Six more Hart County High School students received their technical college certification in welding through Athens Technical College thanks to a welding class led by teacher Mike Carey at the Hart College and Career Academy.
Austin Brown, Brodie Lack, Triston Sanford, Jay Heard, Zander Bradsher and Chess Mitchell are the remainder of Carey’s first welding class, the rest of whom graduated last year. The program consists of three semesters and will allow the students to be certified welders before leaving high school.
Career academy director Brooks Mewborn asked Carey if he would teach the class, so Carey became instructor certified in welding through the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Carey then approached nine students he thought would be interested in the new welding program.
“I couldn’t have picked a better group of boys,” Carey said. “These students’ welding ability amazed me enough that I contacted some local welding fabricators which requested a few of the students to come and take their employment welding test.”
Out of the program’s previous three graduates, two are currently welding for local industries and three of the other six have already secured welding jobs before finishing the program.
The success of the students in the class is leading to an increased interest, Carey said. The second level class has grown to 15 students and more are interested in starting the program, he said.
“These students put in hours on top of hours to perfect their welding skills. Their work ethics in the welding lab was remarkable,” Carey said. “This group of students has set the standard for the ones to follow and with continued support from Hart College Career and Academy and Athens Technical College we will continue to produce quality welders from our Hart County students!”
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Photo submitted — Hart County High School welders who earned their technical college certification in welding through a class taught by Mike Carey at Hart College and Career Academy pose for a photo recently.
