Chippewa Valley Technical College Welding Bridge

Before the economic downturn, many firms in and around Neillsville, Wis., were expanding their manufacturing capacities and seeking to employ individuals with MIG (Metal Inert Gas) production welding skills.  As MIG welding is the most common type of welding utilized in manufacturing and production processes, Chippewa Valley Technical College – which has an outreach/satellite campus in Neillsville – responded by developing a curriculum that would provide low-income, low-skill and displaced workers with the skills needed to meet employer demand for trained personnel.

Previously, training in production MIG welding was only available to students in single-credit night courses or as a component of the full-time Welding Diploma program.  Chippewa’s Production MIG Welding certificate incorporates basic skills instruction alongside the technical skills of Production MIG Welding, Blueprint Reading and Fabrication, and Math for Welders.  In doing so, Chippewa Valley is the first institution in the region to offer certification in a particular welding process in just 16 weeks using a team-teaching framework.  The nine credits earned in the Production MIG Welding certificate can be applied to the Welding Diploma program at Chippewa, should students desire additional training and instruction.

The first Production MIG Welding class was offered at the Neillsville outreach campus in spring 2009.  Each of the 12 students who enrolled in the program successfully completed it.  Pre- and post-course testing showed that most students markedly improved their reading and math computation levels.  The success of the program has put it in high demand; all 12 openings for the fall 2009 course were filled within 24 hours of opening registration.

Chippewa Valley’s Production MIG Welding Certification program has benefitted from a high degree of employer involvement in its creation and implementation.  Chippewa Valley worked with regional employers and representatives of the welding industry to determine core competencies and develop course content.  Area employers also supported the inclusion of an integrated Adult Basic Education component in the program curriculum.

One participating employer went far beyond its advisory capacity in the program’s development. OEM Fabricators Inc. donated materials to outfit the lab for instruction and lent their head welder to the program to serve as a substitute teacher and presenter.  OEM’s representative conducted mock job interviews with the students to expose them to hiring procedures and practices; his presence in the course gave students the opportunity to see and hear about the ways in which their training had practical applications beyond the classroom.  Other employers have indicated that they hope to hire qualified applicants once the economy improves.

Chippewa Valley Technical College is one of many institutions taking a new approach to training in the field of welding.  For example, Moraine Park, Milwaukee Area, Waukesha County and Gateway Technical Colleges are collaborating to produce a multi-district welding bridge program, utilizing an integrated ABE/ELL and occupational team-teaching model that concludes with an embedded certificate that would lead directly into other programs at each participating technical college.  And Northeast Wisconsin Technical College has also developed an English Language Learner/Welding certificate program to equip learners with the basic skills they need to secure an entry-level job and pursue additional training and educational opportunities.