The latest group of students at Midwest Technical Institute include a father and daughter who wanted to try out a new career together. WQAD reports that Tim and Tabitha Webb joined the class when Tabitha approached her father about checking out the class as a way to start a new career for herself.
Tim spent 23 years in the Navy and traveled all over the world, often being pulled away from his family. Tabitha has graduated from high school and has worked at a variety of jobs, but welding offers an appealing career path for her. She and her father also hoped this welding class would help them spend more time together.
Tabitha shares, “If things aren’t perfect, I kick and scream,” she said. “I want to quit and give up. He’s like, ‘Nope, just keep going. You know you’re going to do it.”
Tim is grateful for the time he gets to spend with his daughter. “Tabitha had to take care of my wife and my son when I was deployed,” he recalled. “She’s been kind of my rock the whole time.”
Tim and Tabitha aren’t the only new welders taking advantage of the opportunities around. Here are some of the latest news reports and updates about welding jobs, education, and events that continue to grow:
Welding Industry
Houston Becomes Welding Industry Hub: “Apart from the traditional workforce development efforts, some private companies are moving to Houston to take advantage of the needs.
One of those is Oregon-based Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems, which just opened its new facilities after acquiring Houston-based Calder Testers Inc. late last year.”
Welding Jobs
Welding Jobs Continue to Grow in Western Pennsylvania: “Brownsville Marine Products hosted a job fair Saturday, recruiting potential new welders.
“We sent a bunch of secondary students who are about to graduate, and they hired every person we sent there,” said Vernon Stouffer, work-based learning coordinator and math teacher at the Mon Valley Career and Technology Center in Speers.
Such is the need for welders that even employers are training prospective employees.”
Welding Education
An Adult Welding Class in Lawrence Indiana Begins Soon: “The North Lawrence Career Center will be offering an adult welding class beginning April 21.
The class will meet on Monday through Friday until the total instruction time of 40 hours is met. Classes will meet from 4:30 until 8:30 each evening. The charge for the class is $250. This fee pays for the instruction, steel, gases, and other supply costs. There must be at least 10 enrollments for the class to proceed.”
Welder Meets Welding Education Need with Mobile Shop: “Kurt Beier believes his welding-on-wheels could be just the beginning of a manufacturing rebirth in America. Beier, executive director for First Institute Training & Management, has heard manufacturers’ concerns with the lack of skilled workers to replace longtime employees and has found a solution.
Beier is bringing the training to the people, creating a trailer with four welding stations and an eight-person classroom section to offer companies and individuals an opportunity to earn American Welding Society certification within a month.”
High School Welding Program Adds More Students Than Expected: “Welding has been a popular class at the Aiken County Career and Technology Center for many years. However, the center doesn’t have room to expand the welding program.
Aiken County School District administrators and South Aiken Principal Bryan Skipper started planning a new venue about a year ago. An old industrial maintenance room provides the space needed. Skipper was optimistic that the three classes could attract four or five students each. Instead, a total of 33 showed up.”
Welding Events
The Global Lightweight Vehicle Manufacturing Congress Comes to Detroit, May 28-29: This event will provide technical solutions for identifying the most cost-feasible joining techniques, global infrastructure planning strategies and production methods to drive the widespread integration of advanced lightweight materials within OEMs.
International Symposium on Advances in Resistance Welding, Atlanta, April 28-30: “Technical conference on resistance welding topics presented by AWS and the Resistance Welding Manufacturing Alliance (RWMA).”
Welding Gone Wrong
Boston Welding Company May Not Have Had Permits and Caused Deadly Blaze: “A company in Malden has been identified as the welding business whose workers allegedly ignited the Back Bay fire that killed two Boston firefighters… Authorities have not yet publicly identified the company and declined Wednesday to comment on the news reports naming the business.”
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