The teaching of welding just got cleaner, safer and more efficient at the Hart Career Center, thanks to a new location for the program which includes improved equipment. The program, which has been in its original facility since the career center opened in 1968, is moving into the area vacated by the Agriculture Diesel program which moved into the Ag Complex.
Scott Ulrich, who has taught the program for 21 years, says the move is good for the students and the overall program. The equipment will be organized in a more efficient manner in the new lab, and improvements will save the school district money on heating, use of gas and electricity.
“We will have about three times the amount of space we have now,” Ulrich said. “Now, when I have several students who are trying to weld something at the same time, it can get very crowded.”
There will be 15 individual welding booths in the new facility, separated by steel dividers. The present welding tables are divided by curtains. The new booths are aligned along one wall of the new shop, which will allow Ulrich to view all students as they work on their projects. There will be a free-standing welding table in each booth.
Another major improvement to the welding lab is the filtration system. The fumes and smoke will be filtered out of the area and the cleaned air re-circulated. Regulations require that shop areas go beyond just removing the fumes from the area. Each of the welding booths will have its own filtration system.
This system will help make the area more energy-efficient by allowing the area to generate its own heat. The shop area will only be heated by gas when students are not welding.
The shop area will feature a manifold gas system, which will pipe the gas used in welding into the booth areas via copper lines. “We will have a huge increased safety factor there,” Ulrich said. “It will be much safer than moving the tanks of gas we currently use in and out of the building.”
The new lab area will have eight multi-process inverters, each which will do shielded metal arc (Stick) welding, gas tungsten arc welding (tig) and gas metal arc welding (mig).
The new welding shop was financed through a state of Missouri Enhancement Grant, which pays 50 percent of the cost of building improvements and 75 percent of equipment costs. These grants, available annually for career centers, help the schools keep up-to-date materials for classes which prepare students to go directly into the workplace.
Dr. Mickie Shank, director of the HCC, is pleased with the welding program's success. “Our welding program is outstanding,” she said. “The new lab is something the community should be very proud of, and Scott Ulrich is a teacher students look up to. We have people come from all over Missouri and out of state to use his expertise.”
She also appreciates the projects the students do for the school district. “I think it's important for students to look around and realize they helped with the fencing around the football field, for example,” she said. “The welding students develop a sense of community pride.”
The welding program accepts up to 15 students per morning and afternoon sessions, from Mexico and any of the other sending schools. The three-hour class is an American Welding Society (AWS) certification program. Nearly every student completes the program with at least one of the eight certifications offered at the career center.
Ulrich has been conducting the certified testing for seven years. The Hart Career Center is one of two testing sites in Missouri. Some students choose to become certified in more than one area while enrolled in the program.
“We will try to find something for every student to certify in,” Ulrich said. “Two of the most common certificates are for structural and sheet metal code welding.” Structural welding certification allows welders to work on bridges, locks and dams and other buildings. Sheet metal welding, D13 or MIG welding, certifies welders to work with material 1/8 inch or thinner.
Individuals who become certified welders can expect to earn from $12-$150 per hour, depending on the job and employer.
While most of the students in the program have been male, Ulrich has had several female students in the past. “Actually, there is a high demand for female welders. Many employers want female welders because of their dexterity and hand/eye coordination.”
Ulrich also conducts certification for employers. Later this month, the Titan Wheel company from Quincy is bringing three of its welders to be certified in structural welding. The individuals will be required to demonstrate their skill during a four-hour test period which will require them to prep, cut and bend metal before welding the pieces together. “It's a rigorous test,” Ulrich said. “And there is no gray area; it's either pass or fail.”
The companies from the private sector who send employees for certification pay all the expenses involved, so there is no cost to the school district.
An opportunity Ulrich offers his students is that of participating in welding competitions. Two students, Jordan Robinson from Van-Far High School, and Josh Cuno, from Mexico, have entered the Missouri Welding Institute's annual competition Feb. 4. They will be among 120 students competing.
“Entering contests at advanced training facilities is a great way to really get to see what the school is like,” Ulrich said. “By entering the competition, the students get to work with the actual equipment, meet the teachers and get a hands-on experience in the welding booths.”
The top welder in the competition will win a full-ride scholarship, valued at $17,000, to the Institute. Other partial scholarships also will be awarded.
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The teaching of welding just got cleaner, safer and more efficient at the Hart Career Center, thanks to a new location for the program which includes improved equipment. The program, which has been in its original facility since the career center opened in 1968, is moving into the area vacated by the Agriculture Diesel program which moved into the Ag Complex.
Scott Ulrich, who has taught the program for 21 years, says the move is good for the students and the overall program. The equipment will be organized in a more efficient manner in the new lab, and improvements will save the school district money on heating, use of gas and electricity.
“We will have about three times the amount of space we have now,” Ulrich said. “Now, when I have several students who are trying to weld something at the same time, it can get very crowded.”
There will be 15 individual welding booths in the new facility, separated by steel dividers. The present welding tables are divided by curtains. The new booths are aligned along one wall of the new shop, which will allow Ulrich to view all students as they work on their projects. There will be a free-standing welding table in each booth.
Another major improvement to the welding lab is the filtration system. The fumes and smoke will be filtered out of the area and the cleaned air re-circulated. Regulations require that shop areas go beyond just removing the fumes from the area. Each of the welding booths will have its own filtration system.
This system will help make the area more energy-efficient by allowing the area to generate its own heat. The shop area will only be heated by gas when students are not welding.
The shop area will feature a manifold gas system, which will pipe the gas used in welding into the booth areas via copper lines. “We will have a huge increased safety factor there,” Ulrich said. “It will be much safer than moving the tanks of gas we currently use in and out of the building.”
The new lab area will have eight multi-process inverters, each which will do shielded metal arc (Stick) welding, gas tungsten arc welding (tig) and gas metal arc welding (mig).
The new welding shop was financed through a state of Missouri Enhancement Grant, which pays 50 percent of the cost of building improvements and 75 percent of equipment costs. These grants, available annually for career centers, help the schools keep up-to-date materials for classes which prepare students to go directly into the workplace.
Dr. Mickie Shank, director of the HCC, is pleased with the welding program's success. “Our welding program is outstanding,” she said. “The new lab is something the community should be very proud of, and Scott Ulrich is a teacher students look up to. We have people come from all over Missouri and out of state to use his expertise.”
She also appreciates the projects the students do for the school district. “I think it's important for students to look around and realize they helped with the fencing around the football field, for example,” she said. “The welding students develop a sense of community pride.”
The welding program accepts up to 15 students per morning and afternoon sessions, from Mexico and any of the other sending schools. The three-hour class is an American Welding Society (AWS) certification program. Nearly every student completes the program with at least one of the eight certifications offered at the career center.
Ulrich has been conducting the certified testing for seven years. The Hart Career Center is one of two testing sites in Missouri. Some students choose to become certified in more than one area while enrolled in the program.
“We will try to find something for every student to certify in,” Ulrich said. “Two of the most common certificates are for structural and sheet metal code welding.” Structural welding certification allows welders to work on bridges, locks and dams and other buildings. Sheet metal welding, D13 or MIG welding, certifies welders to work with material 1/8 inch or thinner.
Individuals who become certified welders can expect to earn from $12-$150 per hour, depending on the job and employer.
While most of the students in the program have been male, Ulrich has had several female students in the past. “Actually, there is a high demand for female welders. Many employers want female welders because of their dexterity and hand/eye coordination.”
Ulrich also conducts certification for employers. Later this month, the Titan Wheel company from Quincy is bringing three of its welders to be certified in structural welding. The individuals will be required to demonstrate their skill during a four-hour test period which will require them to prep, cut and bend metal before welding the pieces together. “It's a rigorous test,” Ulrich said. “And there is no gray area; it's either pass or fail.”
The companies from the private sector who send employees for certification pay all the expenses involved, so there is no cost to the school district.
An opportunity Ulrich offers his students is that of participating in welding competitions. Two students, Jordan Robinson from Van-Far High School, and Josh Cuno, from Mexico, have entered the Missouri Welding Institute's annual competition Feb. 4. They will be among 120 students competing.
“Entering contests at advanced training facilities is a great way to really get to see what the school is like,” Ulrich said. “By entering the competition, the students get to work with the actual equipment, meet the teachers and get a hands-on experience in the welding booths.”
The top welder in the competition will win a full-ride scholarship, valued at $17,000, to the Institute. Other partial scholarships also will be awarded.
