Advertisement

New welding program at Central High aims to produce work-ready graduates

 
Central High School welding teacher Jason Whitman, 32, left the industry to teach.
Central High School welding teacher Jason Whitman, 32, left the industry to teach.
Published Sept. 23, 2015

BROOKSVILLE — In what used to be the auto repair classroom, individual booths with filtration systems now occupy the space to accommodate students in Central High School's new welding program.

The instructor is 32-year-old Jason Whitman, who left the industry to teach the skills needed to produce work-ready graduates.

"We had interest from the community, from manufacturers in the community, who expressed the need for qualified employees," said Hernando County School District career technical education specialist Christine Kostis, explaining why the school decided to adopt the course study.

The program has four levels in welding technology. During this initial year, all of the students are freshmen or sophomores using the curriculum provided by the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

They will study safety and material handling, personal protection equipment, job site rules for safety and hazardous chemicals used in welding. The second level will continue with the basics of proper attire, what is known as SMAW (shield metal arc welding) and stick welding — the use of electricity through metal, which melts it so it can be used to join pieces of metal.

"It's basically an introduction to welding, all different processes, the fundamentals of welding," Whitman said.

At the end of levels 1 and 2, students will receive the first of three certifications. The second and third will be earned through the successful completion of levels 3 and 4, which will include instruction for various types of welding and practice of those skills.

Whitman is industry-certified and has been a welder for six years. He said he didn't have the opportunity to take welding in high school.

"I think every high school should have this," he said.

The program is open to students outside of Central.

"Through the school choice program," Kostis said, "students across the district can apply to this program."

She said welding is already popular at Central, with 142 students currently enrolled.

Not historically a female occupation, Whitman said there are about 15 girls in his classes.

"Girls make good welders," he said. "They have steady hands. They're meticulous."

Students who finish all of the levels will be ready for employment.

"The students will come out industry-certified," Kostis said. "They can go right to work."

Those who cannot complete the four levels of welding before leaving high school have other options. They can finish through Pasco-Hernando State College, the Suncoast Technical Education Center or do an apprenticeship with the ironworkers union after testing.

Sophomores Brandon Witkowski, 17, and Dalton Chambers, 16, and freshman Aneysha Carrasquillo, 14, are in the program and shared why they enrolled.

"I want to pursue a career in welding," Witkowski said. He said his uncle welds and "makes a good living out of it."

"I want to do welding because after my dad served eight years in the Army Rangers, he got out and started doing frame welding for cars, trucks, diesels, everything," Chambers said.

An ROTC student, Chambers would also like to be an Army Ranger and, after retiring, open an automobile repair shop.

Another ROTC student, Carrasquillo said, "I chose this class because it was different. My grandmother does truck driving and builds stuff."

She would like to build things, too, and hopes to be a Marine.

Kostis is delighted with the new program.

"I can't tell you how happy I am. I know this is such a good thing for the district," she said.

And it is good for students.

"Welding is very well-paying," Whitman said. "It's hard and it's hot, but it's worth it."