Noah Hulshizer, a Welding student and Conrad Weiser senior, has been awarded a scholarship to attend a six-week (96-hour) advanced Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), or Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), welding program at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. The classes will be held on Saturdays this fall. GTAW is a precise welding process that uses a tungsten electrode and shielding gas to create clean, high-quality welds—commonly used on stainless steel in the medical and aerospace industries.
The scholarship is funded through a DCED (Department of Community and Economic Development) Grant that was originally awarded to Derek Lazarus, BCTC Welding Instructor. Due to a scheduling conflict, Derek was unable to attend and was able to pass the scholarship on to Noah, giving him this unique opportunity that aligned with his career goals.
Noah shared his excitement about the opportunity, saying, “It will really help me in my future because I want to work in the aerospace industry, and there is a lot of stainless steel used in aerospace.” He described the challenge of mastering GTAW: “It is really hard. The puddle, or melted metal, is wiggly. It is also super heat sensitive. If it is too hot, you cook it, but if it is too cold it won’t go all the way through, and you mess it up. It must be perfect.”
Currently, Noah is working toward his AWS D17.1 aerospace welding certification, which he will have to complete on a job site. His goal during the program is to build his skills and confidence, saying, “I plan on being a sponge at Thaddeus Stevens and getting more time to practice in the (welding) booth.” After high school, he hopes to launch a career in the aerospace industry with companies such as SpaceX or NASA.
When asked what advice he would give to others about a career, Noah offered a quote from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, so take your shot.”