FENNIMORE, Wis. — Southwest Wisconsin Technical College has launched a summer welding course aimed at helping people change career paths, or just learn a new skill.
Brandon Laufenberg is one of the 14 students taking advantage of the class. He’s getting hands-on training in the welding lab.
“I had seen the ad for it in the newspaper,” Laufenberg said. “At the time I was currently unemployed, and I saw it and was interested because welding is a very important field and they’re always hiring. So, I just figured I’d come here and check it out.”
The free, nine-week program was made possible with help from the Southwest Wisconsin Alliance for Growth in Manufacturing, which saw an opportunity to get more people working in the in-demand trade.
At first, Laufenberg said he wasn’t sure he liked welding, but practicing on the machines with different metals has changed his mind.
“Once I got going, I kind of found a niche for it,” he said. “Kind of got into a bit of a groove and now I’m really glad that I came.”
Many of the people taking the course are looking for good-paying jobs after several companies moved out of southwest Wisconsin. Energizer and Saputo both recently closed factories.
Welding instructor Gary Bakken said this free class isn’t just for people looking to get started in a new career.
“We have some students that have never touched a welder before, we’ve had some students that have welding background,” he said. “We have some students that aren’t even pursuing welding as a career, just here to learn about it and broaden our horizons on it.”
The underlying goal is to provide the skills needed for success.
“There’s a shortage of hands-on blue-collar workers, skilled trade workers,” Bakken said. “Like I said, there’s so many job openings for welding that I think it’s great that we have a full, basically a full class this summer.”
According to the American Welding Society, by 2027, the welding industry will face a shortage of about 360,000 welders.
Laufenberg said he has decided to stay on after summer to earn his technical diploma in welding by next spring.
“I didn’t really ever think that I was ever going to be able to do something like this,” he said. “And now that I’m here and I know that I have great instructors and everyone here at the school has been great and given me a new direction. I’m just really excited about how far I can go.”
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College said it hopes to offer this free course again next summer and beyond. Instructors said there is a real need for it.