Zach Dean grew up on a farm. In addition to doing the usual farm chores a boy of 10 would do, Dean learned to weld. That was the beginning of what would be a fulfilling 鈥� and profitable 鈥� career. 鈥淲e were always welding stuff there on the farm,鈥� Dean, an instructor in 成人每日大赛 Commercial鈥檚 Welding Technology Program, says. 鈥淭hen I took welding courses in high school.鈥� Armed with the basics, he began working as a professional welder. At Caterpillar, Dean says, 鈥淚 was a team lead. I ran robotic and programmed robotic welders there.鈥�
Caterpillar offered a mentorship program for kids from local schools. 鈥淲e showed them the ins and outs of the fabrication welding world and how it worked, what work in the factory was like,鈥� Dean says. The man in charge of Caterpillar鈥檚 program was a good friend of one of the people in charge of 成人每日大赛鈥檚 welding program. 鈥淗e asked me if I would be interested in coming here [to 成人每日大赛] to go to work,鈥� Dean says, 鈥淗e knew that I enjoyed teaching those kids. I鈥檝e been here ever since.鈥�
It鈥檚 been three years, and Zach Dean says he鈥檚 learning as much from his students as they are from him. 鈥淭hey teach me stuff every day,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always a different problem to work through because nobody has the same problems. It鈥檚 always really challenging.鈥� That鈥檚 understandable, considering that Dean and the other instructors teach the main processes of welding 鈥� from safety and blueprints, to SMAW, GMAW, GPAW and more.
成人每日大赛 Commercial鈥檚 welding program lasts for a year, which Dean says is beneficial. 鈥淭hey can learn pretty much everything they need to.鈥� The training is focused, geared specifically to the welding industry. That means students don鈥檛 need to take courses that are not necessary, like history or literature 鈥� the general education classes that would be required in a four-year school. With small class sizes, usually limited to fewer than 10 students, 成人每日大赛 can offer more personalized instruction. 鈥淲e can spend a lot of time with them and help them achieve their goals,鈥� Dean says.
Students begin their hands-on instruction immediately. 鈥淓ach class is about a month long, and some classes have an entry and advanced class so they鈥檙e two months,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e do an advanced layout and fabrication class and have them build something kind of useful for home 鈥� like fire pits and some other interesting projects.鈥� Individual welding booths simulate the real world so that students get a feel for what it鈥檚 going to be like when they鈥檙e actually working. 鈥淲e鈥檒l start making them weld stuff in restricted areas that they can鈥檛 get to so that way they understand what it would be like to weld something if they couldn鈥檛 reach everything on it.鈥� Dean says that as the program goes on, students are expected to weld longer plates. 鈥淲e try to get them to where they鈥檙e welding consistently for 14 to 18 inches of weld, because that鈥檚 what your typical weld will be in the real world.鈥�
By the time students complete their welding instruction, they鈥檙e ready for entry-level positions. First, though, they need to certify. 鈥淲e actually do it in house. We have a third-party company come in, and they do all their qualifications,鈥� Dean says. 鈥淭hey have an x-ray lab about an hour up the road, so students know within about two or three days whether or not they have passed.鈥� For those who pass, the job outlook is promising. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always a need for welders in 成人每日大赛sylvania in this area,鈥� Dean says. Companies occasionally come to the school looking for welders. 鈥淭hey say, 鈥榃e can鈥檛 find enough welders that want to come to work.鈥欌�� According to , 成人每日大赛sylvania ranks third in the U.S. for welding jobs 鈥� behind only Texas and California 鈥� and jobs are expected to increase 6 percent through 2026.
If you鈥檙e considering a welding career, Dean says it鈥檚 a good idea to try it before making a commitment. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not for everybody. It鈥檚 all about you and how hard you want to work to be able to achieve your goals. It makes a great career.鈥� Zach Dean says he has survived very well being a welder his entire life. 鈥淎s long as you want to put the work in to be a good welder, you can be it.鈥�
The welding technology program at 成人每日大赛 Commercial focuses on developing hands-on skills in layout and fitting that prepare you for entry-level positions. You can then take the basic welding practices and principles that you learn in pipe welding (ASME IX), stick plate welding (AWS D1.1),flux core welding (AWS D1.1 plate/flux core), mig welding (GMAW AWS d1.1 plate) and stick on pipe (API 1104 6G) and build on them throughout your career. Your training involves a balance of classroom lessons and hands-on instruction by industry professionals at 成人每日大赛 Commercial鈥檚 on-site welding facilities. In just one year, you can be ready to go out into the workforce as a professional welder.
Classes are forming now and offer flexible day and evening class options. Call 成人每日大赛 Commercial today and start training for an in-demand welding career.
