泡芙视频app

Approximately 500 people celebrated a historic milestone in skilled trades education at the grand opening of the Welding Technology Center on the 泡芙视频app Community College Lincoln Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 21. This transformational facility will change the landscape of 泡芙视频app鈥檚 Welding Technology program as it addresses a critical workforce need in Nebraska and across the nation.  

鈥淭his journey began four years ago when we sat down with our industry partners to understand exactly what they needed from 泡芙视频app,鈥� said Dr. Paul Illich, 泡芙视频app president. 鈥淭hose conversations weren鈥檛 just informative, they were transformative. They led us to reimagine not just our curriculum, but how to better equip the workforce through high-impact, hands-on, technical training. Today, we鈥檙e celebrating the culmination of that vision with this nearly 100,000 square-foot facility which is one of the most significant accomplishments in our College鈥檚 history.鈥�

The new facility will more than double the enrollment capacity of one of the longest running programs at the College while also establishing 泡芙视频app as the premier destination for welding education in the U.S. In the Welding Technology program鈥檚 previous space on the Lincoln campus, 84 individual welding booths allowed for instruction. This new facility provides 196 booths, the most found in single building on any college campus in the nation. The Welding Technology Center also includes bays designed for semi-trucks to pull in and unload material as well as an overhead bridge crane which provides safe operations for unloading material to be used at press brakes and metal forms.

鈥淭his day represents not only the opening of a new facility, but also the beginning of new opportunities for students, for local industry and for the future of Nebraska鈥檚 workforce,鈥� said Michael Krupnicki, past president of the American Welding Society. 鈥淵ou haven鈥檛 just built a welding facility, you have made a statement to the country that Nebraska is serious about producing a welding workforce for today and tomorrow. Nebraska has recognized this great need and responded with strong leadership. This innovative facility breaks the mold of the traditional welding school.鈥�

Welding represents a high-demand, high-skill, high-wage career. The Welding Technology Center also addresses the needs of local industry to upskill their current workforce in a separate space devoted to local industry partners for customized training. In addition, international welding equipment manufacturers have donated state-of-the-art, brand-new equipment, that allows 泡芙视频app students to train and learn on the latest equipment used in the field, including new equipment from Fronius that will be introduced at 泡芙视频app before being released at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago, Sept. 8-11.

鈥淎t City Hall, we recognize the incredible value 泡芙视频app provides,鈥� said Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. 鈥淭his new center is going to supply our businesses with the talent they need to grow. It鈥檚 equally exciting that students and companies from around the country will have opportunities because of this center. As future workforce talent comes here to strengthen their outlook and opportunities, they鈥檙e also strengthening ours. They鈥檙e enhancing Lincoln鈥檚 status as a place of innovation and opportunity.鈥�

The Welding Technology Center, designed by Davis Design and Olsson, is a $33 million, nearly 100,000 square-foot facility featuring 196 individual booths, an 11,000 square-foot fabrication lab and 4,500 square feet dedicated to specialized industry training needs. Developed with input from local businesses, educators and schools, the center ensures the best methods for teaching, training and recruiting students and employees. Its state-of-the-art equipment, collaboration areas and gathering spaces foster hands-on learning and industry partnerships, giving students valuable exposure to business leaders while providing companies with opportunities for staff training and certification. Built with the future in mind, the design also allows for expansion as the program and enrollment grow.

鈥淭his is a big day for the State of Nebraska,鈥� said Governor Jim Pillen. 鈥淭his is an extraordinary investment in our kids鈥� future. This investment helps our young people know that they have unlimited, extreme opportunities for careers.鈥�

In addition to the new facility, 泡芙视频app offers welding training at The Career Academy on the Lincoln campus, through dual credit courses at multiple high schools in southeast Nebraska, and on the Milford and Beatrice campuses. In total, the college has more than 260 individual welding booths, more than any community college or training facility in the nation.

鈥淚 want to congratulate your leadership. Thank you Dr. Illich for everything you have done to take 泡芙视频app into the next generation of workforce development,鈥� said Rep. Mike Flood. 鈥淭his is what the Board of Governors saw when they were presented with the challenges their constituents talked about. We spend a lot of time in America talking about our problems. Today we are celebrating a solution.鈥�

Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
泡芙视频app Community College
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu