Every NDT Professional Is an Advocate

When people hear the word advocacy, many think of politics, legislative meetings, or trips to Washington, DC. Certainly, advocacy includes those activities—earlier this year, ASNT members took part in our second annual ASNT Day on the Hill, meeting with congressional offices to educate policymakers about nondestructive testing (NDT), workforce challenges, and the importance of supporting research and innovation. Those conversations were valuable and raised awareness of our profession among decision-makers. But advocacy is much bigger than politics. Some of the most important advocacy happens every day, in local communities around the world.

Advocacy in Everyday Life

Advocacy happens when a volunteer speaks to a high school class about career opportunities, works a job fair, mentors a student, or simply explains to a friend or neighbor what they do for a living. Every time we introduce someone to NDT, we are advocating for it.

One of the challenges our industry continues to face is that many people still do not know who we are or what we do. NDT touches nearly every aspect of modern life; the problem is not that it lacks importance, but that too few people understand its impact on their daily lives. That is why awareness matters.

Storytelling Builds the Workforce

Over the past year, ASNT has expanded efforts to raise the visibility of our profession through public relations, workforce development programs, STEM events, media outreach, and engagement with educators and policymakers. These efforts are introducing new audiences to NDT and the opportunities it offers.

But no national campaign is as effective as an NDT professional sharing a personal story. Every member has one. Some discovered NDT through the military; others through welding, manufacturing, engineering, or technical education. Some have spent decades in the field, while others are just starting out. Each journey is unique, and each story can inspire someone else to consider this profession.

In many ways, workforce development begins with storytelling. People cannot pursue careers they have never heard of—before someone earns a certification, enrolls in a training program, or joins an employer, they first need to know the profession exists. Awareness is the first step in building every workforce pipeline, and that idea is the foundation of the ASNT Advocate Program.

Introducing the ASNT Advocate Program

This program is not about creating professional lobbyists or policy experts. Instead, it connects, supports, and recognizes the advocacy efforts many ASNT members are already making. Through outreach, workforce engagement, education initiatives, community events, and other advocacy activities, members can help strengthen awareness of NDT while shaping the profession’s future.

One area where members can make a significant impact is in their own communities. Advocacy does not require a trip to Washington, DC—some of the most effective advocacy happens at the local and state levels. Meeting with a state legislator, attending a district office meeting, participating in a town hall, or introducing a local official to the importance of NDT can raise awareness among policymakers who influence decisions at the federal level.

What excites me most is that this effort is truly grassroots. Members around the world are already mentoring students, engaging with schools, supporting workforce initiatives, and championing NDT in their communities. Our opportunity now is to connect those individual efforts into a network that creates measurable national impact.

Every Conversation Counts

The future of NDT will not be shaped by a single event, campaign, or organization—it will be shaped by thousands of conversations in classrooms, training centers, job fairs, workplaces, and communities around the world. Those conversations matter: they introduce young people to rewarding careers, help educators understand workforce needs, strengthen our industry’s talent pipeline, and ensure NDT professionals receive the recognition they deserve.

Whether you’re speaking to a student, mentoring a new professional, working a career fair, meeting with a local legislator, or sharing your own story, you’re doing more than promoting a profession—you’re helping shape its future. That makes you an advocate.

I encourage you to become an ASNT Advocate. You don’t need to be a policy expert, public speaker, or seasoned volunteer. All you need is a passion for our profession and a willingness to share your story. ASNT provides the resources, training, tools, and opportunities to help you get involved in ways that fit your interests and schedule. To learn more, contact govrelations@asnt.org or visit the ASNT website. We hope you’ll join us in building a stronger voice for NDT, one conversation, one community, and one connection at a time.