Technology Instructor Jonathan King gives a tour of CSCC’s new welding lab
Members of business and industry, students, faculty and staff came together to celebrate Cleveland State Community College’s Open House for its new welding lab on Thursday.
“We are always trying to find more and better ways to serve our community—that’s our schools, our employers and our industries in our area,” stated Dr.
Bill Seymour, CSCC president. “We are trying to meet the needs of the community by offering programs that not only serve the needs of students and those who want to advance their careers, but directly impacting our employers, as well. Employers need workers with the right skills. This is going to help solve part of that problem. This lab is definitely no ordinary classroom. This is really impressive—very state-of-the-art. This is just another example of how we are putting the community first.”
Although CSCC has offered welding courses for many years, a newly proposed welding certificate packaging these welding technology courses, along with other pertinent industrial technology courses designed to match industry needs, will provide students with skills needed in today’s job market, officials said. The establishment of the new welding lab will allow Cleveland State to offer day, afternoon and evening welding courses. Cleveland State has been utilizing two high schools over the years for an evening welding program and will continue to use those sites in addition to the on-campus facility. This welding lab was established in response to industry demand for qualified, educated and skilled welders.
“I’m just excited about what we can now do,” stated Technology Instructor Jonathan King. “I know our students are as well. The ones that I have talked to are really happy that we are going to actually be incorporating some of the certifications in this class. We are doing the N.C.C.E.R., the A.W.S., and we are also introducing a CSCC welding certificate for the first time in a couple of decades. It is going through the final approvals at TBR, but we are very excited about that. This is one of the biggest passions of mine - giving those CTE students a pathway to get into the college environment to be able to continue their learning. We are in an area where there are so many high schools, and we can pull a lot of students in here, get them trained and out in the industries who are strongly communicating a need for good, quality welders. That’s what we are all about.”
He said this was a joint venture. A number of industry partners throughout the CSCC service area were very pro-active in the development of the lab, serving in both an advisory capacity as well as providing much needed materials and equipment. In addition to Carl D. Perkins funds and college funds, other vendors include Holston Gas (Chattanooga), Heatec, Dewalt, Denso, Thomas & Betts, Heil Trailer, Norfolk Southern and Home Depot.
Mr. King stated, “We really appreciate all of these industries for their continued support in making this lab possible. We have truly developed ongoing partnerships for our welding program and our college.”
Sophomore welding student Kyler Evans said, “I’ve been welding for six years, and I’ve taken all three welding classes that CSCC has had to offer, and now I’m going to be in the first class to use the new welding lab with the Advanced Welding Principles class. I’m really excited about it and looking forward to using such a nice lab.”
In addition to the credit courses in welding, CSCC is also offering non-credit courses. Introduction to welding, basic welding and advanced welding that will all be available to students as non-credit opportunities.
For more information on the welding program, contact Jonathan King at (423) 473-2439. For more information on non-credit opportunities, contact Lee Ann Lowe, Continuing Education Coordinator, at (423) 473-2270.