Changing story arcs: St. Mary students get welding training

With construction set to begin on a South Louisiana Community College welding facility in Baldwin, the St. Mary Parish schools welding program is still going strong a year after it began being offered again to area students at Morgan City High School.
While the program once was at Morgan City High School, it later left the school, and students were transported by bus to South Louisiana Community College for instruction.
It made its return to an on-campus location last school year, though, at Morgan City High School.
The program, which is offered with the funding from the H&B Young Foundation, currently enrolls students from Morgan City, Berwick and Patterson high schools. Students also can take a night class through a partnership the school system has with SLCC’s Young Memorial campus that began last spring.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, instructor John Young said they concluded the school year on a “high note.” Approximately 48 students participated in the program last year, with many finishing their Welding 2 program and earning a certification.
Young teaches Welding 1 and Welding 2 at Morgan City High School and the advanced night class at South Louisiana Community College’s Young Memorial Campus.
“They get their basis here, and it just progresses,” Young said. “We got a great bunch of young men and women here taking welding. It’s easy to teach. It’s all about the students.”
There are between 40 and 50 students total in the three classes this year.
“A lot of our students are going to work,” Young said as clanging in the background persists and light flashes periodically behind curtains as students isolated in individual welding booths are hard at work on projects. “All these companies around here really appreciate what we’re doing. We appreciate them.”
The vocational programs extend beyond just welding, too, as Morgan City Principal Tim Hymel said a machinist class is offered at South Louisiana Community College in which some students are enrolled, while next year, a marine electronics class will be offered to a limited number of students. All of these are sponsored by the H&B Young Foundation.
“We’re grateful to them for giving our kids the opportunity to take those things to prepare for the workforce,” he said.
Hymel noted the programs are “invaluable in a lot of ways,” saying it prepares students for the workforce through teaching a trade, and they don’t have to pay for the costly programs. They also can earn a certification.
“They’re benefitting in so many ways by doing this,” Hymel said. “They get out and make a higher level of pay because of the certifications.”
From a business standpoint, Hymel said it fulfills the demand in the labor field and possibly keeps these graduates employed locally.
“That’s the ultimate goal, too,” Hymel said.