By Gary Dotterer
Northeast Technology Center

 Welding careers in Oklahoma are on the rise. The welding openings represent new job growth and can be attributed to replacing employees that are leaving the occupation.

It is estimated that in 2006 that over 50,000 welders from across the US will retire with only 15,000 who are qualified to replace those in the workforce (Source: April 2006 Edition of the Industrial Projects Report). In 1996, welders and cutters held approximately 7,960 jobs in Oklahoma. These individuals are expected to hold approximately 8,440 jobs by the year 2006.

Northeast Technology Center’s programs are designed to train individuals in selected fields and trades. Students ranging in age can attend one of many programs, not just welding to learn skills and to be placed in the workforce as “On the Job Training” or upon completion of the program.

Students from the Welding Technology program at the Pryor campus of NTC under the instruction of Jeff Smith are given the proper training so that they can become skilled in welding and find career opportunities in several occupational areas. In this program students learn the skills necessary to get a good-paying job in the industrial, construction, or agricultural fields. Within the Welding Technology program students are given the Welding Certification Test given on campus to qualifying students as part of the course curriculum. The test consists of welding a ½ inch plate with a horizontal overhead weld and vertical double bevel butte plate. Many students from the program are currently employed across the country. For example, Justin Shoemaker from Inola, Josh Keller from Big Cabin, and Matt Crofford from Adair are making more than  $20 per hour with a $50 per day perdium. Darin Haralson from Claremore works for AXH out of Claremore, Kyle Grossman a senior from Chouteau works for his father's company that puts up red iron structures such as Lowe's and Wal-Mart, and Doyle Rice will be joining Pipe Liners Local Union Hall 798 out of Tulsa and his starting pay will be determined based on his apprenticeship status upon completion of the program.

From left to right are Craig Hawthorne a senior from Chelsea, Doyle Rice a senior from Adair, and Jeff Smith Welding Technology instructor at Northeast Technology Center’s Pryor Campus cutting on a pipe bevel.

 Chris Arnett from Adair currently works with Air Exchangers out of Port of Catoosa and Craig Hawthorne a senior from Chelsea will both be heading to the Virgin Islands with HMT making $66,000/year out of Broken Arrow sometime in June. “My primary goal is to become a minister using my welding skills as an avenue to accomplish that dream,” Hawthorne said.