Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
651-385-6364, [email protected]

ACCELERATED WELDING ACADEMY developed to bring much-needed skills to Red Wing community

Red Wing, MN (August 26, 2015) - Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical, in conjunction with Hiawatha Valley Adult Basic Education and Workforce Development Inc., is offering a 10-week evening course this fall designed to teach a variety of welding techniques that are in high demand by area employers. Students who successfully complete the course will be more employable or potentially move up in their current careers.

Accelerated Welding Academy runs from Monday, September 28, 2015 to Thursday, December 17 (no class on Veterans Day, 11/9 or Thanksgiving week). Class hours are 5 to 9 pm and will take place at Southeast Technical's Red Wing campus in a newly renovated welding lab.  

All students in the program are required take Monday evening classroom sessions, which will cover manufacturing math, welding safety, blueprint reading, and soft skills. On the remaining week nights, students have the option to take one, two or all three welding processes:

• Tuesday evenings: GMAW MIG - (Gas Metal Arc Welding)
  Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding is the most widely used and perhaps the most easily mastered type of welding for industry and home use. The GMAW process is suitable for fusing mild steel.   

• Wednesday evenings: FCAW (Flux Cored Arc Welding)
  Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process. It is widely used in construction because of its high welding speed and portability. 

• Thursday evenings: GTAW TIG (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)
  Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is comparable to oxy acetylene gas welding and requires more expertise from the operator. It is employed for carrying out high-quality work when a superior standard of finish is needed without making use of excessive clean up by sanding or grinding.
  

• All of the students will also be introduced to both oxy-fuel and plasma arc cutting processes.

"Students can decide which processes they want to learn and can structure their time in the program around other family and work commitments. Attendance is critical as the program is intensive and fast-paced," says Katie Hardyman, Southeast Technical Director of Business Relations.  "We developed the program content based on direct feedback from local employers."

The cost of the program is $1500 for one welding process, $2500 for two processes, or $3500 for all three processes. However, students who meet certain economic or demographic criteria may qualify for grant-based funding to support their participation in the program.

"Any adults who face multiple barriers to employment -- such as long-term unemployed, low-income,  or those needing better language or math skills -- are especially urged to check with us about qualifying for Minnesota Pathways to Prosperity grant funding," according to Hiawatha Valley Adult Basic Education Director Jill Rivard. "Grant funding is also targeted to meet the needs of Veterans."

Class size is limited and people are urged to apply early. For more information about the Accelerated Welding Academy and to apply, contact Jill Rivard at 651-385-4565 ([email protected]) or Katie Hardyman at 651-267-7706 ([email protected]). 

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About Hiawatha Valley Adult Basic Education Consortium 
Hiawatha Valley Adult Basic Education Consortium (HVABE) serves the school districts of Cannon Falls, Goodhue, Lake City, Kenyon, Mazeppa, Red Wing, Wabasha, Wanamingo and Zumbrota. HVABE is coordinated by the Community Education Department of the Red Wing School District. For more information, visit www.hvae.org.

About Workforce Development, Inc.
Workforce Development, Inc. (WDI) is an independent, non-profit agency with a long history of serving the needs of job seekers and employers in Southeast Minnesota. WDI is dedicated to developing and advancing the workforce to meet the current and future needs of the communities it serves, working with thousands of people annually in 10 counties in Southeast Minnesota. For more information, visit www.workforcedevelopmentinc.org.

About Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
With a clear mission of "Education for Employment," Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical provides students a strong foundation for acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will need for a lifetime of learning. Its Winona and Red Wing campuses merged in 1992, becoming Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical in 1999. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.