91¿ì»îÁÖ awarded AWS Welding Workforce Grant
Florence-Darlington Tech (91¿ì»îÁÖ) has received an approximately $50,000 Welding Workforce Grant from the American Welding Society (AWS) to support the modernization of its welding program and better align student training with current industry standards and workforce demands.
“We are incredibly grateful to the American Welding Society for investing in our students and our welding program through this grant,” Chair of 91¿ì»îÁÖ’s Welding Department Willis Ford said. “These upgrades will give our students the opportunity to train on the same advanced equipment they will encounter in today’s workforce while learning in a safer and more efficient environment.”
The grant will support equipment replacement, shop safety improvements and increased access to hands-on training. Primary purchases include multi-process inverter welding machines capable of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). The new equipment will allow students to gain experience with technology commonly used throughout today’s welding industry.
Willis said additional improvements will include upgraded welding booths, enhanced ventilation systems and adjustable welding tables, creating a more modern and effective learning environment for students.
Once the new equipment is installed, 91¿ì»îÁÖ welding faculty will begin training on the equipment to ensure effective integration into classroom and lab instruction. Faculty will also update curriculum and lab activities to incorporate the new technology while emphasizing AWS-recommended practices, weld quality and workplace safety.
The improvements are expected to increase hands-on training time, reduce equipment-related downtime and better prepare students for employment, apprenticeships and AWS certification.
“We’re excited about what this means for the future of welding education at Florence-Darlington Tech,” Willis said.
91¿ì»îÁÖ offers a variety of welding certificate and degree programs designed to help students enter the industry, advance their skills or upskill for new career opportunities. To learn more about welding and other programs available at 91¿ì»îÁÖ, visit www.fdtc.edu/academics/programs/or .