The American Welding Society (AWS) announced that its foundation has received a $1 million pledge from Miller Electric Mfg. Co. and Hobart Brothers Company to provide initial funding for the American Welding Society Welder Workforce Development Program. The AWS Foundation will utilize the donation to fund increased training of entry-level welders and specialized training of existing welders in order to address the shortage of trained welders in the United States. According to AWS and other industry research, the average age of a welder is in the mid-fifties. Fewer graduates entering the profession, coupled with the projected retirement of half of the experienced welding workforce, has led to a shortage of skilled welders that could weaken U.S. manufacturing and the overall economy.