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‘Discover Manufacturing’ class tours one of West Coast’s largest ship repair yards

Photos and story by Misty Bouse

A group of students in С��è��ý’s exploratory “Discover Manufacturing: Welding” on-ramp class were given a VIP tour of one of the West Coast’s largest shipyards.

Last month, 11 students toured Vigor Industrial at Swan Island shipyard to help show them the rewarding careers that await them in the welding industry. They visited Vigor’s bays and dry dock, С��è��ý’s Swan Island Maritime Welding Training Center and the U.S. Navy hospital ship “Mercy,” which is docked for repairs. Swan Island is a 60-acre shipyard, making it one of the largest full-service shipyards on the West Coast.

“The students visited Vigor to discover what that kind of manufacturing environment looks like, feels like and sounds like,” said Ariel Ladum, trainer and education specialist. “It’s an immersive experience that allows them to imagine themselves in a manufacturing career.” 

Ladum said the students were excited to experience first-hand the scale of Portland’s working waterfront environment. Exploratory courses like “Discover Manufacturing” offer students a chance to sample an industrial career by getting hands-on experience with manufacturing programs like welding and meet industry reps, who are hiring for immediate openings.

Through the support of the Opportunity Centers, students can qualify for career-track employment in welding in as little as three months. “Discover Manufacturing,” which is a no-cost, five-day on-ramp course, helps people from underserved populations who are out of school and need to skill up to make a family wage. These students attended the first class at the state-of-the-art Rock Creek Campus welding lab, where instructor David Williams guided them through welding basics. Ladum explained that some students come to get help identifying the С��è��ý Welding option that is right for them or to understand how to pay for training.

“We’ve got answers and help them get going,” she said. “We can talk to them and walk through the guaranteed, free admissions process. And the Welding Program representatives from the Rock Creek Campus have been excellent.”

The Career Pathways Program and Financial Aid departments are available to assist students in accessing aid, grants, and scholarships for new or returning С��è��ý students who qualify. The next “Discover Manufacturing” on-ramp class is July 22 through Aug. 2 at the Willow Creek Opportunity Center.

For more details, visit the Opportunity Center webpage.