There are five Keokuk High School seniors that will graduate with certifications in welding through NC3 and the Lincoln Electric Education Partner Schools (LEEPS) Welding Certification Program. The KHS students who will be certified include Zach Atterberg, Braxton Hayner and Troy Morris in Intro to shielded metal arc welding (SMAW); Xaiver Nelson in Intro to gas metal arc welding (GMAW); and Kole Keppel in both Intro to SMAW and GMAW. All five are also certified in Knowledge in Welding Safety.
Welding is part of the Career & Technical Education program at KHS and is advised by KHS instructor Katie Geltz. The program is structured on Career Focus Planning, which is an educational approach that helps students focus their education toward career development while allowing flexibility at KHS. Welding courses at KHS provide experience in various processes used to join and cut metals and students are introduced to the properties, uses and applications of various metals. Welding and Metal Fabrication at KHS builds on foundational welding skills and introduces students to more advanced techniques and applications, which also include advanced courses designed to give students advanced experiences in gas, electric arc, MIG and TIG welding of metals in various positions and applications. KHS students are also able to participate in the Industrial Tech Club, which is for students interested in welding and the building trades and includes regional competitions.The LEEPS program supports welding certification in schools and training programs throughout the nation with the “most comprehensive and relevant welding education tools and resources available for advancing skill levels and the preparation needed to succeed in specific fields,” according to nc3.net/partner-lincolnelectric.
