A local company, Sturdy-Lite, has partnered with Bristol Tennessee City Schools to begin a new welding program at Tennessee High School. Today, Sturdy-Lite presented a donation check for over $5,600 to purchase a Millermatic 350P welding machine. Welding instructor, Jeff Simcox says, “There are over 250,000 jobs across the nation in welding right now that are unfilled, and those jobs are all over Tennessee and even the Tri-Cities area.”
A Perkins Reserve Regional Career Pathways grant, as well as a Secondary grant, has enabled the funds needed for equipment, supplies, and resources to begin the new program of study in welding. Grant partnerships include Sturdy-Lite, TCAT (TN College of Applied Tech.)--Elizabethton, Northeast State, Bristol Essential Services (BTES), and United Way of Bristol. These grants will be used to start five new CTE programs of study at Tennessee High School: Cybersecurity, Teaching as a Profession, Hospitality & Tourism, Sport & Human Performance, and Welding.
Sturdy-Lite representative, Wes Bays, presents Director of Career & Technical Education, Deidre Pendley, with donation. Principal Kim Kirk, Supervisor Amy Scott, and Welding Instructor Jeff Simcox participated in the presentation.
Welding Instructor, Jeff Simcox
New welding equipment is currently being purchased and installed.