By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Just last month, Barton Community College announced the expansion of their welding program that now includes a two-semester certificate and an associate of applied science degree.
Barton welding instructor Jacob Streit said job growth in the welding industry is projected to increase by 8.6% by 2030 with an annual salary up to $46,000 starting out. Now that the two-semester certificate and associate’s degree is offered, Streit said there will be students weighing the benefits of more schooling or joining the workforce.
"It's just a point of trying to draw the students back for Welding 2, which I don't think we'll have any trouble doing," said Streit. "There will always be some that during the summer months or break that will get hired on somewhere and change their mind. It just depends on the benefit package and what they're paying."
Just under 10 students from Great Bend High School come out to the Barton campus this semester to participate in welding courses. The high school students have the capability of obtaining the 17-hour welding certificate by the time they graduate from high school.
Streit said Barton has established multiple job contacts that are more than hungry to find workers, such as Hess Services in Hays.
"Hess wants to do an internship during the summer," said Streit. "They'll put the students up in the dorms at Fort Hays State University and charge them a little bit for rent. Once school starts, they'll come back to school. That's how desperate people are."
Barton partners with Maico in Ellsworth to receive metal for their programs. Great Plains donates gas for the Ellsworth Correctional Facility program. Primus donates pipe and stainless steel for the Great Bend program.