After publicising some of the incredible artwork displayed in the IIW’s Art Photographic Exhibition, we were delighted to hear from one of our Members, Jaco Koortzen EngTech TechWeldI, who reached out to show some of the incredible work his students have been creating. Jaco has been helping the students, in addition to their plate positional welding programme studies, at TuV Rheinland Saudi Arabia, and he also showed us some of the pieces created by his students from previous organisations.

Jaco Koortzen EngTech TechWeldI is a Technical Welding Trainer at TuV Rheinland Saudi Arabia where he has worked since March 2019. His role currently involves presenting a City and Guilds programme, including SMAW(1>4F, 1>4G), oxy-fuel cutting, layout, hand tools and bench work, and more.

While teaching the welding programmes, Jaco encourages his students to get creative with their welding skills, as he explained, “I've always tried to add something different for trainees that are new to the field. Thus, in the 'extra time' we have for the course, I try to expose them to more. This includes them using their skills to make the ‘artwork’ seen in these images. I enjoy highlighting that there is more to welding than plate and pipe, as per the programme / curriculum, which can add benefit to the training centre, community and self. The projects were always made by using off-cuts of materials, therefore showing that it's not always necessary to buy everything, but start with what is at hand and available.”

You can see images of the welded art and other work provided by Jaco below, including his descriptions and explanations behind their creation:

These first pieces include a Motorcycle, a Pipe Welder, a Pipe Motorcycle Side Stand, Table Tops, Door Handles, a Rock Cow and a Three Block Camel.

 

The next selection of welded pieces were created at a school for deaf and physically disabled children. The school’s facilities had been hired for some training, since it was previously a training centre, and the pieces created included play equipment including a Taxi and Seesaw. In addition, a hard hat was used to make an aid to assist children when typing on the computer and a wheelchair creation was made, which involved attaching a computer mouse to the side of the chair so the user can touch and control the cursor with their cheek, enabling them to type (shown below).

Finally, the images below present the work created at a Boilermakers’ Aid course in a prison, which included SMAW, oxy-fuel welding/brazing and cutting. During the course, the new skills were applied to make items including a portable BBQ, post box, football piggy bank, hose reel, coat rack, dustpan, handbell, and more.

We are pleased to promote these welding applications and demonstrate how they extend the students’ individual skills and knowledge as well as showing the application and ability to address real issues experienced day-to-day by those using them.

We would like to thank Jaco for helping us with this article to promote his students’ wonderful work.