Atlas Foundations of Washington, LLC recently donated four new gas welding and cutting torch kits to the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) Center for Trades and Energy Training (CTET) at the Regional Hughesville Campus. The donation sparked a new partnership between CTET and the Temple Hills-based company, which includes plans for the company to provide guest lecturers to CSM’s trade students and for CSM to set up an apprentice program to provide the company with potential employees.
“We can’t thank Atlas Foundations of Washington enough for this donation and the opportunity to build a new partnership,” said CSM Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development Dr. Dan Mosser. “About 30 percent of our CTET students are already in apprenticeship programs. We take great pride in making these connections and creating pipelines between our students and the market demand.”
Employment of welders, cutters, solderers and brazers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. “The nation’s aging infrastructure will require the expertise of welders, cutters, solderers and brazers to help rebuild bridges, highways and buildings,” the agency reports.
“This is really such a great connection,” said Atlas Foundations of Washington’s Office and Purchasing Manager Serwa Groves, who sought out CSM’s welding program and personally delivered the new kits. “It is wonderful how industry, the community and CSM work together so everyone benefits.”
“The more we can get industry specialists who can share their journey along a particular trade path in our classrooms, the better our students are going to be,” agreed CSM Executive Director of Workforce Development Kelly Winters. “Sharing real world experience creates real world success.”
The new kits will be used by students and professionals enrolled in CTET’s welding program located at CSM’s Regional Hughesville Campus. CSM offers three Amercan Welding Society (AWS) welding certifications: Certified Structural Welder, Certified TIG Welder and Certified MIG Welder.
All three certifications provide students with instruction on a variety of techniques including oxy-fuel, gas tungsten arc, gas metal arc and shielded metal arc welding processes as well as welding safety, cutting operations, operating oxy-fuel and cutting equipment, basic welding symbols and codes, alloy metallurgy and welding inspection methods. Learn more at https://www.csmd.edu/programs-courses/non-credit/career-development/construction-and-skilled-trades/Welding
Atlas Foundations of Washington, LLC is a specialized shoring and foundation contractor with expertise in a wide variety of structural repairs, foundation repairs, the construction of new foundations, underpinning failed foundations and other tieback and shoring solutions for both walls and foundations. Atlas provides important pre-construction services, including construction planning, value engineering, and structural design. Learn more at http://www.atlaswash.com/.