According to U.S. Welding Workforce Data, the country could face a critical shortage of welders by 2029 as more workers retire.<\/p>\n
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That\u2019s why having full classes of welding students at Erie County Community College is so important.<\/p>\n
Students in the college\u2019s ten-month welding program spend time learning skills in the classroom before putting those lessons into practice.<\/p>\n
For student, Sakhari Thomas, the hands-on learning is one of the most valuable parts of the program, \u201cIt’s much more informative when I can actually go down and see what we did on the whiteboard and do it, and without that, it’s not as easy to do it correctly and do a good job with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
After learning the skills in the classroom, students have the opportunity to apply them to real-world projects. \u201cIt’s exciting to see that you are actually seeing the fruits of your labor right before your eyes, and that’s one of the most rewarding things,\u201d Thomas said.<\/p>\n
Thomas discovered a passion for being around the water and hopes to eventually pursue a career in commercial diving. He decided learning how to weld would be an important skill to have. According to Thomas, \u201cI just loved being around the water, so I’m trying to make my way to commercial diving. So I figured it would be nice to know how to weld first. I learned we had a welding program at the Community College, so I just applied then.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program teaches students a variety of skills that can help prepare them for careers after graduation.<\/p>\n
Luke Hummer, the department head and welding instructor, said students can find job opportunities with local industries after completing the 10-month program. According to Hummer,. \u201cAfter the ten-month program, they have job opportunities with local industries here in Erie, Pennsylvania, and we support and help put them into those job placements.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hummer said the need for skilled welders is growing as experienced workers retire and infrastructure across the country continues to age. \u201cThis industry is somewhat kind of dying. Baby boomers are retiring, infrastructure is failing. So AWS is predicting a huge surplus of welders needed in the United States. Just in Pennsylvania, it’s roughly 50,000 by the year 2028\u201d, said Hummer.<\/p>\n
Hummer said he’s encouraged by the interest from young people who are considering welding as a career and believes Erie is a good place for students to get their start. As Hummer explained, \u201cJobs are plentiful. I’m on a roundtable with multiple employers here in Erie, PA, and the jobs are here. Income is good. You can definitely support a family with welding.\u201d<\/p>\n