BTC ramping up classes for welding students
JANESVILLE — Blackhawk Technical College is responding to demand from students and industry by increasing by 50 percent the number of welders it trains this year.
Blackhawk turns out about 40 welders a year, with two cohorts of 20 students each, said Kirke "Bo" Plank, dean of advanced manufacturing. One cohort is trained on the morning shift, one on an evening shift.
Classes are full, and there's a waiting list, Plank said. Just a few weeks before the fall semester began, BTC decided to open a third section of welding.
Plank moved the morning shift to an earlier time to make room for a third cohort in a midday shift.
The first cohort will begin at 6 a.m. and the last will finish at 9 p.m. A full-time instructor has been hired, for a total of three, Plank said.
The fall semester begins Monday. As of Friday, six seats were still not filled for the new 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. cohort.
Anyone who wants to join the new group already would need to have applied to BTC, said Sharon Kennedy, vice president of learning.
"The demand for welders has just gotten unbelievable," Plank said. "We just can't prepare enough of them right now to fill the needs."
BTC also offers an all-day welding program on Saturdays, but that does not include the full curriculum. The Saturday program is full.
"We are doing as much in welding as we possibly could. At least, we feel we are," Kennedy said.
Plank said he hoped manufacturers will take note of BTC's increased output and make plans to expand.
Many welding students work internships or hold part-time jobs before they finish the course, Plank said. That gives employers a chance to "try before they buy," he said.
It also means the grads are snapped up as soon as they graduate, Plank said.
"I think the jobs are there right now, locally and also in our state and region," he said. "And nationally, the outlook is forecasted to be very strong for a number of years."
Manufacturers who have landed defense contracts in the Fox Valley and in the shipyard in Marinette are looking for more welders. Shipyards in the southeast United States also are big employers, Plank said.
"If anyone wants to work, they can, no question about it," Plank said.
"Pay is all over the board," but entry level is around $15 an hour, and advancement is often swift, Plank said.
Plank said BTC has a modern welding lab with good maintenance support, "but when you're going that many hours a day, obviously that's going to put a strain on it."
Plank is investigating the possibility of buying computer-based welding simulators, which are said to be effective but very expensive.
Blackhawk, which serves most of Rock and Green counties, built a new welding lab in existing space at its main campus in 2008 at a cost of about $800,000. Then, as now, the national forecast was that demand for welders would be high.
There's no additional space that could be used to expand welding on campus, Kennedy said, but Blackhawk has plans for an advanced manufacturing center that would include welding.
The center would be housed in the Ironworks building in downtown Beloit. Officials are hoping to raise $10 million to $12 million for the project, mostly from local, private sources.
Work on the center would not start before next spring and could take a year to complete.
Aug 21, 2012 at 8:45 p.m.
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Hehe. Hey Lar80, it sure is quiet around here isn't it? :)
Aug 21, 2012 at 5:49 a.m.
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DCEN 60-85amps (depending on scratch start or rehostat)
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1/16 or 6/32 Thorium/cerium/lanthanum tungsten electrode
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Argon 100% shielding and purge gas
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ER308 Filler.
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Now Sigma must provide parameters if it were to be done with Pulsed GMAW Heh!
Aug 20, 2012 at 10:37 p.m.
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So Sigma, let's say you were going to weld together some schedule 10 stainless steel pipe and fittings, this is butt weld with type C stub ends and flanges. This is 304l, 4 inch pipe which is going to convey a low pressure flammable gas. Let's say you are going to tig it. Real quick give me the information on what size tungsten and what size and type of filler rod you would use. Heck, throw in an amp setting (rough ballpark) while you are at it, and tell me if you need electrode negative or electrode positive. Let me know which shielding gas we need also. Real quick now, Sigma. As you said you can pass any certification.
Aug 20, 2012 at 7:15 p.m.
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So Sigma
Using Sherlockian deduction I conclude that you are in reality a dumpster diver.
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BTC may indeed invited you to perform your services for them, thus your intimate knowledge of scrap.
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The guy you called an "idiot" whould have been the one to invite you 5 years ago.. He diddn't.
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Your other boasts... Any professional knows they are untrue. Really not even good fiction.
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Again.. Well done BTC
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In a city, economy and newspaper with so few things to get behind that are reasonable and good.. This news report puts light on one.
Aug 20, 2012 at 1:22 p.m.
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Sigma could pass every weld test there is....yeah right Sigma, they don't call you the bubblegum boy for nothing ya know. You just keep practicing with those French fries pretending their welding rods, and don't forget to put your mask down !
Aug 20, 2012 at 12:39 p.m.
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Lar80 - Scrap metal is cheap. Yes to all of your other questions...That is what I do...most the time. Ive been to BTC in this program years ago. 5 years ago I was asked to volenteer there to assist/help w/ this very class. My time is limited so I couldnt.
Also, once you teach the theory of welding and explain metalurgy and thermodynamics... the rest is just practice like an art form. You dont really need to go to school for it... The only reason I would recomend school for this is if you needed to learn it all really fast and your employer was footing the bill. otherwise take the money, buy a welder and a book, and hit youtube... I can pass every weld test there is for every strict code in the world and that was all learned after schooling. Im not a welder by trade though.. I dont want to mislead anyone.
Aug 20, 2012 at 11:23 a.m.
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I have to say, I am happy to see this. I read the article about people protesting at Rep Ryan's office and part of their concerns were high student loans. I looked over BTC's website and for less than $8000 with all fees and minimum tools, this lifelong and very sought-after skill can be learned. Judicious planning and willingness to look outside the "college education" box will yield good results nowadays.
Aug 20, 2012 at 5:41 a.m.
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At one time, there was an acute shortage of scrap metal at the BTC welding program. Also, some of the rod such as the high Ni, high Cr content rod can be $50 per pound or more. It can add up quite fast. I think I know who the idiot is, Sigma40, it isn't the person that you think it is.
Aug 20, 2012 at 12:25 a.m.
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Good Job BTC!
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Somebody responding to a real need.
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Sigma... Exactly who is donating "tons" of metal to BTC?... Please inform us so that we may properly thank them... If you don't know than shut your pie hole.
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Plus this isn't the 1950's... Learning modern processes on modern alloys may not really be all that easy to do on odd scrap. Have you been to a modern manufacturing facillity Sigma? Do you think somebody with no experience can be taught to do what they do with just scrap and a few rods?
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The guy said he was *exploring* the idea of a simulator, not that he bought a 6 pack of them. Maybe they will come to the same conclusion that you did, maybe not... But the guy sounds like anything but an idiot to me.
Aug 19, 2012 at 11:57 p.m.
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$47k so they dont have to use "expensive welding material"..... What exactly is this "expensive welding material"?? Filler rod/wire and scrap metal? They get tons of scrap donated, it gets welded on, and then recycled... no waste and no cost besides filler rod. wow...idiots.
Aug 19, 2012 at 11:35 p.m.
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If people truly want jobs, they will elect officials in all levels of government that support re-education of our workforce. It costs money, time, and yes - it's paid for by taxes.
But if you want the jobs to come back or get people to the jobs - we need to get people trained, educated, and fully prepared for them. Slashing taxes just to slash taxes is a backward step.
Aug 19, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.
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$47K for a welding simulator? Yikes!
Double yikes!
http://www.salina.com/news/story/Grant-t...
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