ons “
My lifelong dream is to own a hot rod and chopper shop. That’s also why I wanted to learn [welding] skills.
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Jesse Evans
Collaboration Station FVTC and Appleton-based Pierce Manufacturing join forces for an innovative training program.
FVTC student
Supply and Demand Much of the immediate and growing demand for welders is coming from the area’s construction industry, which includes recent pipeline projects and a nuclear power plant. Another factor is the physical nature of welding work, which is prompting some aging baby boomers to retire or move into different fields. But the need for welders is not just local—it’s regional and even national. “I have been at numerous conferences, and people from other states are experiencing the same demand,” Berge says. “Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development surveys show that welding is one of the fastest-growing professions. I see this trend continuing for at least the next two years, if not longer.” That’s good news for Valarie Wojcik, 20, who recently received her associate degree in Welding from FVTC. The Hortonville native got her first taste of welding through the college’s Mini-Chopper Build program, which is designed to get teams of high school juniors and seniors excited about hands-on career choices. It worked. Wojcik was hooked after building a mini-motorcycle from the ground up. “Through that program, I learned machining and welding,” she says. “After it was over, I wanted to go to school for welding. I loved the Tech’s instructors and the campus, and it was close to home and affordable.” Wojcik also enjoys the nature of the work itself. “There are so many aspects to welding,” she says. “I could be welding underwater or on buildings. And the best part is that the trade is great if you like to work independently.” Wojcik is expanding her options by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering Technology from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.
Two years ago, Pierce needed a way to find skilled welders. Its solution was to team up with Fox Valley Technical College and develop a course that would produce qualified welders in a timely fashion. The course was a six-week program that included all the necessary welding skills to become certified at Pierce Manufacturing. Pierce found 16 employees from its labor pool that were looking for an opportunity. The employees completed the program with skills in blueprint reading, as well as steel, stainless steel, and aluminum welding. This is one of the innovative ways the company ensures a steady supply of qualified welders. In a sense, the arrangement wasn’t new to FVTC. The college has been providing training and weld testing on an as-needed basis for numerous local companies over the years. “We do a lot of weld testing,” says Bill Berge, an FVTC associate dean. “We are a weld test center for the state of Wisconsin and our instructors are all certified welding instructors. We work with about 30 different companies to certify their welders to either an American Welding Society or American Society of Mechanical Engineers certification.”
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/manufacturing.
focus fall 2009
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