Metalsmithing, including welding, is a high-wage and high-demand skill that, with the right training, almost anyone can learn. Right in Auburn is the New England School of Metalwork, which has renowned programs that attract students from across the country to learn traditional and contemporary techniques with the latest technology (see the brief history below).

It’s been built over the last 25 years by founder Dereck Glaser, who remains the director and resident blacksmithing instructor. Glaser has been a self-professed metalwork geek since his boyhood in Ohio. An early fascination with the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons led to a passion for suits of armor, swords and, essentially, all things metal. He was just age 14 when he began forging, and by his late teens, he was skilled enough to begin working in some of the local Cincinnati area shops.

In college, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Art Education with a minor in Art, then moved with his family to Maine in the 1990s to teach metal arts at the high school level while pursuing his passion for custom bladesmithing and sculpture. He has been a featured artist of the Maine Crafts Association and has been awarded the People’s Choice Award at the Alfred ABANA Conference.

His high standards for excellence are evident in every aspect of the school’s facilities, instructors and equipment – and one structure has now grown to three. Resident instructors are highly credentialed, and the guest instructors are masters in their individual fields of expertise. Dormitories are available onsite for those who wish to stay on campus during their classes. And all the facilities are clean, bright and welcoming – all designed to honor the art and science of metalwork.

It’s an impressive and welcoming place to visit, which I did recently, to chat with Glaser about his experiences during the past 25 years, and what he thinks the future will bring.

“Our continuing goal is to make our curriculum flexible and accessible to as many students as possible.”

(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)

Nancy Fickett: Dereck, congratulations on the upcoming anniversary. How were you inspired to begin this journey a quarter century ago?

Dereck Glaser: It was a matter of fulfilling a need. I had a unique perspective that being a high school instructor as well as being involved professionally with local welding distributor Maine Oxy had provided to me. I saw that the world of business and industry was increasingly looking for metalwork employees with a higher level of skills than what could be learned through the limitations of a high school or even a community college course, and that a resource for gaining those skills was needed.

Together with Maine Oxy, we decided to design and build a dual-purpose facility for metalsmithing and welding. It would appeal to both those interested in artisan-level ornamental metalwork instruction as well as those interested in pursuing a well-paid career path in welding.

Fickett: And so you decided to start a school to fill those needs. What has been one of your biggest challenges during the past 25 years?

Glaser: It would have to be the pandemic in 2020. Just like every other school and business where people were routinely in close contact, the school could not carry on as usual. Our standard hands-on approach to our curriculum was impossible to maintain. Consequently, four of our five resident instructors felt they had to leave. That was a very tough time to be the school’s director, and a very tough time for everyone. We’re still trying to fully recover in some ways.

Fickett: It certainly was a challenging time for people everywhere. But obviously the school survived and appears to be thriving.

Glaser: There have always been, and will always be, challenges to be met. Part of meeting those challenges was becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit along the way. This has led to partnership opportunities with businesses like Moody’s Collision and Reed & Reed Construction, who support our newly created Welding Scholarship Program. We have additional scholarship programs as well. Our continuing goal is to make our curriculum flexible and accessible to as many students as possible.

Fickett: According to the American Welding Society, the U.S, is facing a significant shortage of skilled welders.

Glaser: Well, it is. That’s why it is critical for there to be resources like ours to provide the proper training to future welders. But beyond that, we believe that part of continuing to be a vibrant and active force in the blacksmithing, bladesmithing and welding industries means providing our students with employment assistance upon completion of their training. We know how to best prepare them for the testing and the career opportunities that await them, and the certifications that students earn at New England School of Metalwork will typically translate into better opportunities with greater financial rewards.

Fickett: It sounds as though careers in welding and other types of metalwork are here to stay, but I noticed you have added robotics to your welding program! What else will the next 25 years bring?

Glaser: The need for highly skilled welding professionals in many industries will continue and the addition of robotics is intended to enhance, not replace, those skills. Metalwork artisans will continue to produce beautiful works combining form and function. Bladesmithing has become very popular, and our current enrollment reflects that. I believe the New England School for Metalworks will continue to be a valuable educational resource for the next 25 years and beyond.

Fickett: That brings us back to your upcoming anniversary – how does the school plan to celebrate this important milestone?

Glaser: We are inviting everyone to our 25th Anniversary Open House Party on Saturday, June 14! Free food and drink, live demos, raffles and giveaways, tours, and 25% off any class tuition for the rest of this year for attendees.

Fickett: That sounds great, Dereck! Thanks so much for your time, along with a fascinating look at the world of metalworking today.

The New England School of Metalwork is a full 501 C3 non-profit educational facility devoted to the promotion and strengthening of metalworking skills. Visit their website for more information.