In the Field with the Center for Technology & Industry is a series focused on profiling our expert faculty, program leadership, and key players associated with CTI and Workforce Development initiatives at New England Institute of Technology.
Name: Ashley Britton
Title: Lead Instructor
Oversees Structural Welding, SAMI
1.) Reflect upon your role here at CTI. How did your career path lead you to 黑料社/CTI? How long have you been here? What do you love about your industry?
Britton: My welding career began 7 years ago when I enrolled in a summer introductory welding program that was primarily stick welding, held at Local 51 through Skills for RI. Upon completion of the program, it gave me the opportunity to work at Electric Boat where I was a tig pipe welder for 5 years. My time at EB started with basic TIG welding training through SAMI, then training at the pipe welding school at Quonset Point EB. I had immense respect for my instructors, which ultimately influenced my desire to be an instructor one day. Once training was completed, I went into production as an xray pipe welder where I also had the opportunity to learn how to Orbital Weld, which is a mechanized process of welding. Because of my established experience in welding, I started my own fabrication and welding business that I would do on the side on top of my time working at EB. Eventually I took my tig welding experience in a different direction and moved onto Aerospace welding at Whitcraft. During my time there, the opportunity to instruct as a structural welder at SAMI came up so I took it.
I have been instructing at SAMI for 2 years and during my time here, went back to school as a student for the Welding Engineering Technology degree program here at New England Tech. What I love about this industry is welding in general can be taken into many different directions, whether that be fabricating, used as a creative outlet, construction, teaching, engineering, inspection, etc.
2.) What are the biggest challenges facing your industry today, and how can education and training help address them?
Britton: Today鈥檚 education and society is hyper focused on computers and traditional college, which takes away technical or mechanical experience from those looking to get into a trade. And while there are trade schools out there, many people do not have the resources or funds to attend a trade school that cost thousands of dollars and that is why training opportunities like that of SAMI are critical.
Because most students come in with little to no trade or welding background, not only is the skill taught from the most basic level which can be challenging in itself, we really have to teach other basic things like reading a tape measure and reading fractions in order to set students up for success and help them understand what they are welding. As someone who came from a no trade and welding background, education and training programs like Skills for RI and SAMI allowed me to become successful and proficient in this.
Learning a trade like welding opens doors to many exciting career opportunities.
3.) What role does manufacturing play in our economy?
Britton: There will always be a demand for workers in trade, especially welding. Bridges, buildings, transportation, pipelines, oil rigs, etc. are all involved with welding, which contribute to the economy.
4.) How do you measure student success?
Britton: I measure student success based on motivation and willingness to learn. I have had students start off really struggling to weld, but at the end of the training program become successful in welding, and that鈥檚 usually because they really apply themselves, asks questions and have a good attitude.
5.) What excites you about the future of your field? How is your industry evolving, and what opportunities do you see ahead?
Britton: What excites me about the future of my field is the ability to take welding in different directions and opportunities. Welding is evolving into robotics, and opportunities I see ahead is expanding knowledge in different processes.
Ashley Britton
Lead Instructor
Structural Welding,
SAMI
New England Institute of Technology
