Blaine Crelllin, of Chanute, always wanted to become a teacher. But instead of earning a college degree, he started a family and began a career in welding that took him across the country.
That career has finally merged with his long-held desire to teach. Last month, Crellin took over as the new welding instructor at the Regional Rural Technology Center.
?I want to inspire young adults that there?s more out there in life. Even if you don?t want to go to college, you need to learn a skill,? Crellin said. ?Welding has given me a pretty decent life. Maybe I can pass that on to somebody else.?
Crellin grew up in Chanute and graduated from Chanute High School, where he played sports and was a state wrestling champion. He wrestled at Labette Community College with the goal of continuing his education to become a teacher, perhaps in physical education so he could also coach sports.
Instead, he left school and took a job at Young?s Welding in Chanute, where he worked for 11 years. He also worked for B&W Trailer Hitches in Humboldt for a few years before deciding to hit the road for traveling welding jobs.
It?s not easy to work as a traveling welder when you have a family, but the pay is good, Crellin said.
?I got to go to different places, see different things, but it wears on you. I missed out on a lot,? he said.
That?s a lesson he?s stressed as he works with students at the RRTC. ?That?s what I tell the kids. Going on the road is where the big money is, but you need to do it when you?re young, before you get married and have kids.
?And I stress that if you make a lot of money, don?t blow it. Enjoy life but invest the money, get off the road and have a decent life.?
Crellin?s work as an on-the-road welder allowed him to invest in real estate. He and his wife, Viki, who owns a screenprinting business in Chanute, own rental properties. They?re also able to enjoy their hobby, riding Harley Davidson motorcycles and traveling to bike rallies across the country. They have seven children between them, ranging from 16 to 31.
Crellin credits his welding career for making that lifestyle possible, and for giving him the opportunity to indulge his passion for teaching.
?The transition, as far as teaching young people how to weld, that?s the easy part,? he said. ?Me getting adjusted to the computer era, that?s the hardest adjustment. All the years I was out in the field working, I didn?t have to document grades and absences and all that stuff.?
The course requires bookwork, including how to read blueprints and understand welding symbols. Students learn all varieties of welding, from tig welding to stick welding to mig welding and more.
?The biggest surprise for me, I didn?t know this welding school is so advanced,? he said, adding that the RRTC program offers a welding education comparable to nationally recognized schools. ?We cover everything you need to know, and at a minimal charge.?
And while he?s adjusting to his role as a teacher, he?s also been impressed by the commitment from his students. Some of them don?t appear to be the typical welding student, including girls and students who appeared to be more interested in things like computers. Some of them are serious about making a career out of welding, while others just want to give it a try. But they?re willing to listen and work hard, he said.
