CWA launches national welder membership program

CWB Group Executive Director Dan Tadic addresses the audience at Collective Arts Brewing.

On August 3, the Canadian Welding Association (CWA) launched a new national welder membership program at Collective Arts Brewing in Hamilton, Ont. The program hopes to draw new members and encourage inactive members to get more involved in CWA events and education opportunities.

“We have rebranded our CWA membership program and have partnered with a number of companies to supply affinity discounts for our members,” explained Dan Tadic, executive director of the CWB Group. “So now, just by paying $20 a year for our new Welder membership level, our members can receive discounts on Co-operators home and auto insurance, discounts at Choice Hotels, and more.”

Although CWA members can maintain a Basic membership without paying the $20, those members won’t receive all of the discount opportunities offered by the program.

This incentive has been designed to make members more aware of what is available to them through the CWA.

“We decided that with this type of program, we’d grab member interest and get them involved and engaged,” continued Tadic. “But the main reason to be a member is that you will learn something about the industry. We hope our events and education sessions will create opportunities for advancement in our members’ careers. That’s a significant benefit. By coming out to events you find out what’s happening in industry. If you go straight home after work every night, you won’t learn anything new about your industry. If you join us, a door is opened to the world.”

Welder memberships have to be renewed annually at the $20 rate, but with that you receive the discount opportunities mentioned, plus this year membership comes with a T-shirt that says, “Welder – How S#@% Gets Made”.

“We made the T-shirts as a gift to members,” said Tadic. “Next year it will be something else. We want to encourage members to renew every year, and this serves as a little reminder.”

There is also a new Sustaining membership level, which gives members electronic access to the Welding Journal (in print and online) on top of other benefits provided Welder members. At the Premium membership level, members get access to both the print and online version of the welding journal, car rental discounts, and electronic access to the Australian Welding Journal.

“For every premium member we get, $5 goes to the CWA Foundation to help students and schools,” said Tadic.

On hand to celebrate the launch of the membership program was sheet metal sculptor Rich Baker and Gary Elliott of Gary Elliott MotorSports. Both spoke to attendees about the importance of welding.

“My Dad was a welder, so he welded my first few roll cages,” Elliott recalled. “Welding’s a huge part of stock car racing.”

“It doesn’t matter what kind of welding you do, to me it’s an art form,” said Baker. “We take for granted things that are welded. That’s where the CWA comes in. They support the team, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Tadic went on to note that there are nearly 200,000 welders working in a variety of industries across Canada.

“They are truly the backbone of industry,” said Tadic. “We are here to celebrate the contribution welders make to our industry and our country, day in and day out. Welders are our foot soldiers, building Canada with pride one weld at a time.”