Western Technical College Prepares Students to Join Workforce

A lot of companies are looking for machinists, welders and other skilled workers. They have been turning their attention to workers who are trained and skilled. Western Technical College provides a hands-on welding program that turns its more than 80 students into certified welders. Jeff Cermak, chairman of the Western Welding Program, said that certified welders are guaranteed a full time job. That means students of the program will join the workforce as soon as they finish the course.

Students who join the welding program in Western Technical College have up to 30 hours of labs, lectures, and course work each week. Students earn 30 credits, which is a year of education. Cermak said that the welding program is growing. Demand has been good in the last three to four years and he sees it to continue to grow for the next couple of years.

When students complete the program, they are provided with opportunities for work right away. Retirements will cause a shortage of workers in years to come. That’s why there is a need to train more welders in a short period of time. The industries are looking for new people to replace the retirees.

Cermak said that manufacturing sector is increasing and there will be a need for more welders. More products are being sold and to keep up with the demand, there must be more people in the manufacturing sector.

One of the students in the welding program of Western Technical College is Danny Dobbs. He said that welding is in his blood. His uncle is a welding instructor at Melrose-Mindoro and he took the skill from him. He wanted to further his education and that’s why he is enrolled in the program. He said he wants to be a welder because it is not a dead-end job. There are many opportunities in the workforce and various types of welding one can learn.