Companies Combine to Create Welding Program
Around 40 local companies in Caldwell have taken part in the Caldwell High School’s welding facility. The 200 foot long facility, with an area of 7,000 square feet, is the result of a project that brought together various construction firms. The program was the brainchild of Ivak Cooper, a welding instructor. Because of the program, he received the Secondary Program of the Year award from the Idaho Division of Professional Technical Education last June. In 2007, Cooper asked Roger Quarles, then-Superintendent of the school district, to extend the shop. The superintendent approved the request as long as the extension matched the colors of the school. Cooper then asked R&M Steel to be part of the project. Rob Roberts of R&M Steel then said that there will be no charge for the extension. Roberts donated around $34,000 and other companies pitched in for the structure that was estimated to be around $150,000. Then last summer, Cooper started a second extension that will be smaller than the first one. It will be built using materials donated by local companies. The current project has been estimated to be around $70,000. One of the companies that donated was Low’s Ready Mix. They donated 80 cubic yards of concrete for the first welding facility extension and will provide additional 20 cubic yards of concrete for the second one. Aside from the welding shop donation, Roberts has donated around $1 million in steel buildings for the professional technical programs in Wilder and Horseshoe. He also donated half a million to a program outside of Coeur d’Alene. He gave materials to a project in Midvale. The extension has allowed students to create full benches, trailers, and other large projects. Most of the students have moved on and got jobs in companies in Caldwell and in nearby places.
