The welder shortage has never improved in 30 years. Kris Scherm of ESAB explains why — and what it will take to fix the pipeline.
When Kris Scherm entered the welding industry in the nineties, the American Welding Society reported a 150,000 welder shortage. Three decades later, that number is projected at 320,500 by 2029 — and it has never once gotten smaller. With the average shipbuilder now in their late 50s, the pipeline problem is about to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.
Kris Scherm is a 30-year veteran of the welding industry and Global Product and Business Director for Light Industrial Plasma at ESAB — one of the world's leading welding and cutting companies. He's worked at the Bay Bridge, SpaceX facilities, Ford manufacturing plants, Newport News Shipbuilding, and dozens of facilities across North America. This conversation was recorded live at ESAB in Denton, Texas.
This episode is for anyone who works in the skilled trades, leads a manufacturing or welding operation, or is trying to figure out how to attract the next generation to a career with their hands. Kris breaks down the workforce crisis, the Blue Collar Tour bringing welding to high schools, and why — once you realize how much welding holds the world together — you'll never walk anywhere the same way again.
IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) – Introduction: Andrew and Kris open live from ESAB in Denton, Texas, where Kris shares how a Norwegian grandfather who built PT boats in WWII set him on a lifelong path in the trades.
(00:04) – Why Welding Captures You: Kris explains what makes welding unlike any other trade — and why "if you can weld, you're a demigod" who can join metal in ways no hammer and nail ever could.
(00:09) – The 300,000 Welder Shortage: The AWS shortage number has never improved in 30 years. Kris breaks down what's driving it, why AI won't save us, and what happens when an entire generation of welders ages out at once.
(00:14) – The Blue Collar Tour: Western Welding Academy is taking welding on the road to high schools across the country — and ESAB is alongside them. Kris describes what happens when a kid sees a live weld for the first time.
(00:19) – Mentorship and Giving Back: Kris gets personal about why mentorship matters — and why the operator who's run that machine for 10 years knows more than any outside expert walking in the door.
(00:25) – The Wildest Problem-Solving Story: A mystery that warrantied two power supplies, stumped a team for days, and was finally cracked by a cigarette break and a string of passing cars.
Key Takeaways
The welder shortage has existed for over 30 years and has never improved — the AWS projects a shortage of 320,500 welders by 2029 in the U.S. alone; globally, the gap is in the millions.
Welding is a technology that touches everything from the Bay Bridge to smartphones to aircraft carriers — and once you start seeing welds everywhere, you can't stop.
AI is not going to replace the welder: someone still has to perform the weld, spec the process, and solve the problem on the floor — and that requires a human with hard-won skills.
The most valuable expert on any production line isn't the outside consultant — it's the operator who's been running that machine every day and knows every sound it makes.
About the Guest
Kris Scherm is the Global Product and Business Director for Light Industrial Plasma and Engine Driven Welders at ESAB, one of the world's leading manufacturers of welding and cutting equipment. With 30 years in the welding industry, Kris has worked on-site at some of the most impressive manufacturing facilities in the world — from the Bay Bridge project and SpaceX to Newport News Shipbuilding, where the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers are built.
Kris's work takes him across the globe to help manufacturers improve productivity, reduce costs, and introduce the next generation to the craft of welding. He is an active supporter of the Blue Collar Tour and Western Welding Academy's mission to bring hands-on welding experiences to students across the country.
Keywords
welder shortage, welding career, skilled trades workforce, plasma cutting, welding jobs, workforce development, blue collar careers, trade careers, Gen Z in trades, apprenticeship, manufacturing jobs, shipbuilding, CNC plasma cutting, ESAB, Kris Scherm, American Welding Society, AWS, Western Welding Academy, Blue Collar Tour, Andrew Brown, Lost Art of the Skilled Trades, welding industry, industrial trades
RESOURCE LINKS
- Kris Scherm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisscherm/
- ESAB Website: https://www.esab.com
- American Welding Society Workforce Data: https://www.weldingworkforcedata.com
- Western Welding Academy: https://westernweldingacademy.com
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