New welding shop a plus for students

RUSSELLVILLE — A new welding shop inside the Russellville High School’s remodeled career tech building offers students more time and space to learn their trade.

While the remodel was underway, students had to travel to Belgreen to use the Franklin County Career Technical Center.

RHS welding instructor Aaron Paden said bringing the shop back to campus has changed how much class time students actually get to spend welding.

Dessarae Hamilton, a junior, practices a 7018 vertical fillet weld.

“That makes a huge difference in what they can learn and how fast they improve,” Paden said.

The space includes 16 welding machines and enough booths to serve up to 32 students if two share a station.

Paden said he prefers one student per booth whenever possible. Each booth has its own welding machine, overhead lights, and a dedicated toolbox.

Northwest Shoals Community College instructor Justin Steele said ventilation has improved along with instructional time. Each welding booth now has a localized vacuum system which pulls smoke and fumes directly into ventilation ducts while students work.

Before the remodel, ventilation came from the ceiling rather than from systems dedicated to individual workstations. Paden said the new setup keeps fumes moving away from students’ faces.

In addition to stick welding, students use arc gouging tools, plasma cutters, propane torches and acetylene torches. Arc gouging removes metal from seams so students can weld from the backside of a joint.

Plasma cutters slice metal using electricity and air rather than gas, producing cleaner cuts without open flames. Paden said those tools are commonly used in the industry.

“It gives them real work experience,” he said.

Before RHS hired Paden, the welding program operated only half the day. Steele teaches dual-enrollment classes at RHS for part of the day. For the other half, he teaches at the Franklin County Career Technical Center.

During Steele’s time at Belgreen, Paden runs the RHS shop, keeping welding operating as a full-day program at Russellville. This is his 15th year working with the Russellville program.

“All of the ones that I teach are college courses. I run the shop the whole day. When he leaves after second block, I’m there by myself the rest of the day,” Steele said.

Steele began welding in seventh grade in an agriculture class at Haleyville High School. He continued taking welding through graduation. He worked in construction and at a chemical plant before returning to education.

“If they come to us for four semesters, they get stick welding, oxy-fuel cutting, plasma cutting, and arc gouging. That way, when they go on to college, they fall right in there,” Steele said.

Students who complete four semesters and pass can earn a short-term certificate through NWSCC. Students can take up to 12 hours of summer coursework at NWSCC at no cost with tuition covered by the state.

Summer instruction focuses on flux core MIG welding and solid wire MIG welding, giving students hands-on experience with techniques used in construction, manufacturing and industrial jobs.

Senior Felix Dominguez has taken welding since his sophomore year. Dominguez said he plans to pursue welding as a career.

“It’s kind of peaceful sometimes. I like it all,” he said.

Maddox Herring, a senior in his first year of welding, said his father was a welder and still welds at times. Herring said he plans to pursue welding as a career.

Dessarae Hamilton, a junior, is in her second year of welding. She plans to complete all of the courses before she graduates. She comes from a family of welders, which helped spark her interest in the program.

Hamilton said she enjoys the opportunities welding provides.

“I like that you can go out and meet lots of people and travel and see the world,” she said. “There’s so many things you can do in welding. It’s very interesting, fascinating and calming. I love it. It brings me happiness. I am pursuing it as a career,” she added.

Senior Gerardo Merchant earned a flux core certification last summer. He has completed about 27 hours of welding coursework. He plans to work through a union after graduation.

His favorite technique so far is 7018 vertical, which he said requires patience and consistency.

Avigail Gama is in her first welding class this year. She said her uncle, a welder, helped spark her interest.

“I just thought it would be cool. So far, I’m really enjoying it,” she said.

Paden said demand for skilled welders remains high. He said welders work in industries ranging from pipelines and shipyards to nuclear plants and manufacturing.

“You can work anywhere in the world that has electricity,” he said. “Pretty much everything made out of metal has been welded by somebody.”

Steele said the remodeled shop gives Russellville students a head start.

“When they move on, they’re already ahead of where they would have been.”