SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
Tanner Hammond got his first taste of welding in high school.
"It wasn't super in-depth. It was just kind of a taste of the basics," said Hammond.
He'd like to make it a career. And the numbers say he can. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a need for more and more welders until 2014.
Bill Berens is a veteran welder, who's now an instructor at Western Iowa Tech. He says so many welders are retiring, leaving a huge void in the industry.
"Nationwide, there's a huge demand, whether it's hands-on welders or something affiliated with the welding business," Bill Berens, welding instructor.
Travis Ludwig is nearing the end of his welding course. While he's slated to finish his courses in August, he's working part-time for a local company. He hopes that becomes a full-time gig.
"I just started welding here because I was having fun, and it's gone from there basically," said Ludwig.
One of the main reasons WIT has emphasized welding is because of the mass amounts of steel used across the nation. Plus, in Siouxland, there's another incentive: Hyperion's plan to build a $10 billion oil refinery in Union County.
"The continued talk about Hyperion in this area has a lot of people interested in that skill level," said Berens.
Students who complete the first semester of training can make up to $14 per hour as a starting wage. Those who finish the advanced the program, can make up to $30 per hour.
"It's really rewarding as an instructor to see somebody succeeding, and doing something they enjoy doing too," said Berens.
WIT has a partnership with Sabre Industries, providing them with trained welders. WIT's looking to expand partnerships to other companies.
