NDT Hero: Eddie Pompa’s educational mission at NDT
Eddie Pompa's history, founder of NDT Hero, educator, and active member of ASNT, in the world of nondestructive testing (NDT) is characterized by an entry into the industry that, in his own words, came from a combination of serendipitous circumstances and a proactive attitude, rather than a structured plan or predetermined career path.
His career began at
Eddie took advantage of every training opportunity, enrolling in courses in ultrasound and other methods. With a philosophy inherited from his mother- "whatever education you get, take it, because once you learn, it's yours"-he built a solid technical foundation and a passion for sharing knowledge.
Mentoring as a backbone
Over the years, Eddie Pompa has gone from being a mentee to becoming one of the most active mentoring figures in the NDT world, basing his approach on three factors: close accompaniment, direct language and respect for individual learning processes. He recognizes that many young people need more than just technical knowledge; they need to develop self-confidence.
In the classroom, adopt a relaxed but firm attitude, making it clear from day one that failure is acceptable and that what is really important is to try, experiment and learn from mistakes. This mindset creates an environment where students feel safe to explore, make mistakes and grow.
Pompa also works actively with high schools, especially those with NDT programs. There he acts as a bridge between academia and industry, instilling values of responsibility, discipline and curiosity. This dedication has been so profound that today he accompanies the process of former students who return to their former schools as mentors.
NDT Hero: education through superpowers
Among Eddie Pompa's many accomplishments is the creation of NDT Hero, an educational initiative that fuses comic book storytelling with technical inspection. Through characters with "extraordinary" abilities inspired by the inspection methods (such as vision through materials or magnetism), he presents the work of inspectors as a modern form of technical heroism.
These characters make it possible to connect with students visually and emotionally. Instead of seeing engineering as something difficult and distant, they perceive it as an adventure, a way of caring for the world from the invisible.
The program has been positively received in various regions of the world, from Asia to Italy, and has been adopted as a motivational tool at events and training centers. It has even been the source of collaborations with other initiatives, such as "A Better Inspector", with which it shares the objective of raising the level of professionals in the sector.
Humanizing engineering
One of Pompa's great contributions has been to demonstrate that engineering is compatible with creativity and emotions. As he himself says, if he cannot have fun in his work, he does not consider it desirable. Thus, although he recognizes that technical inspection demands rigor, he argues that there must also be room for humor, imagination and exploration.
This balance between professional seriousness and emotional openness is precisely what allows his message to connect with so many students. Under this vision, NDT Hero transcends the concept of a visual campaign to consolidate itself as an authentic teaching philosophy.
An industry that saves lives
Eddie has a simple but powerful way of describing his profession: "It's like medicine, but for metals". They use techniques similar to those in the medical world, such as ultrasound, to detect invisible failures before they become tragedies.
That parallel has been key in conveying to students that their work has a direct impact on people's safety. And in a world where infrastructure, energy and transportation are increasingly dependent on complex materials, well-trained inspectors are an urgent necessity.
For more content about ASNT 2025, please visit our LinkedIn profile.
Source: Inspenet.
