Wallace State Welding instructor Randy Hammond has been selected to attend the American Welding Society’s (AWS) Instructors’ Institute from July 19-21 in Miami.

Hammond, 42, has taught welding at Wallace State since May 2014 after spending six years as an instructor at the Blount County Career Technical Center.

Hammond will represent the AWS’ District 8, which includes welding instructors in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. There are 22 AWS Districts in the United States.

“It’s a great honor to be chosen to represent our district and Wallace State at the AWS Institute. As a certified welding inspector, I’m excited to go and see where the AWS writes all the codes and see all of its departments. I’ve talked to a lot of people at the headquarters about certifications and memberships, so maybe I can go and put a face to some of those names,” Hammond said. “I’m also looking forward to meeting instructors from all across the United States and sharing ideas and challenges with them. I’m just so delighted to have the opportunity.”

Hammond, a Blountsville native, began his welding career at Wallace State as a student, graduating with an associate’s degree in welding in 1993. Hammond spent more than 15 years as welder or in management, including working for Summa Technology in Cullman, before he entered the classroom.

“I guess you can say I’ve come full circle back to Wallace State,” Hammond said.

“Randy Hammond being selected to the AWS Instructors’ Institute speaks to the quality of instructors we have within our faculty. This is not an isolated incident. We have outstanding instructors in every field. They are respected among their peers,” said Jimmy Hodges, Wallace State’s Dean of Applied Technologies. “Mr. Hammond has been an instructor for a long time and is allowing Wallace State to share some of that shine.”

According to its website, the AWS Institute is conducted to give welding instructors an opportunity to strengthen their teaching skills, learn more about AWS programs and experience hands-on learning of new teaching techniques.

Hammond added each day at the institute will consist of the instructors receiving training from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including learning more about the new changes from welding equipment companies.

“The AWS sees the value of what instructors are doing and how they bring new people and students into the industry. They are wanting to get instructors more and more involved, and that’s a main reason for this institute,” Hammond said. “There’s a big demand for welders right now, but even a bigger demand for welding inspectors and welding educators. They are wanting to educate us so we can push students to look towards those fields as well.”

For more information about AWS, visit aws.org.

For more information about Wallace State, visit wallacestate.edu.