Welding students in Minnesota’s Anoka Technical College are being recruited to join union apprenticeship programs before they even graduate. In fact, 23 students have already been accepted from the college’s current class.
Pictured below, Sireena Blue has excelled in the program and is one of the students already enrolled in the apprenticeship program. She appears with Rich Godeen, her welding instructor.
As welding jobs continue to call for trained welders throughout Minnesota and the Dakotas, recruiters have been visiting technical colleges directly in order to find qualified workers.
According to Travis Beck, Business Representative from one union, “Contractors have clearly stated that the recruits for Millwright Union 548 from Anoka Technical College are some of the best they have seen, and they strongly encourage us to continue these recruitment efforts.”
The job opportunities for welders have never been better in recent memory. Here’s the rest of the welding news round up:
Welding Industry
Government Issues New Safety Regulations for Keystone XL Pipeline: “Safety regulators have quietly placed two extra conditions on construction of TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL oil pipeline after learning of potentially dangerous construction defects involving the southern leg of the Canada-to-Texas project.
The defects – high rates of bad welds, dented pipe and damaged pipeline coating – have been fixed. But the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration wants to make sure similar problems don’t occur during construction of the pipeline’s controversial northern segment, which is on hold pending a decision by the Obama administration.”
Lincoln Electric Introduces Orbital TIG Welding: “The Lincoln Electric Company is bringing welding operators in refineries, power generation and pressure vessels a single system solution for welding various pipe and tube sizes with the new C450 and C663 weld heads.
With these orbital TIG (gas tungsten arc welding) clamp-on weld heads, operators not only can weld large diameters with no upper limit; they also can weld smaller tubes and pipes with outside diameters ranging from 1.315 to 6.63 inches. The new weld heads are designed for use with the company’s APEX 2100 orbital welding system, which includes all the welding components required for orbital TIG welding.”
Welding Education
Ontario Welding Program Celebrates First Graduates: “Twenty Malheur County students Friday became first group to complete the welding classes in the pilot career technical education program sponsored by the Poverty to Prosperity Initiative to improve the economy of Malheur County.
An open house to recognize students, the instructor and those behind Poverty to Prosperity and the career technical education program was held in the welding shop at Treasure Valley Community College. The event drew county, city and community leaders.”
Seniors Monse, Salvador and Victor Gutierrez took first place at the New Mexico SkillsUSA competition in the high school welding fabrication category on April 2 to 4 in Albuquerque. The three students are all in Edward McHenry’s welding program at the district’s Career and Technology Education Center.”
Welding Jobs
Program Prepares Welders for Jobs in Missouri and Arkansas: “With so many companies like ARI, Manac Trailers, and Nucor, welders play an important role in southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas. Three Rivers College is preparing to educate and train those wanting to go into the field of welding through their Flux-core Welding Pilot program, to begin June 2.
‘The idea behind the program is to make people employable,’ said Mike Barrett, project director at TRCC. ‘People who take the course should be able to pass any B-Class Weld test.’”
Welding Events
The thermal effects from welding and heat treatment influence the microstructure and mechanical properties of welds. Various materials, such as carbon steels and other alloy grades, are affected by heat treatment which changes the weld metallurgy and influences the final welded product. Better understanding of the impact of welding and heat treatment practices can allow for the weld quality and reliability to be optimized for the application.
Welding Gone Wrong
Welding Sparks Toronto Fire in Development: “Two separate fires that broke out at a new subdivision in Richmond Hill have damaged a number of homes that were still under construction.
York Regional Police say the first fire started at around 4 p.m. on Monday near Gracedale Drive and Canyon Hill Avenue. They say the blaze appeared to have started at one home before spreading to neighbouring residences. Police say a second fire started across the street some time later. It also damaged a number of homes nearby.”
