“David Dorr, the Executive Director at Somerset Career and Technical Prep, approached myself along with the other surrounding schools to the tech center, and just asked, does anybody have any space and I happen to be in my office. I quickly responded and said, we have some space come on up. And I think within 24 hours, Dave and I were meeting in this area here, which was a combination of a little welding, a little fabrication kids worked on vehicles in here. And I said, how would this work? And that was really how it began and it's incredible that we’re here a year later because last year at this time, we were completely bare walls. None of this equipment was here and at the beginning of September, we started the program as a satellite for SCTC. And now we're up and running and just looking to make it more than what it was last year and how can we support kids and have a comprehensive offering for students and also for community members because we also have a vision that we want this running throughout the day, throughout the evening as people want to get involved in welding,” said Christopher LeBlanc, Principal at Madison High School.
Prior to Madison High School opening this welding facility under SCTC, the welding program had a lengthy waitlist. This center has helped the program extensively and Christopher hopes to see more growth and involvement in the future.
“We've talked about the signs that you see in this facility here, not that we want to take away from other people in the communities that are doing it. But this is something that we had looked about incorporating computer design and then being able to have a machine that makes those signs as well as all of the various signs that people have on their house. We’re also looking to incorporate other disciplines, because that could be done up in our computer classes. You know, maybe they're not into the welding piece of it. But there's so much more that you can do with computer design and hands on experience, and to do that stuff. Plus, it is also as a springboard of what we need to do next door in the woodshop. Because if you can do it here, in the metal shop, you have just as many people interested in the woodshop as you do here, and hoping that with again, community support and we've already started that conversation with some local people on how do we enhance that over there, modernize that and really make that for those people who are hands on but more in the wood opposed to the metal,” said LeBlanc.
Chris Beaman graduated from Madison High School and is a new instructor of the SCTC welding center at the high school. He has learned lots of skills not just in welding but in teaching as well. He continues to improve his teaching skills and grow the welding program that he knows very well and has a passion for.
“I graduated in 2016 and grew up Madison, so I've spent my entire life here so far. And how I got into welding was seeing it through my father growing up. He was always a welder and I didn't really know what I wanted to go to school for. When my sister told me, I should just go to school for welding, I took her advice and went with it. And it led me to this, so I can't really complain. It's cool to see the success come out of the students after just one year. Like I told you earlier, seven out of ten of my students got certified this year. One got six certifications, which in a year span is pretty good to me. I'm hoping to expand that and get 100% next year, we'll see if that happens,” said Chris Beaman, Madison High School welding instructor.
Tune in to learn more about how the welding center at Madison High School began, how they have helped not only students but adults build their careers in welding, and what the future holds for them at the SCTC welding program continues to grow.
To learn more about SCTC please visit their website
If you enjoyed this Makers of the USA episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook. Please check out Makers of the USA's YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all and stay safe and healthy.
