Submitted by Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College will receive $411,771 from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to expand the capacity of the Welding and Machinist programs.
The Machinist program will receive $208,000 to grow the program by 32 full-time equivalent (FTE) students, and $203,771 will be allocated to expand the Welding program by 30 FTE students. The expansion will begin fall quarter, and the new courses will be offered in the evening to accommodate working adults.
This funding will help the college forge stronger ties with the aerospace industry and improve career opportunities for graduates of Bates’ manufacturing and aerospace-related programs, said Brandon Rogers, dean of instruction.
“The funding includes $10,000 to reach out to non-traditional students, nearly $9,000 to establish National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) accreditation, and additional support for dissemination of best practices and innovations,” said Rogers. “Among those innovations will include the acquisition of a welding simulator and equipment needed to develop a unique industry partnership with Boeing to serve as the pre-employment testing facility for prospective employees at the aerospace giant,” he said.
Bates is one of 21 Washington state community and technical colleges who received funding to increase student capacity in aerospace programs. The funding is an important element of the state Legislature’s package to guarantee the Boeing 777X would be built in Washington state.
To learn more about the Welding, Machinist, and other aerospace-related programs, click here, or call 253.680.7000.
