How to build your welding career
A CLC Connects Podcast
In this episode of CLC Connects, host Jessey Prugh sits down with Karsten Illg, a College of Lake County welding instructor and department chair, to explore the world of welding.
Karsten shares his insights on how to get started in a welding career, why manufacturing is a rewarding industry, and how welding offers both stability and growth potential.
We also preview Manufacturing Month events, offering listeners a first-hand look at how they can jump-start their own career in this high-demand field.
Whether you're considering welding or just curious about what it takes, this episode is packed with valuable advice for anyone interested in clean, high-tech manufacturing jobs.
Listen to CLC Connects on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Transcript
This following podcast transcript was generated with help from artificial intelligence.
Jessey Prugh: Welcome to CLC Connects, the podcast that connects you with the College of Lake County experts. I'm your host, Jessey Prugh. October is Manufacturing Month, and manufacturing is something that CLC takes very seriously. In Lake County, the manufacturing industry generates more than $48 billion in economic output each year and employs one in seven private-sector workers. The county is home to a wide range of manufacturing industries, from pharmaceuticals and plastics to medical products and advanced technology sectors like automation and robotics.
Joining me today to talk about manufacturing in Lake County is Karsten Illg, a welding instructor at CLC. We’ll talk about his expertise in welding and spend time discussing manufacturing in the area. Karsten, welcome to CLC Connects.
Karsten Illg: Hey, Jessey. Thank you very much for having me here today.
Jessey: I’m glad you’re here! Can you tell me a little about your background and what drew you to welding and teaching?
Karsten: Sure. There are really two parts to that story, but I’ll try to keep it simple. I got involved with welding because I was heavily involved in the motorsports industry, especially motorcycle racing, fabrication, and restoration work. That interest led me to want to do more fabrication and custom parts building, and eventually, I started offering those services to the industry. Naturally, starting out with simple tasks like tire changes and general maintenance leads to developing more complex skills. For me, that skill was welding and metal fabrication. So, it was really a genuine interest in a sport and an industry that I cared about, and that’s how I got into welding.
Jessey: And you’re CLC’s first full-time welding instructor, right?
Karsten: Yeah, that’s correct. I got hired in 2019, and I was thrown into the deep end! I had good colleagues around me from other departments, but at the time, I was the only full-time welding instructor here. Now, we have three full-time instructors and five part-time instructors at the College of Lake County.
Jessey: What kind of experience do your students bring to the classroom?
Karsten: It varies from class to class and semester to semester, but generally speaking, we have three types of students. About a third of them are already working in the industry and are looking to advance their careers by gaining new skills. Another third may come from different professional backgrounds, like engineering, and want to complement their existing skills with welding and fabrication knowledge. The last group consists of students who have no prior experience with welding—they’ve never done it before and are starting from scratch.
Jessey: I would definitely be in that last group! Can you tell me about the skills students can expect to learn in the welding program?
Karsten: Absolutely. We teach the four common arc welding processes: stick welding, TIG welding, MIG welding, and flux core welding. But there’s a lot more beyond that. Safety is a big focus, along with trade math, basic metallurgy, and fabrication skills like drilling, bending, cutting, forming, and rolling.
Jessey: Manufacturing has a reputation for being a “dirty” job, but I know things have changed. How has our welding program adapted to prepare students for the modern manufacturing industry?
Karsten: Manufacturing has been misrepresented for decades as a low-skill, low-paying job. But the truth is, these are viable career options, and they require a lot of talent and skill. Modern manufacturing uses state-of-the-art equipment like CNC-controlled machines and robotic welding systems. At the Advanced Technology Center (ATC), we teach students how to use these technologies alongside traditional welding techniques. The industry is evolving, and our program is designed to meet those demands.
Jessey: Speaking of the ATC, can you talk about how it’s helping meet local workforce needs?
Karsten: The ATC was built in response to the high demand for a skilled workforce in Lake County, especially in welding and metal fabrication. We train our students to transition into the local workforce, but the skills they learn can be applied anywhere in the country—or even internationally. By 2025, it’s projected that nearly half a million welding jobs will be available in the U.S., so there’s a huge demand for skilled workers.
Jessey: You mentioned that your program has a higher number of women and underserved populations enrolled. Can you tell me more about that?
Karsten: Nationally, the welding industry is about 30% BIPOC individuals, but at CLC, around 52% of our welding students come from Black and Brown communities. We’re doing a great job of serving our local population. Additionally, while women make up only about 5% of the national welding workforce, our program is closer to 10%. We’re working hard to reach underserved and untapped segments of the community.
Jessey: The ATC is such a clean, well-organized space. Does that reflect what it’s like to work in the welding industry today?
Karsten: Absolutely. Many modern manufacturing facilities are clean, well-lit, and highly organized. It’s a far cry from the outdated perception of dirty, remedial jobs. Whether you’re working on high-precision aerospace parts or something more basic like dumpsters, the demand for skilled workers is there. The facilities, especially those working in high-tech fields, demand the highest level of skill and professionalism.
Jessey: What surprises people the most when they start your welding classes?
Karsten: People are often surprised by how easy it is to start, but how difficult it is to master. Welding takes a lot of commitment to learn properly. It’s a skill that, with time and dedication, can lead to a very successful career.
Jessey: Speaking of successful careers, I know there are a few scholarships available for welding students. Can you tell us more?
Karsten: Yes, we have several scholarships available. There’s the Brad Schneider grant, which provides $2,500 for tuition and covers PPE like welding helmets, jackets, and gloves. We also have the Metallica scholarship, which has been a great sponsor for trades programs like ours, and the AWS (American Welding Society) Scholarship. These scholarships can make a huge difference for students, and I always encourage them to apply.
Jessey: That’s great advice. For anyone interested in getting started with welding, do you have any tips?
Karsten: The hardest step is the first one—registering for a class and showing up on the first day. Once you get past that, things get easier. The most important thing is to take that first step and not be afraid of change.
Jessey: There are a couple of events coming up for Manufacturing Month. Can you tell us more about those?
Karsten: Sure. On October 15, we’re hosting the Women in Manufacturing event at the ATC in Gurnee. It’s designed to raise awareness of manufacturing as a viable career path for women. The event will feature a keynote from Nicole Walter, president of HM Manufacturing, and a panel discussion with women in the industry, including a CLC student and faculty member.
We’re also hosting the Manufacturing Career and Internship Fair on October 10 at the Grayslake campus. This fair connects job seekers with employers in the manufacturing sector and is a great opportunity for anyone looking to enter or advance their career in manufacturing.
Jessey: Both events sound fantastic. Karsten, thanks so much for joining me and sharing your insights on welding and manufacturing in Lake County.
Karsten: Thank you for having me, Jessey.
Jessey: Happy Manufacturing Month, everyone!