First Ever Students Graduate From Welding Apprenticeship Program

Seth+Harms+smiles+proudly+with+the+four+certificate+recipients%2C+Bo+Juran%2C+Jeff+Ilgen%2C+Dakota+Waterhouse+and+Jacob+Brown%2C+at+the+graduation+ceremony+on+Nov.+4.

Tim Felderman

Seth Harms smiles proudly with the four certificate recipients, Bo Juran, Jeff Ilgen, Dakota Waterhouse and Jacob Brown, at the graduation ceremony on Nov. 4.

Isabelle Willey, Contents Editor

Two students recently graduated from the welding apprenticeship program on Monday, Nov. 4. 

The two graduates were Jacob Brown and Dakota Waterhouse. Two additional students, Bo Juran and Jeff Ilgen, are very close to graduating as they have met all the competencies but not enough hours of work to fully graduate. 

“This is such a powerful program and an opportunity for students to achieve something spectacular.”

— Seth Harms

Once a student graduates from the apprenticeship program, they have the chance to be guaranteed a job and also receive a certificate from the United States Department of Labor as a Combination Welder.

“The certificate is a valuable tool for any production welding job, no matter where in the country,” teacher Seth Harms said.

Currently, five students are working towards graduating from the welding apprenticeship program, and the businesses working with the program are about to hire another four or five students as well. 

“Watching these kids go through this program gives me such a feeling of pride,” Harms said. “I know what it takes to be successful at a job such as a welder, and these kids have worked very hard to maintain those expectations. This is such a powerful program and an opportunity for students to achieve something spectacular.”