2008 Woodie Awards
Welding classes now at OC Shelton
Persistance of an OC welding instructor who lives in Shelton now gives students south of Bremerton a chance to learn the in-demand skill
Lloyd Haskins
Issue date:
11/7/07
Section:
News
- Page 1 of 1
Welding instructor Chris Hobson is fi nally seeing his
dreams come true after 12 years of working at Olympic
College thanks to a cooperative effort from OC Shelton
Director Kim McNamara and Workforce Development
Director Kelly Copp.
After a year of looking, planning and in Hobson's case,
dreaming, OC Shelton is starting its own welding class.
Hobson has taught for OC since 1996. He has commuted
back and forth from Shelton to Bremerton every day of his
teaching schedule. He only lives a couple of miles from the
Shelton campus.
Copp and Hobson worked together last year looking
over grant proposals and trying to fi nd the right building
to hold a welding class.
"It is not like starting an accounting class where all
you need is a few tables, chairs and books to get started,"
McNamara said. "You need specialized equipment and a
special building to put this all together."
The grant from the State Board for Community and
Technical Colleges came in weeks before fall quarter began.
McNamara, Copp and the rest of the Shelton campus staff
were able to fi eld ten students for the fi rst class.
Copp and Hobson are looking into working with
Shelton High School and the Bronze Works, which is just
south of Shelton on Highway 101.
Currently, there is a class on the Shelton campus
learning welding theory. This winter quarter there will be
a full fl edged welding class with actual shop time at the
Shelton High School.
In the future, Hobson
sees a technical arts building
on the Shelton campus
including electronics and
other technical arts. Both
McNamara and Copp see
the inclusion of these arts,
but they would not say if
a new building on campus
was in the future.
The current welding
theory class is focusing on
safety. Hobson said this is a
paramount issue that needs
to be learned at the start.
"We are dealing with
very hot temperatures, different
metals and varying
electrical currents," Hobson
said. "The students have to
learn to work with a lot of
different elements and do
so without harming themselves
and others."
McNamara and Copp
say they see great potential
not only for the Shelton
campus but also for the
surrounding community
with the boost of trained
workers joining the local
work force. Both Hobson
and Copp said it will give
students an extra tool in
their tool belt and another
entry on their resume to
better sell themselves in the
competing job market.
"There are a lot of positions
in the area that need
to have welding as one of
the job qualifications. Pipefitters,
millwrights, underwater
welders and many
other careers will offer the
student a wide range of
choices in a high paying
field," Copp said.
dreams come true after 12 years of working at Olympic
College thanks to a cooperative effort from OC Shelton
Director Kim McNamara and Workforce Development
Director Kelly Copp.
After a year of looking, planning and in Hobson's case,
dreaming, OC Shelton is starting its own welding class.
Hobson has taught for OC since 1996. He has commuted
back and forth from Shelton to Bremerton every day of his
teaching schedule. He only lives a couple of miles from the
Shelton campus.
Copp and Hobson worked together last year looking
over grant proposals and trying to fi nd the right building
to hold a welding class.
"It is not like starting an accounting class where all
you need is a few tables, chairs and books to get started,"
McNamara said. "You need specialized equipment and a
special building to put this all together."
The grant from the State Board for Community and
Technical Colleges came in weeks before fall quarter began.
McNamara, Copp and the rest of the Shelton campus staff
were able to fi eld ten students for the fi rst class.
Copp and Hobson are looking into working with
Shelton High School and the Bronze Works, which is just
south of Shelton on Highway 101.
Currently, there is a class on the Shelton campus
learning welding theory. This winter quarter there will be
a full fl edged welding class with actual shop time at the
Shelton High School.
In the future, Hobson
sees a technical arts building
on the Shelton campus
including electronics and
other technical arts. Both
McNamara and Copp see
the inclusion of these arts,
but they would not say if
a new building on campus
was in the future.
The current welding
theory class is focusing on
safety. Hobson said this is a
paramount issue that needs
to be learned at the start.
"We are dealing with
very hot temperatures, different
metals and varying
electrical currents," Hobson
said. "The students have to
learn to work with a lot of
different elements and do
so without harming themselves
and others."
McNamara and Copp
say they see great potential
not only for the Shelton
campus but also for the
surrounding community
with the boost of trained
workers joining the local
work force. Both Hobson
and Copp said it will give
students an extra tool in
their tool belt and another
entry on their resume to
better sell themselves in the
competing job market.
"There are a lot of positions
in the area that need
to have welding as one of
the job qualifications. Pipefitters,
millwrights, underwater
welders and many
other careers will offer the
student a wide range of
choices in a high paying
field," Copp said.
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