The annual reporting process is underway and many are already planning and preparing for a strong return to meetings and events in a new "season" of Section activity beginning in the fall. We are very excited by the opportunities ahead of us, and we want to ensure you have the knowledge necessary to make your efforts as effective and impactful as possible.
Please plan to join me at 11AM EDT tomorrow, Wednesday, June 23, for the June AWS Section Solutions Conversation where we will dedicate the full time to a basic training on Section Leadership. We will highlight tools, resources, and best practices to prepare you to rack up "wins" in the meaningful year of engagement ahead.
This will be the first in a series intended to better onboard Section leaders. I commit to ensuring this will be worthwhile for all Section leaders, regardless of whether you're just stepping into a Section leadership role or have been driving a Section for a decade - or more.
*If your Section is adding a new member to the leadership team, please be sure to share this email with them.
While you're here; please also take 5 minutes to read through the news we've prepared for you this month.
And, as always; Don't hesitate to reach out and let me know how we can support your efforts, answer any questions you may have, or get you connected with your peers around the Society.
Thank for all you do with and for the AWS.
Most sincerely,
-Darrill
Darrill A. Gaschler Sr. Manager, Sections and Student Chapters American Welding Society® P: 305-443-9353 x260 | E: dgaschler@aws.org
In The News This Month
1. AWS Section Solutions Conversations - Join Us On Wednesday (6/23)
2. Section Annual Reports - Due in July
3. AWS Early Career Membership
4. Upcoming AWS Conferences and Events
5. Updates from AWS Foundation and AWS Education
1. AWS Section Solutions Conversations Join Us On Wednesday (6/23) for Section Leadership 101: Basic Training (Tools, Resources, and How-To)
The June Conversation will be an ideal Conversation for newly elected/appointed Section leaders and those who are looking for a refresher on the fundamentals of Section operations.
Thanks to all who have already submitted your Section's Annual Report!
As a reminder; a Section's completed submission (consisting of both Part I and Part II) must be received by AWS World Headquarters in order for AWS to issue an Anniversary Payment and Dues Rebate to your Section.
The Part I is due July 1st and the Part II is due July 15th.
Please contact AWS Sr. Manager, Sections and Student Chapters, Darrill A. Gaschler, with any questions or requests for support with the 2021 AWS Section Annual Report.
*You can also view the recording of the April AWS Section Solutions Conversation which featured an overview of the 2021 Annual Report.
3. AWS Early Career Membership
The AWS Early Career Membership category launched March 31. This category was created to meet the needs of individuals under the age of 35 or with less than 5 years of welding industry experience. Its creation was based on prior survey work and a persona study conducted in 2020. The Early Career Category serves as a bridge between Student and Individual membership, and also an entry point for individuals that may not have been introduced to AWS during their time as a student.
A landing page and membership application have been created and are available at https://www.aws.org/membership/page/early-career. The Early Career membership option is also available through the AWS Member Portal. The Take the Torch campaign will be used to direct potential members to the website to explore all membership options, including the Early Career category.
A campaign planned for later in 2021 will be used to highlight all of our individual and corporate membership categories and their benefits and will be used to draw additional attention to this new option.
4. Upcoming AWS Conferences and Events
June 24th - Teaching Welding in the Virtual World Conference(Virtual) This Workshop is intended to provide welding instructors with tools and examples of how to teach welding in a virtual environment.
July 28th - Corrosion Prevention and Management of Welds(Virtual) Corrosion remains a significant challenge across the metals welding, fabrication, and operations industry. A thorough understanding of how different materials are susceptible to corrosion during and after fabrication is necessary. Our speakers will share case studies with an emphasis on how their problem solving led toward preventative measures.
It is without question that COVID-19 has altered virtually all aspects of everyday life, but how has it specifically affected our professional lives and our industry?
Please join the American Welding Society for this one-day mini-conference, where panelists will dive into how the pandemic has significantly changed the welding industry.
October 3-6 - Denver, CO - International Brazing and Soldering Conference (IBSC) Save the date to attend this five-day, technically intensive conference focused on cutting-edge developments in the science of welding, joining and additive manufacturing research. Plan now to join other leading researchers, scientists, educators and engineers from all over the world.
October 5-7 - San Diego, CA - 2nd Shipbuilding & Aluminum Conference Industry experts will deliver the latest research and innovations in both the shipbuilding and aluminum industries. Aluminum is one of the most versatile and widely used metals in manufacturing. However, its unique chemical and physical properties can also make it one of the most challenging to weld. We’re addressing the critical importance of welding in the shipbuilding industry during this one-day mini-conference by providing current information on emerging technologies developed for shipbuilding applications.
October 13-14 - Cleveland, OH - RWMA Resistance Welding Fall School Each Fall, AWS and RWMA team up to offer a 2-day school, taught by resistance welding industry heavyweights, that explores concepts and materials outside the scope of the CRWT exam.
5. Updates from AWS Foundation and Education
AWS Foundation Update
National Scholarship Recipients Announced
The National Scholarship selections have been announced, with awards ranging from $2,000 to $6,500! Click here to see if any recipients came from your Section.
100% Matching Program
The AWS Foundation Board of Trustees has approved the 100% matching program through 2021. All donations to new or existing scholarship or grant endowments will be matched at 100%. Contributions must be made by August 31, 2021 to create new scholarships or increase award amounts for 2022.
A minimum contribution of $10,000 will establish a Section Scholarship that awards $1,000 per year.
A minimum contribution of $50,000 will establish a Section Grant that will award $5,000 per year for a local welding education or training institution.
Transfers from Section Investment Accounts (SIA) to new or existing endowments are also eligible for the 100% match.
Welding Helmet Prizes for Competitions and Section Student Nights
The American Welding Society Foundation is providing red or black auto-darkening welding helmets, courtesy of Jackson Safety, to be used as prizes for welding competitions or as door prizes at AWS Section student events.
Requests must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the event to allow time for processing.
AWS Education Update
Take an AWS course from the comfort of your own home!
Visit us at awo.aws.org to learn more about the above offerings as well as our in-person seminars.
Extra! Extra!
For those who want more...
What Are Other Sections Doing? See For Yourself!
The Upcoming AWS Section Meetings page was created to make AWS Section meetings and events more visible and more accessible than ever before.
Want your upcoming meeting or event to be added to the page? Simply select the "Have your meeting/event added to the list of Upcoming Section Meetings" option the next time you submit a request via the Section Request Form.
Don't Forget About the AWS Section Toolkit!
Resources like those noted in this newsletter, and so much more, are ready for you in the AWS Section Toolkit. While you're there; bookmark it!
One last request: Please share this with your fellow Section leaders to ensure they stay up-to-speed on all Section-related news.
About this email:
Each month, I will distribute an electronic newsletter to all active Section Officers and Section Committee Chairpersons (who have a valid email address in our database).
The goal of distributing these newsletters is to effectively communicate important details we want you to be aware of.
I encourage you to discuss these details with your Section’s leadership team to ensure everyone is up-to-speed on all relevant news coming from AWS Headquarters as well as a feature on recent successes from some of your colleagues in the field. Reviewing these details as a team is a great way to promote and foster a strong line of communication among Section leadership as well as within your Section.
American Welding Society, 8669 NW 36th Street, Doral, FL 33166, United States, 8004439353