Thu, 10 August, 2023
With 2023 marking one-hundred years of The Welding Institute, we have been reaching out to our Professional Members to find out about their careers and memories of being Members of The Institute.
This week we hear from our longest-serving Member, Michael B Flannery IEng MWeldI MEIT, who joined The Institute in 1962.
He explains how his father’s work as a vehicle mechanic saw him introduced to gas and arc welding and inspired his own career in engineering. Having served his welding apprenticeship, Michael tells us how he went on to work for companies across the world, from Africa to Asia and around to North America and back to Europe.
With roles including welding supervisor, welding engineer, lecturer in fabrication and welding, chief field engineer, and construction manager, Michael has certainly seen many aspects of the industry throughout his career.
Michael reveals how a training course at TWI led to him joining The Welding Institute, where he became a regular attendee at branch meetings in London and Kent.
Of course, The Institute is not just about networking, and Michael explained how it has provided him with a source of information throughout his career as well as delivering practical support for his own career development.
Now with a granddaughter who is following in his footsteps as an apprentice and a son-in-law who has taught welding for the past 16 years, Michael’s influence on the next generation is evident.
You can read the article in full and find out more about our longest-serving Professional Member by following the link to The Welding Institute website, here.