company’s products, plus identify and assemble accessories. Additionally, it identifies the common mistakes that often lead to escalating welding, cutting, and fabricating costs. To learn more, contact Bug-O’s manager of training and education, Mike Shaffer, at mshaffer@weld.com. Walters State Community College Celebrates Training Facility Opening Walters State Community College administrators recently joined local industry representatives to celebrate opening of the new Walters State Workforce Training Facility for welding and industrial skills training in Greeneville, Tenn. The college received a state grant of $337,000 to develop advanced welding and industrial skills programs. Much of that went to purchase up-to-date training equipment. “The grant did not include funds for a facility in which to house equipment and offer the training. We did not have room at our Greeneville Campus,” said Dr. Wade McCamey, college president. “That’s where Jerry Fortner and Jimmy Canselor of J & J Warehousing stepped up. They are providing this facility rent free.” The training program falls under the college’s Division of Workforce Training. Classes are under way at the 6000-sq-ft facility located on Asheville Highway. In welding, offerings range from an introductory class that covers safety/joint designs to advanced classes in structural and pipe welding. The industrial skills training program staff will work with local companies to assess not only the skills of applicants and what’s needed to fill jobs but also develop the training At a ribbon cutting for the Walters State Workforce Training Facility are Dr. Joe Combs, dean for workforce training; Gerald Austin, director of workforce training for welding education and training; Scott Niswonger, Walters State Foundation trustee; Dr. Wade B. McCamey, college president; Jerry Fortner, J & J Warehousing; Dr. Anita Ricker, assistant dean for workforce training; and Dr. Lori Campbell, vice president of academic affairs at Walters State. needed to prepare those applicants. Also, the grant enabled hiring Gerald Austin as director of workforce training for welding education and training. The facility includes classroom space with multimedia capabilities. Topics include customized pipe welding; welding for manufacturing; understanding welding codes/specifications; and welding inspection/quality control. The program further offers consulting services, welder testing/certification, and employee candidate assessments. — continued on page 21 APRIL 2015 / WELDING JOURNAL 19 For info, go to www.aws.org/adindex
Welding Journal | April 2015
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