IDOE Grant Will Help Expand Welding Program
SYRACUSE — A grant from the Indiana Department of Education exceeding $95,000 will be used to improve the new welding program offered by the Wawasee Area Career and Technical Cooperative.
IDOE announced grant recipients today Friday, Sept. 2. Specifically, Wawasee was awarded $95,782. IDOE awarded a total of $1.7 million in Career and Technical Education Rural Grants.
Wawasee will use the grant to “expand and enhance” the welding program, said Jon Everingham, director of the cooperative. The welding program began only a few weeks ago when the 2016-17 school year started. There are currently about 10 students in the program and one is from Fairfield High School, the other school in the cooperative.
Everingham noted the grant will allow for the purchase of a welding trainer, a machine allowing welding to be practiced without supplies being used. A welding booth and other equipment will be purchased too, he added.
Jesse Kimmel teaches the welding class, which involves commercial welding of various types, the first half of each day Monday through Friday. It is taught near the automotive shop in the WACTC building on the Wawasee High School campus.
Everingham said there is potential for growth of the program into a new location and options are currently being explored. Columbia City will join the cooperative next year, he noted.
Welders are in demand and high school graduates can go to work right away and earn good money, he commented.