Our national strategic plan calls for us to offer new and relevant programs to attract and keep scouts and their families. Welding is a great example of doing just that. Many people would like to learn how to weld, but have no idea how to go about it. Our new program can make it easy. With the support of a great new partner, Lincoln Electric coupled with their generous donation of a welding kit for every council, we now can add extra value to what we provide our scout families.
Background: At the 2012 Top Hands we introduced councils to how welding can help them provide valuable and relevant program for their scouts and scout families. Lincoln Electric, our partner in this program, offered a free welding kit to every council to help get them going. At this point, all but a few councils have taken advantage of this offer and have received their kits.
Last fall we also sent each Scout Executive a packet containing “how to get started planning sheets,” a DVD with several program support videos, and other materials. Here is a list of custom videos we have posted onto Youtube:
- BSA Welding Merit Badge Intro
- Tech Tip: FCAW-S and the Boy Scout Welding Merit Badge
- Tech Tip: GMAW and the Boy Scout Welding Merit Badge
- Tech Tip: SMAW and the Boy Scout Welding Merit Badge
- Tech Tip: FCAW-S Troubleshooting
- Tech Tip: SMAW Troubleshooting
- Tech Tip: Visual Weld Inspection
- Tech Tip: SP-140T Troubleshooting
- Tech Tip: GMAW Troubleshooting
Things some councils are already doing: Organized a council welding committee, recruited a council welding program coordinator, offered monthly introduction to welding (and Welding MB classes) at their council office, built welding shops (program areas, not ranger tools) at their Boy Scout resident camp, offered train-the-trainer courses, offered introduction to welding at a University of Scouting, had a welding camporee, put announcements on their websites and local newspapers, and added welding activities to their STEM calendar.
More on the horizon: Curriculum for Boy Scout Resident Camps on welding and a two hour and a four hour optional curriculum for Cub Scout day camps using chocolate welding (too cool!) For more information and additional help on this subject, contact, Bill Evans at 972-580-2427 or bill.evans@scouting.org.
Lincoln Electric has hired Charlie Cross as our BSA account manager. Charlie is dedicated to helping councils in any way he can. Please take advantage of Charlie’s help. What a great resource! Charlie is also building a contact list of each council’s welding coordinator and staff advisor if you can send him that contact information.
For more information, contact:
Charlie Cross
Technical Training
The Lincoln Electric Company
22801 Saint Clair Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44117-1199 U.S.A.
work: 216.383.2454 ext. 32454
cell: 216.386.0541
charles_cross@lincolnelectric.com