Twenty Warsaw Area Career Center welding students earned 50 different certifications from the American Welding Society this week. And 100 percent of the advanced metal working students earned certification from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills. According to Chris Morr, certified welding inspector and certified welding educator, the 50 AWS D1.1 structural certifications included 19 in arc welding, 19 in mig welding and 12 in tig welding. “That’s the most we’ve ever put through,” he indicated. To receive certification, he said students must prepare for and pass a guided bend test on 3/8ths steel. “They spent two years preparing for that. It’s hard, it’s pretty difficult,” Morr said. “They’re good for life as long as they take care of their forms,” he later mentioned. Warsaw is one of two high schools in the state that can do the certification, he said, and prepare students to go right into the workforce or secondary education. He noted that all 20 of his students earned forklift certification as well. “I’m definitely proud of them. Earning three certifications for a high school student is not an easy thing,” he concluded. Matt Alexander is the WACC precision machine technology instructor for career and technical education. The 15 students in his advanced class earned certification from NIMS by knowing “primarily turning, pulling, grinding and those aspects of machinery,” Alexander explained. This is the first time WACC has been able to offer the NIMS certification, he said. “For this particular certification, it’s an online exam that covers general aspects of the machining trade,” Alexander said. NIMS offers different levels of testing so students can progress through the different stages. “Doing this in our program opens the door for the student to further their education as long as they desire,” Alexander concluded. Warsaw students earning AWS certification included Hugo Alvarez, Jared Anderson, Justin Babendrager, Darren Cox, Reuben Delion, Beatriz Diaz, Charles Greer, Daniel Hall, Tanner Helser, Haley Hutchison, David Lozano, Sergio Meneses, Davonta Olinger, Justin Rogers, Bryce Sands, Shane Smalley, Abigail Steger, Cody Tharp, Trey Thompson and Tim Freeman. Students earning NIMS certification were Braxton Barnes, Jonathan Carvajal, Austin Engle, Chase Holbrook, David Holladay, Desmond Hudson, Logan Kneller, Sean Linehan, Alejandro Lopez, Derek Miller, Chris Phillips, Kody Popenfoose, Curtis Rider, Kyler Walls and Mitchell Whitaker.
