Eastern Wyoming College welding instructors have taught many courses
July 06, 2006
TORRINGTON, WY - Within the past year the Eastern Wyoming College welding instructors have taught many courses by request and out of need in specialized areas for in-state and out-of-state industry, construction companies, and high school instructors. With the increased need for highly skilled welders and the demands for these welders to maintain current welder qualification records, EWC as an accredited AWS (American Welding Society) Test Center, has seen a rise in the number of administered weld tests and short term training sessions for these companies.
EWC has been a nationally recognized weld test center for nearly 10 years and has trained and tested welders and welding procedures for many well-known companies including Amoco Pipeline, Aulick Cheyenne Light Fuel and Power, ITSI, Basin Electric, BNSF Railways, B&C Steel, Coteau, C&P Construction, Crowe Butte Resources, Dave Johnson Power Plant, L&H Welding, DH Blattner, The Egging Company, F.E. Warren Airforce Base, Harold's Welding, Heggem Construction, Kinder Morgan, R&C Welding, Speigleburg Lumber, Valley Industrial Contractors, West States Construction, Wyoming Machinery (Caterpillar), Kennecott Energy, Sidney Sugar, Trinity Steel, Union Pacific Railways, and Western Drywall.
The most recent companies to participate in weld training are JND Enterprises of Cheyenne, WY and B&H Enterprises of Wheatland, WY. The instructors at EWC have done much of this training at the welding labs located at EWC; however, a lot of training is conducted at the company's facility. Instructors Russell Pontarolo and Leland Vetter spent several weeks training welders at various locations for 2005 and 2006. Sidney Sugar and B&H Enterprises both took advantage of beneficial instruction within the workplace this year.
Pontarolo stated, "EWC is one of the two AWS Test facilities in Wyoming; the other is in Rock Springs. We have been extremely busy since I began here 7 years ago and we have new companies jumping on board all the time. Being an accredited test center brings great credibility to the college and the instructors."
As an AWS Weld Test Center, EWC provides training for welders wishing to qualify under specific welding codes and specifications. This training consists of supervised practice and demonstrations of proper techniques, enabling welders to overcome faculty welding habits. Practice specimens are made, inspected and tested. From there the welders are guided toward correcting any welding faults they may have.
In May, EWC invited state high school welding and FFA instructors to participate in the first Instructor Course for welding. The instructors received lecture information in the classroom and hands-on training in the welding shop on welding safety, equipment, and processes such as "stick", "mig" and "tig". A total of 15 instructors came from all over the state and participated giving great reviews and requesting more of this type of training. Pontarolo added, "The energy and excitement these instructors showed kept us on our toes and we had a great experience together. These instructors each found something to take back to their high schools and share with the kids. That is what it's all about!"
Weld testing and training is set up through the Eastern Wyoming College Community Education & Outreach Office. Please contact Dick Fullmer at 307.532.8323 or Dr. Dee Ludwig, Dean of Instruction at 307.532.8221 for more information.
