(Bismarck, ND) -- The AWS Foundation is dedicated to increasing the welding workforce by providing Welder Workforce Grant funding to secondary, post-secondary and welder training facilities that seek to enhance and improve their welding education programs.
This Spring, Bismark State College was one of nine educational facilities awarded the Welding Workforce Grant. The school will receive $25,000 for new welding equipment to increase training capacity and make students more employable for local industry.
Emily Cash, Grants & Donor Relations Manager at Bismark State College, commented, “It is vitally important to our community and industry that we continue to provide welding training that utilizes equipment aligned with current industry trends. Career and technical education can be cost-intensive to operate and keep up with the fast-paced technological advances. We want our students to be ready to hit the ground running in their careers, and this grant provides us an opportunity to do that.”
Welding is among the most crucial and essential skilled trades that impact everyday life, yet the number of skilled welding technicians and professionals continues to decrease. The American Welding Society through the AWS Foundation supports programs to ensure the growth and development of the welding industry through research and educational opportunities. In 2020, despite the pandemic, the AWS Foundation awarded over $1.5 million in grants and scholarships.
“We applaud the dedication Bismark State College has demonstrated in expanding their welding education programs and facilities,” said Monica Pfarr, Executive Direction of the AWS Foundation. “Their commitment to the welding industry and cultivating the next generation of welding technicians and professionals through education is inspiring.”