business backgrounder | manufacturing
Tara Clinton is about to graduate from the welding technology program at Grays Harbor College.
“ This is the best decision I’ ve made in my life, coming back to school and doing the welding program. I’ ve done a lot of different jobs, and I’ ve always been interested in welding. I’ ve always liked to work on things.”
— Tara Clinton, student at grays harbor college
a scalable framework. We know the demand for welders is there, and we know it’ s going to grow.”
This means students don’ t have to leave the community they grew up in to land a family-wage job— although they certainly can if they so choose.
“ Students will have a skill set that transcends any one region. Frankly, it transcends any one state,” Patterson said.“ They can travel throughout the United States and internationally if they have the foundational welding skills and knowledge.”
The framework allows students to begin their training as early as ninth grade and continue their education at the post-secondary level. It also provides a pathway to other careers, from supervisor or foreman to inspector or safety officer.
“ Students will have a baseline set of skills that will help them move into higher education and then into industry when they’ re ready to make that transition,” said Lindsey Williams, director of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Center of Excellence, the CCW agriculture and natural resources sector leader.“ There are so many career opportunities within welding that they can pursue.”
strengthening welding education and training
Tara Clinton, 32, is about to graduate from the welding technology program at Grays Harbor College( GHC). Originally from Aberdeen, Clinton now lives in Rochester and drives an hour to get to her classes back in her hometown.
“ This is the best decision I’ ve made in my life, coming back to school and doing the welding program,” Clinton said.“ I’ ve done a lot of different jobs, and I’ ve always been interested in welding. I’ ve always liked to work on things.”
“ Our program has been very well-enrolled, with waitlists, for over 20 years,” said Cathy LeCompte, dean of workforce education at GHC, who notes that about 20 % of the students in the program are women. spring 2025 47