share inspirational stories, facilitate initiatives to bring tools and expertise to communities, and make our equipment accessible to ensure future fabricators are set up for success - right from the start.

    View all
    Contact Us

    (905) 670-0220

    Find a Service Center Partner Login
  • About Us
    • ESAB About Us
      ESAB
    • Careers Careers
      Careers
    • News News
      News
    • Environment Environment
      Environment
    • ESAB History
      ESAB
    • ESAB Why choose an ESAB Authorized Distributor
      ESAB
    Corporation Logo Learn More About ESAB Corporation View Investor Relations
    Contact Us

    (905) 670-0220

    Find a Service Center Partner Login
  • Support
    • ESAB Support
      ESAB
    • Manuals Manuals
      Manuals
    • Warranty Warranty
      • Register Your Product
      • Warranty Coverage
      • Satisfaction Guarantee
      • Terms and Conditions of Sale
    • Certifications and Documents Certifications and Documents
      • Safety Data Sheets
      • Filler Metals Certification Search
      • Standard Equipment Certificates
      • Documents and Surcharges
      • Product Stewardship Inquiry
      • Vendor Routing Guide
    • Tools Tools
      • Smartphone Apps
      • Resources
      • Calculators
    • Product FAQ Product FAQ
      • Documentation
      • Product Support
      • Educational Discount
    • Contact Us Contact Us
      Contact Us
    Contact Us Register your Product

    (905) 670-0220

    Find a Service Center
    Contact Us

    (905) 670-0220

    Find a Service Center Partner Login
  • Our Brands
    View all
    • Alcotec Alcotec
    • AMI AMI
    • Arcair Arcair
    • Conarco Conarco
    • Condor Condor
    • Cigweld Cigweld
    • Exaton Exaton
    • Firepower Firepower
    • Gasarc Gasarc
    • GCE GCE
    • InduSuite InduSuite
    • Losarc Losarc
    • Octopuz Octopuz
    • Soldexa Soldexa
    • Stoody Stoody
    • Swift-Cut Swift-Cut
    • TBi Industries TBi Industries
    • Thermal Dynamics Thermal Dynamics
    • Thermal Dynamics Automation Thermal Dynamics Automation
    • Turbotorch Turbotorch
    • Tweco Tweco
    • Victor Victor
    • Westarco Westarco
    Contact Us

    (905) 670-0220

    Find a Service Center Partner Login
Search icon Search Dealer Locator icon Dealer Locator Log in Log in
  • Dealer Locator
  1. ESAB | Home
  2. | About Us
  3. | News
Search
"Blue Collar Tour" Exposes High Schoolers to Welding Careers, Highlights the Possibilities with Skilled Trades
April 1, 2025

"Blue Collar Tour" Exposes High Schoolers to Welding Careers, Highlights the Possibilities with Skilled Trades

North Bethesda, Md. – Through its sponsorship of Western Welding Academy’s 2025 “Blue Collar Tour” — a 60-day, nationwide mission to spark interest in high school students for skilled trade careers — ESAB has directly reached a total of 3,180 high school students and impacted others through social media videos that have millions of views. From January 20 – March 13, the Blue Collar Tour bus and representatives from Western Welding Academy visited 31 high schools in 22 states to deliver welding skills demonstrations, discuss careers in welding and build enthusiasm through product giveaways and student welding contests.

“ESAB’s Future Fabricator’s program sponsored Western Welding Academy and the Blue Collar Tour because they change the narrative on how we communicate about welding careers,” says Justin LaFond, an applications engineer with ESAB who provided on-site support for most of the stops on the tour. “They brought it to the kids through social media and made welding cool again with events that have the type of energy you’d find at a state fair or rodeo (see video). We’re making a huge impact by doing things differently.”

Quacy Wilson, Director of Student Selection at Western Welding Academy, says that “Even if we inspire one kid, we've done our job. Blue collar trades are the backbone of our country. This is our way of showing kids they can go make a living and take care of a family by making welding their first career choice.” 

This year marks the fifth Blue Collar Tour. Stops are selected based on welding student submissions from high schools. At each stop, high school students interacted with instructors and former students from Western Welding Academy (WWA), a trade school located in Gillette, Wyoming, that offers a 960-hour pipe welding course. Because WWA representatives are young themselves, students can easily envision themselves having that level of success. 

For example, at the February 5 stop at a high school in Elgin, Illinois, approximately 100 welding students from School District U-46 and several surrounding area school districts had the chance to talk with half a dozen representatives from Western Welding Academy, three representatives from ESAB and other tour sponsors. The students learned and asked questions about careers in welding (“How much can you make?”), witnessed TIG welding demonstrations using the ESAB Renegade VOLT™ ES 200i battery-powered welders, won gifts from the sponsors and participated in a “best bead” welding contest, which was won by high school junior Lou Jensen.

“It's really neat to see people getting back into the trades,” says Jensen. “I love the passion of the Blue Collar Tour, and it’s great to be a part of it. I am good with my hands, so welding just makes sense,” said Jenson, who received an ESAB Savage A40 automatic welding helmet.

“I have taught for years, and I cannot excite my students about joining the trades as much as this event does,” said Luis Guerrero, a welding instructor at Elgin High School. “Our welding students wanted the Blue Collar Tour to come here as much as any rock star tour bus.” By being selected for the tour, each high school received a Victor® Medalist 250 Classic cutting and welding outfit. 

To learn more about ESAB’s support for skilled trade careers, students and educators, visit https://esab.com/us/nam_en/landing-pages/future-fabricators/. To learn more about schools offering pipe welding courses, visit https://www.westernweldingacademy.com. 

Five people stands posing for a photo. high school junior Lou Jensen in the center holds a Savage welding helmet box.
For making the best TIG welding bead, high school junior Lou Jensen (center) won an ESAB automatic welding helmet as part of Western Welding Academy’s 2025 “Blue Collar Tour” generate interest in skilled trade careers.

About ESAB

For more than 120 years, ESAB has been a world leader in fabrication technology. Our distinctive portfolio of fabrication solutions encompasses more than 40 of the world’s most trusted brands for welding and cutting equipment, automation, robotics, fabrication software, filler metals, gas flow control, and PPE. Industries and innovators that shape the world rely on ESAB’s products and solutions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

ESAB Media Contact:
Chuck Schroeder
Tel +1 (262) 618-4427
[email protected]

Corporate Media Contact:
Tilea Coleman
Tel +1 (301) 323-9092
[email protected]

ESAB United States CA

(905) 670-0220

Contact Us
Dealer Locator

Company
  • ESAB Corporate
  • Investor Relations
  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Website Terms of Use
  • Intellectual Property Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct for Business Partners
  • Accessibility Customer Service Plan
  • General Notice of Compliance With Customer Service Standard and AODA Ontario
  • Customer Service Accessibility Policy
  • Supplier Terms and Conditions
  • Supplier Information
Shop by Industry
  • Nuclear Welding Solutions
  • Wind Energy
  • LNG Solutions
  • Repair and Maintenance
  • Petrochemical Solutions
  • Pipeline Solutions
  • Mobile Machinery Solutions
  • Shipbuilding Solutions
  • All Industries
Shop by Brand
  • ESAB
  • Arcair
  • Exaton
  • Stoody
  • Tweco
  • Victor
  • TurboTorch
  • Alcotec
  • AMI
  • Swift-Cut
  • All Brands
Site navigation
  • Products & solutions
  • My ESAB University
  • About Us
  • Support
  • Our Brands
© 2026 ESAB.

Please login to perform this action.

or

If you don't have an account please register here.