CRC Industries has announced a partnership with Western Welding Academy (WWA), recently voted the No. 1 Welding School in the Nation for its dedication to training the next generation of skilled workers. The companies will sponsor WWA’s fifth annual Blue Collar Tour, which looks to showcase the opportunities and rewards of a career in the trades to students across the country.
The 2025 Blue Collar Tour will make more than 30 stops in high schools and vocational training centers across the U.S. The events will offer students hands-on welding demonstrations, career insights and the opportunity to connect directly with WWA instructors, alumni and industry experts.
Demonstrations will showcase CRC Weld-Aid products, including Nozzle-Kleen to keep nozzles, tips and diffusers in top working order, and Weld-Kleen anti-spatter.
“CRC is dedicated to keeping the industry moving forward, and that includes addressing the skilled trade workforce gap,” said Steven Drake, president of CRC Industries, Americas. “CRC’s sponsorship of The Blue Collar Tour and partnership with Western Welding Academy is a natural extension of our commitment by providing support to train the next generation. Together, we get it done.”
The Blue Collar Tour began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tyler Sasse, founder of Western Welding Academy, saw how the crisis eliminated opportunities for young people and left America facing an even greater shortage of skilled labor, according to a press release announcing the 2025 event.
Recognizing that investing in the nation’s youth was critical for a stronger, self-sufficient future, Sasse and his team launched the Blue Collar Tour. Each year since the tour has grown, bringing the excitement of the trades to high school students nationwide and highlighting welding as a path to rewarding, high-paying careers.
“If we don’t invest in these high school students, who will?” Sasse asked. “We can’t wait for someone else to fix it; we’re stepping up to make a change.”
In 2025, CRC joins the Blue Collar Tour as a key partner, amplifying the tour’s reach and impact. The sponsorship is an extension of CRC’s Build for the Future program, where the company actively invests in attracting the next generation to join the trades, the release noted.
Tour highlights and activities include:
- Live Concert-Style Event: A full-scale, high-energy experience featuring live welding demonstrations up-close on big screens, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- Sponsored Tool and Swag Giveaways: Every stop will include exclusive giveaways of premium welding tools and swag, thanks to CRC and other tour sponsors.
- Hands-On Welding Demonstrations: Students will experience live welding, guided by WWA instructors, for an authentic taste of fieldwork.
- Tour Bus and Mobile Welding Setup: Traveling like a touring band, the Blue Collar Tour bus brings the WWA team and equipment to each location, ensuring a fully immersive experience.
- Inspirational Talks: WWA alumni and blue-collar advocates will share success stories, emphasizing the rewarding and essential role of trade careers.
- Exclusive Welding Workshop Boards: Each participating school will receive a “Welding Trophy Board” featuring QR codes that link to WWA’s digital Welding Workshop curriculum.
- Scholarship Opportunities: Students will learn about scholarships available to help fund their welding education.
Confirmed 2025 tour stops include:
- Colorado
- New Mexico
- Texas (multiple locations)
- Oklahoma
- Illinois (multiple locations)
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Ohio
- Kentucky
- Alabama (multiple locations)
- Louisiana
- Arizona
- California (multiple locations)
- Oregon
- Washington
- Idaho (multiple locations)
- Montana
- Wyoming
“Our country was built by hardworking men and women in the trades, and it’s time we invest in the future of these industries,” said Colton Pfeil, vice president of marketing at Western Welding Academy. “The Blue Collar Tour isn’t just about promoting welding; it’s about giving students the tools to create their own successful future.”
