A skill that lasts: Sparks fly at SUNY Morrisville during National Welding Month

Inside a SUNY Morrisville welding lab, the hum of machinery blends with the soft hiss of TIG torches. Bright arcs of light flash behind protective shields as students learn a skill that will last a lifetime.

During National Welding Month, the college is shining a light on welding as more than just a course requirement. It's a hands-on experience that equips students with practical, versatile skills they can carry into a wide range of careers.

For first-year automotive technology student Alan Silinski, the experience has already made an impression.

"It's amazing here," said Silinski, who came in with some welding experience from high school. "Morrisville really stood out to me when I visited and I have been able to learn stick and now TIG."

Though welding is required for her program, she said she would take it anyway. "If it wasn't a required course, I would still take it to get the skills."

That mindset is exactly what faculty hope to foster.

Graham Jones, '93, associate professor of automotive technology and welding, has spent the last 16 years teaching introductory and advanced welding courses at SUNY Morrisville. Though the college does not offer welding as a standalone degree, the skill is intentionally woven into programs like automotive and diesel technology, giving students an added edge.

"A lot of programs don't have welding," Jones said. "It's another skill we can give our students that they may not get at another college."

The value of those skills is increasing. The American Welding Society estimates the nation will need more than 320,000 welders by 2029, driven in part by an aging workforce and increasing industry demand.

In labs, students learn a range of techniques, including MIG, TIG and stick welding. Beyond the technical skills, they develop problem-solving abilities, precision and confidence, qualities that translate directly to the workforce.

For some, that exposure reshapes their career path.

"I've had some students decide to go into welding," Jones said. "It is another beneficial skill for them to have and it could be a career itself."

Others blend welding with their primary field.

"They can work in a hot rod shop doing fabrication and use their auto and welding skills," Jones said.

SUNY Morrisville's welding courses are evolving with industry needs. A newly purchased Torchmate CNC plasma cutting table is expanding what students can do in the lab, allowing them to design parts digitally and cut them with precision.

"The idea is that we can design parts on the computer and the computer will cut out the pieces for us," Jones said.

Learning doesn't stop when lab ends. A student-run welding club offers open lab time, giving any student the opportunity to try it out and for others to refine their skills.