The NDT Guru: Meet Jean Staton

Meet Jean Staton, the resident non-destructive testing (NDT) superstar and instructor. NDT is a vital part of keeping the world around us safe. It’s about inspecting parts–from space shuttles to historical paintings like the Mona Lisa–without tearing them apart. And Jean Staton is a trailblazer in the industry! Check out her story below.

From the ‘70s to Now: A Journey in NDT

Jean was introduced to NDT back in the late ‘70s with a unique backstory, as she shared with us:

“My late husband actually got me into it,” recalls Jean. “We were doing something called industrial radiography on a pipeline, and it was so funny because he showed me how to process film, and he told me, ‘Whatever you do, don’t mess up my film and don’t get me behind.’ I didn’t, of course, and it’s another world out there now, but that was my start.”

From pipelines to space shuttles, and even mockups for NASA, she's done it all. As she’s learned in her years of experience, following code is key in this industry because, as she puts it, NDT is not about opinions.

Magnetic Particle & More: NDT Techniques

One typical NDT technique our students learn is magnetic particle testing. They first do a test to prove it's going to pick up before they put it on, energize it and ensure the tested item follows code. One of the challenges in NDT is that there is a strict code to follow, and it means having confidence as a student and knowing your stuff.

“When I teach the students, I make sure that they know they’re going to make a judgment call,” says Jean. “Because you need to not only know hands-on, you need to know why…when my students answer a question of mine, I turn right around and ask them why.”

The Best Part of NDT for Jean? Getting To Train the Next Generation

Even though it seems Jean’s accomplished everything there is in NDT, including writing a textbook students utilize in our classroom, there’s one thing she’s most proud of, and that is teaching our students.

“When I can see these students finally grasp a subject, they get that look in their eyes and that means so much to me. I am so proud of them when they do it,” Jean tells us.

Interested in NDT? Here's Jean's Advice!

If you're thinking of joining this exciting industry, Jean says there’s one thing to do first: Get formal training.¹

“My advice if you want to get into this industry, look up your training schools,” says Jean. “Give us a call, we will show you around, we will show you some parts and possibly, I may let you try out some parts.”

It may not be a well-known field, but no background experience is needed to join the program here! As Jean says, all you need to do is enroll, we’ll teach you the rest! To learn more about our hands-on labs and non-destructive testing, check out our program page. To get started toward training for a career where you can work with your hands, check out our get info page.