Forging Bonds and Futures:

As we reach the seventh week of our apprenticeship program at Welder Underground, the sense of community and accomplishment is palpable. This six-month 'earn while you learn' initiative that teaches welding and metal fabrication by partnering with established artists and sculptors to build large-scale public art installations is already making a significant impact on both the skills and lives of our apprentices.

Welder Underground equips young adults with the skills, experience, and AWS certification needed to thrive in the welding and metal fabrication industry. The true beauty, however, lies in the unexpected bonds forming among the apprentices. The craft of welding requires meticulous attention to detail and, at its core, creates a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among the teams who work together. Whether it's the need to look out for each other to keep each other safe, or helping one another with new techniques, the triumphs and challenges of this intense, hands-on learning is creating bonds among the apprentices that will last a lifetime.

In these past weeks, we've seen 6 people who never met before become a unbreakable cohort who look out for one another, teach one another and have each other's back in every capacity. Their enthusiasm and deep connection to one another is an aspect of welding (in general) and the program (specifically) that we hadn't fully anticipated.

Welding is both an art and a science, steeped in futuristic innovation and historical tradition. It touches almost every aspect of our daily lives, and shapes the infrastructure that we live on. It builds permanence in a disposable world.

Our own experiences with welding is the basis for Welder Underground. Putting on the hood and striking the arc, one is removed from the world and transported into a solitude where the outside world disappears. In those moments, it is just you (the welder) and the blinding light of creation, a meditatively zen experience in the magical mystery of this ancient craft. The silence under the hood in contrast to the sparks flying around you feels like a dance between light and darkness, between the known and the unknown.

As our apprentices continue to explore the romanticism of welding, we look ahead to the creation and completion of our first collaboration with Eric Orr and the building of the sculpture "Rappin’ Max Robot." The sculpture when completed will be an 18-foot tall, four thousand pound tribute to Hip Hop that will live in perpetuity in Paris, commemorating the first Olympics to feature Breaking as a competitive sport.

Seven weeks in, the future of Welder Underground is bright. Our apprentices are learning to weld and shaping their futures, one weld at a time. They are building more than structures; they are constructing a new community for themselves and a livable future, one based in creativity, support, and shared success.

In this fusion of metal and minds, we see the true art of welding – a craft that binds, builds, and brings forth the best in all who embrace it. As we continue this journey, we are inspired daily by the resilience and collaboration and support for one another of our apprentices. They are the torchbearers of a new era in welding and community leadership that will shape generations to come.