Jon,
precious evaluation...
In Germany - on the level of the German Welding Society - we are also talking about capturing young people for the fascination of welding.
I guess a main reason is the kind of negative association between what the young people think about what welding is (dirty, unhealthy,...) and the lack of knowledge of what kinds of perspectives "welding" can open everyone who is willing to open himself for welding.
Currently I guess every national welding institution (and as far as I know also the IIW?) is searching hardly for finding ways to improve the "image" of welding and some activities have already been agreed.
For me personally its great to see how professional the American Welding Society is acting here. This is truly incomparable to what happens in Germany - o.k. we are only a very small country, but nevertheless.
A simple but very effective proof is (for me) - once again - the AWS Forum. Here one can see, welding is much more than "sparking and spattering". And the people can see how many great colleagues have the same passion for welding as themselves.
I agree 100% with you, it is surely a worldwide problem and there are surely general social reasons with special regard to "work" at all.
Today it seems to me that most of the young people think, it is sufficient to converse smartly in "Coffee & Cake-Meetings" and anyone else will be found for doing the job afterwards. It' s probably not the fault of the young people but rather the suggestion they are treated to and living with day by day, by watching smart and "clean" people on TV and in multi-coloured journals, appearing to earn lots of money only by looking good.
By the way, I have read a pretty fine evaluation just a few days ago.
Here young people have been asked on what their understanding of "Progress" is.
Different possibilities were proposed as answers.
I can't remember the detailed analysis, but what I remember very well, only 6% (!) have ticked off "Endeavour"...
Kind regards,
Stephan