The Modern-Day Welder Retention Playbook
Welding Journal / , American Welding Society · September 2026
Keynote Speaker · Workforce Strategist
Build the People YourBusiness Will Depend On.
Helping skilled trades leaders develop people who take ownership, perform at their best, and carry the business forward.
24 years building and leading an industrial supply business serving the skilled trades.
Trusted By
0+
Workforce Conversations
With apprentices, tradespeople, educators, mentors, supervisors, executives, and workforce leaders across North America.
See Andrew On Stage
Real Rooms. Real Reactions.
The Workforce Opportunity
The Next Generation Won't Build Itself.
The future of the skilled trades depends on more than finding people. It depends on helping them become the people your business can count on.
Attract
Help the next generation see a future in the trades.
Develop
Help new workers build the confidence, clarity, and support to succeed.
Mentor
Pass experience and knowledge to the people coming up.
Retain
Build workplaces where good people want to stay.
Live Appearances
Live Keynotes & Events
Alabama CTE Conference
Opening Keynote — Main Stage
MCAA/NCPWB Conference
Opening Keynote — Main Stage
Zekelman Industries
Opening Keynote — Main Stage
Master Builders of Iowa
Winter Conference
Nexstar Network Super Meeting
Leading the Trades with John C. Maxwell
American Welding Society Summit
Main Stage
01
Signature Keynote
You Don't Have a Hiring Problem. You Have a First 90 Days Problem.
Recruiting gets people in the door. What happens next shapes who they become.
Companies invest heavily in finding skilled workers. But hiring someone is only the beginning. The first 90 days help determine whether a new employee builds confidence, develops trust, takes ownership, and sees a future with the company.
Drawing from hundreds of conversations with tradespeople, apprentices, supervisors, and industry leaders, Andrew shows how the right expectations, mentorship, and leadership behaviors can build a stronger foundation for employees who perform, grow, and stay.
"That was a fantastic presentation and one of the best we've seen."
Nikki Joles
Build Witt
Available Formats
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Virtual presentations
Watch the Keynote
Audience Takeaways
- How to make success clear from the beginning
- Why orientation isn’t onboarding — and who owns Day 27
- How supervisors build confidence through feedback, responsibility, and early wins
- Why employees remember people, not processes
- Three actions leaders can put to work Monday morning
60–90
Min Keynote
Customized
For Your Industry
In-person & Virtual
Format
02
CTE & Education Keynote
The Pathfinder Playbook
Helping students move from awareness to relevance
Students do not just need to know career pathways exist. They need to see themselves in them.
In this keynote, Andrew Brown helps CTE educators, counselors, administrators, and workforce leaders rethink how they introduce pathways, tell career stories, and help students take one clearer next step toward a future they can picture.
Through real stories, practical examples, and a simple framework, audiences learn how to move students from awareness to relevance, so pathways feel less like programs and more like possible futures.
Audience Takeaways
- Why awareness alone is not enough
- How to help students see a future, not just a program
- How to make career pathways more relevant and visible
- How to improve the first moment a student has with a pathway
- How to help one student take one clearer next step
- How educators can become Pathfinders for students
Proven On Stage
96%
of attendees found the session valuable
97%
said they would hear Andrew speak again
Results following this message at the Alabama CTE conference
“Andrew was fantastic to work with. He is truly an expert, both through his lived experiences and his continued research and work in the field of career technical education. His message resonated and gave our group the tangible, practical takeaways they were hungry for.”
Scott Mathie
Managing Director, TEAMTRI TRNG
Following Andrew’s keynote for the Alabama CTE Conference
“We really do need to help them find their path, not the one we understand.”
“Show them the life, not just the job.”
Best For
- CTE conferences
- School districts
- Career tech centers
- Counselor conferences
- Workforce development events
- Apprenticeship programs
- Education leadership events
03
Keynote
Closing the Skilled Trades Gap: Engaging the Next Generation
The skilled trades are the backbone of our economy, yet they face a growing workforce crisis. With hundreds of thousands of tradespeople retiring in the next decade, and too few young people entering the pipeline, the gap is widening. This talk highlights the urgency of the issue and shares proven strategies to attract, inspire, and retain Gen Z (ages 13–28). Through stories, data, and a practical 5-step framework, Andrew Brown shows how businesses, schools, and communities can rebuild respect for the trades and secure the next generation of talent.
Available Formats
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
Audience Takeaways
- A clear picture of the skilled trades shortage and its impact on our economy and communities.
- Insights into what motivates Gen Z — and why perception is often the real barrier.
- The 5-step playbook (Awaken, Explore, Choose, Prepare, Elevate) for building a sustainable pipeline.
- Real success stories from young tradespeople and programs that are working today.
- Practical actions you can take tomorrow: mentorship, storytelling, social media, and school outreach.
Ideal Audience
- Educators and school administrators
- Career counselors
- Parents and students
- Community leaders and policymakers
- Employer associations
04
Keynote
Bridging the Generational Divide in Construction
The construction industry is facing one of the biggest transitions in its history. Nearly 40% of today’s workforce will retire in the next decade, while Gen Z is entering the trades with new values, tools, and expectations. That shift is creating friction on jobsites — but also an opportunity.
Through stories and lessons gathered from hundreds of conversations with tradespeople, Andrew Brown shares how to connect veteran experience with next-gen energy to build stronger, more collaborative teams.
Available Formats
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
Audience Takeaways
- The key motivators, communication styles, and work values of each generation in today’s construction workforce.
- Why “work ethic” and “work-life balance” are often misunderstood and how to bridge those perspectives.
- Proven strategies for knowledge transfer through mentorship, storytelling, and shared goals.
- How to build mutual respect and teamwork between veterans and younger workers.
Ideal Audience
- Leaders
- Supervisors
- Educators
- HR Professionals, Talent Acquisition
Why Andrew
Not Theory. Built From the Field.
The path into the skilled trades started after 9/11.
After 9/11, Andrew volunteered at Ground Zero, working side by side with tradespeople. That experience changed the way he saw the people who build, repair, and keep the world moving — and ultimately influenced the direction of his career.
Andrew went on to co-found and build an industrial supply business, serving contractors and skilled tradespeople for 24 years.
As a business owner, he experienced firsthand the challenges of hiring, developing, leading, and keeping good people. That experience, combined with his conversations across the industry, shapes the message he brings to the stage today.
Published Perspectives
Also published in Contractor Magazine
- 24+ years in the industrial, construction, and skilled trades supply industry
- Host of The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades — 1000's of conversations with workers, apprentices, educators, and executives
- Keynotes delivered for associations, contractors, manufacturers, and CTE/workforce events
- Trusted by organizations including AWS, MCAA/NCPWB, Master Builders of Iowa, Zekelman Industries, FABTECH, and Alabama CTE
- Real field stories and practical takeaways — not generic workforce theory
Who Books Andrew
Built for the Rooms That Move the Industry
Construction Companies
Manufacturers
Trade Associations
Workforce Organizations
CTE & Education Leaders
Apprenticeship Organizations
Industry Conferences & Events
In Their Words
Video Testimonials
What Hosts Say
Trusted by the People Building the Workforce
From Hosts & Meeting Planners
"Andrew was fantastic to work with. His message resonated and gave our group the tangible, practical takeaways they were hungry for. He was a great partner the whole way through."
Scott Mathie
Managing Director, TEAMTRI TRNG
Alabama CTE Conference
"Andrew's message resonated strongly with our audience. The mentorship and workforce development themes especially connected with attendees and sparked important conversations throughout the conference. His message is highly relevant to the challenges the skilled trades industry is facing today."
Ron King
Executive Director, NCPWB & WebLEM
From the Audience
"Very informative. I really enjoyed how he presented his topic and brought it all together. He used real life examples and gave us useful tools that I will be implementing in my classroom."
Earnest Jones
"I wish I could show you the screenshot I just showed my boyfriend. I told him the speaker is really good."
CharaieCelia Hamilton
"It may not be your main objective today, but you said to teach the lifestyle of the jobs in the program, and that set the lightbulb flashing. We teach skills and salary but never what to expect with the lifestyle."
Jake
"Really explains the importance of mentoring people in the field you operate in. In order to hopefully retain new people, you must mentor them or have a mentor. Without mentoring people generally tend to wonder and not follow through."
Gerald Dasbach
"Informative, and knowledgeable on getting a keeping young talent."
Joe Cosentini
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Bring Andrew to Your Next Event
Tell us about your event and Andrew's team will respond within 24 hours.