Tag: Bobby Bland

Welding Students Complete Internship at G.H. Tool & Mold

June 20, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Four East Central College welding graduates completed an internship during their final semester, where they thrived while practicing hands-on skills and learning from professionals.

James Baxter, Macey Hargrove, Joelle Phillips and Erica Stockell were welcomed into the G. H. Tool & Mold plant in Washington for four weeks during the spring as part of their Certificate of Achievement in Welding. Each of the four students graduated from ECC in May, and they all received scholarships through the Metallica Scholars Initiative.

According to Bobby Bland, welding program coordinator, the goal of the internship was to learn and experience welding in a practical setting, and witness how a manufacturing plant operates.

“I am very thankful that a company like G.H. Tool has partnered with us to provide our students experience with working on real-world projects and getting the feel of working in a plant with skilled welders,” he said. “As instructors, we can talk about the experience all we want in class, but for students to be in that production environment it is higher education at its finest.”

Employees of G.H. Tool were impressed with the skills the students already had when they walked into the plant, and their enthusiasm for the trade. From the first day of the internship, G.H.’s experienced tradesmen were eager to teach the students even more techniques necessary in a manufacturing setting.

“It was wonderful to see that kind of work ethic from these young people,” said toolmaker Kent Turnbough. “They gave me a real boost, and we all enjoyed working with them.”

“This has been a great experience for everyone involved, and these students have a very bright future,” added Julie Scannell, G.H. Tool human resources director. “We really value our ongoing partnership with ECC, and everything the College has done to respond to the needs of our local manufacturers.”

Student Experience

Phillips, Rolla, worked in several areas of the G. H. Tool plant and learned from every employee she worked with.

“The people have been wonderful, the work enjoyable and the availability of new things to learn has been never ending,” she said. “The number of skills I’ve been able to add to my belt, and words of advice I’ve received from these wonderful people, has been astounding.”

The skills the students experienced during the four-week internship include working with blueprints, sandblasting, using a laser welder; and learning to use tools like micrometers, edge finders, calipers and profilometers.

“Any area I wanted to learn more about, I was allowed and encouraged to go,” Phillips commented. “This internship is something I will always remember and will now be a major part of how I will function as a worker in the future.”

In addition to picking up new skills, the students expanded upon what they already learned about in the welding program through hands-on practice and by watching professionals.

“I observed more comfortable and efficient ways to weld, more specifically different ways to hold the torch, how to rest my hands, or ways to hold the filler metal,” Phillips said. “These simple tips have helped me tremendously and have made me a more efficient welder.

“There was always a way to improve or learn something new and even coming to the end of it I was still learning new things,” she added.

ECC’s Welding Program

ECC offers several affordable options to train for a career in welding, including a Certificate of Achievement and a Certificate of Specialization, both two semesters and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding.

The College also offers a 16-week Fast Track Welding program, in which students meet four days or evenings every week for four months and can earn a Certificate of Specialization.

All ECC’s welding courses are taught in the state-of-the-art welding lab in our Business and Industry Center on the Union campus. There are scholarships and financial aid available.

For more information about the ECC welding program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/career-technical-education/welding/, or contact Bland at 636-649-5810 or bobby.bland@eastcentral.edu.

ECC Partners With Manufacturer to Provide Internships for Welding Students

February 14, 2023 | Campus News

East Central College and WEG Transformers USA embarked on a collaboration project that has benefited both the college’s welding students and the Washington-based manufacturer of power transformers.

WEG Transformers provided an internship for four ECC Welding students who learned the ropes while working for the industry. Through the internship, the students gained hands-on, real-word experience at the manufacturer. WEG is a multi-national company that produces power and distribution transformers at its Washington plant for North America and overseas.

The students — Holly Downey, Sadie Meyer, Zach Regot and Cole Vance — completed the internship in the Fall 2022 semester and earned 5 credits hours each.

WEG and ECC developed a four-week internship that assesses students from safety, attendance, welding, blueprint reading and communication, according to ECC Welding Program Coordinator Bobby Bland.

“The interns were partnered with select employees from WEG that would be a great fit to the needs of the students, while working with the employees, students got to see first-hand to what working in a manufacturing facility was really like,” Bland said. “As instructors we can talk about the experience all we want in class but for student to be in that production environment it is higher learning education at its finest.”

Once they completed the internship, students were given a writing assignment to reflect on their experience at WEG.

“The papers were above and beyond my expectations of what they learned while they participated in the internship,” said Dr. Richard Hudanick, dean of career and technical education. “Students wrote about their struggles, triumphs and excitement, coming back with more value that they can share with their fellow students in class, which really engaged the rest of the class.”

“These students are developing talent in an ever-expanding field of transformer manufacturing where welding is core,” he added. “This is a success story.”

WEG USA Human Resource Director Chris Vansickle said the ECC students worked closely alongside WEG employees and learned from the company’s culture.

“We value each individual contribution to our success, and we motivate people by means of integrity, ethics and constant support to personal development,” he said. “Working as a team, we gather the best knowledge, intelligence and skill to constantly improve our work and benefit our customers.

“Every day we work to make things better. All products, processes and developments are driven by the desire to increase efficiency,” Vansickle added.

Hudanick said Bland met with the four students, and WEG supervisors and employees after the conclusion of the internship to gather information to make the next collaboration even more successful.

“Internships and apprenticeships are the future of filling manufacturing employment opportunities within our community,” Hudanick said.

ECC and WEG Partnerships

The College’s Adult Education and Literacy program and WEG already had been working together before the welding internships.

More than 30 WEG employees are being taught English Language Acquisition (ELA) courses through the ECC AEL program.

The students joined WEG in 2021 through the International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) — an immigrant and job placement service/information hub which connects refugees and immigrants to a variety of opportunities in the St. Louis region. The jobs range from entry-level to professional positions, within a variety of industries.

AEL Director Alice Whalen and Vansickle worked together to implement the ELA courses at WEG.

ECC Welding Students Earn AWS Certificates

October 17, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Fourteen East Central College welding students recently earned their American Welding Society (AWS) certificates for receiving high marks on unit assessments.

The college’s welding program uses online AWS learning platform for lecture and lab classes. The students who score a 90 percent or higher on their unit assessments earn a certificate. They can earn certificates for each of the unit assessments, which are Welding Safety, Oxy-Fuel Cutting, Plasma Cutting and Carbon Arc Cutting.

Listed below are the type of certificate, followed by the students who received them:

Safety in Welding — James Baxter, Holly Downey, Seth Fennessey, Justin Medlock, Brady Neely, Eli Radcliff, Zachary Regot and Cole Vance.

Oxy-Fuel Cutting — Sadie Miller and James Baxter.

Plasma Arc Cutting — Sadie Miller and Brady Neely.

Carbon Arc Cutting — James Baxter, Holly Downey, Seth Fennessey, Macey Hargrove, Justin Medlock, Sadie Miller, Brady Neely, Eli Radcliff, Zachary Regot, Erica Stockell and Cole Vance.

“These students have worked extremely hard to earn these certificates,” said Bobby Bland, welding program coordinator. “Most of our students have full-time jobs working 8-10 hours a day, and then come to class for 5 1/2 hours. They still show up every single evening, on time and with a smile, excited to learn.”

The students each recently completed the Welding I course as they work toward an ECC Certificate of Specialization.

“I cannot tell our community how much dedication, sacrifice, hard work and concentration these welding students have,” Bland added. “I would hire every single student that completes the welding program just for that reason alone.”

He further added that during the 16-week Fast Track Welding program, students experience rigorous training through lecture and real-world experience in the welding labs.

“Our students are ready for any task that comes their way and the unit certificates earned through AWS brings value to the students making them more marketable in the industry,” Bland commented.

For more information about the ECC welding program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/career-technical-education/welding/.

NISOD Excellence Awards Presented to ECC Employees

June 23, 2022 | Campus News

Three East Central College employees recently were recognized for their dedication to students, the college and their coworkers with 2021 NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) Excellence Awards.

The ECC award recipients are Erin Anglin, executive director of The Learning Center; Bobby Bland, welding instructor and program coordinator; and Bethany Herron, student services specialist.

NISOD is a professional development provider that offers programs and resources for community and technical colleges. Member colleges can recognize employees through the Excellence Awards, which are presented to faculty and staff who are doing extraordinary work on their campuses.

Award recipients receive a unique silver medallion engraved with The University of Texas and NISOD insignias and adorned with a burnt orange ribbon. NISOD is based out of the University of Texas in Austin.

Erin Anglin

Erin Anglin, executive director of The Learning Center, was nominated for the NISOD Excellence Award by Megen Strubberg, director of early college and admissions.

“Erin embodies ECC’s core values of Collaboration, Integrity, Empowerment, and Learning on a regular basis,” Strubberg wrote in the nomination. “Despite her calm exterior, Erin is enthusiastic, thoughtful, and frank when it comes to finding new and improved ways to recruit and retain students.”

Strubberg added that Anglin takes a student-centered approach, which is beneficial due to her “front-row seat” to the journey of many ECC students.

“The beginning of the pandemic, she pulled her staff together to offer tutoring and testing services in expanded ways,” Strubberg said, adding that Anglin is working with ECC’s Early College and Admissions team to enhance retention efforts, from the beginning of the student life cycle.

“Under Erin’s leadership, The Learning Center has completely transformed from a somewhat lower-key spot for academic tutoring to a dynamic, welcoming place for students to know they are encouraged and valued,” she said.

Bobby Bland

Welding Program Coordinator Bobby Bland was nominated by Dr. Richard Hudanick, dean of career and technical education for “extraordinary work” he exhibits daily.

“Over and above his duties as a faculty member and a coordinator for East Central’s Welding program, Bobby continuously is setting the bar higher and higher for standards in classroom instruction and industry partnership relations,” Hudanick commented.

“On any given day, Bobby can be found critiquing the quality of weld-joints performed by his students to talking with industry partners to coordinate interviews for future graduates.”

Hudanick added that Bland volunteers for efforts in his ECC campus community outside the welding lab. That includes working with the theater department with welds for a prop or supporting ECC’s baseball team by assisting with a welding project near the baseball field.

“Bobby is truly a humble man who is always willing to put others first,” Hudanick said. “His endless energy level drives a sense of team spirit with his co-workers — Bobby is a great example of an individual who dignifies the NISOD Excellence Award.”

Bethany Herron

Herron was nominated for the NISOD Excellence Award by Stephanie Hebert, enrollment services business analyst.

“Bethany has worked tirelessly to support the Student Development Division for eight years,” Hebert said. “She is always willing to step up and do whatever she is asked.”

That has been especially true, Hebert added, during the past two years as Herron’s department has adjusted to working with students and staff in the virtual environment. During that time, Herron has trained multiple new employees who have been hired as a Student Service Specialists.

“She does it all with a smile and a can-do attitude,” Hebert said. “Bethany makes it a point to learn student’s names and will often follow up with students to make sure they are completing all of the steps required for admission, registration, financial and graduation — Bethany is a joy to work with and I am thankful to know her and learn from her.”

Cuba Resident Finds Calling in ECC Welding Lab

June 1, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Nearly two years ago, Jessica McMillan Brown picked up a copy of the Cuba Free Press that featured a story about a mother and son taking welding courses together at East Central College.

The story was written about Bridget Teaters and her son, Wyatt Watkins, of the Bourbon area, who both were enrolled in the 16-week Fast Track welding program at ECC. Watkins and Teaters earned their welding certificates in 2020.

The thought of enrolling in welding courses intrigued Brown, she said. So, she clipped the article from the paper to hang onto it.

Brown added that she saw similarities between herself and Teaters. They are both women interested in welding, a male-dominated field, they both have sons and are from the same area — Brown from Cuba and Teaters from Bourbon.

Brown explained she had been working in the health care field and following a series of unfortunate events, she began to reevaluate life for her and her son, Justin.

“That’s around when I read (again) the newspaper story about Bridget and her son welding together, and naturally, the story pulled on my heartstrings, a lot,” she said. “So much in fact, that I can honestly say it has changed the course of my life forever.”

Brown was approved for Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development funding and Pell grants. She registered for the FastTrack welding program.

“I knew that continuing my education would be the best thing I could for myself and my family,” she said.

Beginning the Program

Yet, Brown said, she still was nervous about the new venture, and the shift of career focus from one she had worked in for many years.

But Brown received an email from her instructor — Teaters, who was working for her first time as welding adjunct instructor.

“My nerves settled immediately,” Brown said. “That was a good way to start off 16 weeks of classes.”

It wasn’t long and Brown knew she made the right decision.

“ECC and the Business and Industry Center (BIC) have so much to offer, from the most knowledgeable instructors to the extremely helpful and pleasant staff in the BIC, and on the main campus,” she said.

Brown noted that everyone associated with the welding program and the BIC has helped ensure her success.

“It was love at first sight when I was briefly introduced to the welding robot, and the waterjet cutting machine — well basically everything I’ve come in contact with within that facility so far, and it’s bringing out this side of me I had no idea existed until recently,” she said.

Following the 16-weeks of courses, Brown received a certificate of specialization in welding.

Brown is now working on an Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technology degree, which allows her to stack certificates from varying technical areas into a degree.

AWS Scholarship

Last week, Brown was notified that she will receive the American Welding Society (AWS) Samuel Gentry Scholarship for $5,000.

Brown encourages other students to apply for scholarships and grants, like she did, to help cover tuition cost, fees, books, supplies and more.

“I will graduate with my associate degree completely debt-free,” she said. “I think a lot of people never take the chance on going to college because of the debt but there are so many resources out there — if you put in the work and do your research to locate these resources, it literally pays off.”

Women in Welding

When Teaters was working toward a Certificate of Specialization two years ago, she was the only female student in the program.

Brown was one of two females in the welding program while working toward her certificate this past spring.

According to Bobby Bland, welding program coordinator, that fits the trend of a low percentage of women who choose welding as a career.

“Women tend to steer away from the welding industry,” he said. “There is nothing in welding that a woman can’t excel at — from the welding process, supervisory positions, to owning a company — women have the opportunity to have an exciting career in welding.”

Bland, who has worked across the country as a welder, added that women are, “in high demand to fill a variety of welding jobs within Franklin County and across the nation.”

Brown added that a career in welding may not be for everyone, but for her, it was a welcome change.

“I have always had office jobs and I was ready for something new,” she said. “I wanted a hands-on job, one where I could get dirty, and I hope one day my son will have these kinds of skills.”

Brown said she did not know what to expect when enrolling in the welding course, but she is glad she took the chance.

If others read about her journey to ECC, like she did with Teaters, they may make a positive life-changing decision as she did, Brown commented.

“If one person is impacted, that’s great,” she said. “If it is a female, even better.”

“Anyone who is on the fence about a mid-life career change — male or female, it doesn’t matter — don’t wait. Life is too short to be unhappy in a job.”

Area Companies Gift Supplies to ECC Welding Program

March 1, 2022 | Campus News

Donations totaling over $5,000 dollars in materials to the East Central College Welding Program are providing much-needed metals for hands-on learning in the welding lab.

But the donations provide much more than materials — it also builds relationships.

That’s according to Bobby Bland, welding program instructor, who said the donations have sparked communication and collaboration among the students and local industries.

Five industries, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, Blazer Boats, Baker Products, WEG Transformers USA, and Rivercraft Trailers are companies that Bland has partnered with in the past.

“These donations allow for collaboration with our industry partners to build a strong bond among our students and the community,” he said.

The donations include metal supplies, such as stainless steel and aluminum.

“We are always appreciative for the kind generosity of our industry partners,” added Dr. Richard Hudanick, dean of career and technical education at ECC. “I look forward to further expanding these relationships and building career pathways for our students.”

Listed below are the names of the companies making donations, their location, and the value of the gifts:

Nestle Purina Support Center, St. Louis, $1,000;
Blazer Boats, Ellington, Mo., $1,000;
Baker Products, Ellington, Mo., $5,000;
WEG Transformers USA, Washington, $1,000; and
Rivercraft Trailers, $1,000, Van Buren, Mo.

Bland explained that while students work with the donated materials, they learn about the company that donated the metals.

“This creates a great pathway to the companies,” he added. “It also creates a pool of future employees for these industries.

“The students learn the real-world application of the materials and hear about the industries to learn what they actually do.”

According to Bland, the generosity of the donors provides great assistance to the program due to the costs of metal.

“If we were to purchase new metal, the program would be much more costly and we want to continue to provide a top-notch program at a low cost,” he said. “The cost of materials is why many welding schools charge so much for enrollment.”

Bland noted that the donated materials directly impact both current and future students.

“For example, the Baker Products donation will last for four semesters and will be used by welding students over the next few semesters,” he explained. “This is a huge benefit for our students and the entire program.”

Welding Program

The ECC welding curriculum is built to meet industry needs, and it exceeds it in ways that separate it from welding programs at other colleges, Bland said.

Each year, there are career opportunities lined up for ECC welding students because there is a large demand for qualified welders in the area and across the state.

According to Bland, his program at ECC provides a positive learning environment for students.

“We have fun and energetic lecture and lab environments,” he commented. “Our students work in teams and groups, and individually, which helps prepare them for what they will encounter in the workforce.”

In addition, Bland said, the ECC welding program offers training in Lean manufacturing and teaches students how to communicate with engineers and designers. Lean manufacturing is a process that reduces waste and maximizes productivity.

The Welding program also offers flexibility so students can learn the different welding processes such as MIG, TIG, and stick welding, Bland further added.

For more information about the ECC welding program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/career-technical-education/welding/.

ECC Welding Program Partners with Local Manufacturer

November 3, 2021 | Campus News

Students in Bobby Bland’s Welding I class at East Central College are getting real-world experience welding molds for car engines through a partnership with an area manufacturer.

The students, who are pursuing a Certificate of Specialization in Welding, have been welding a mold for Hellebusch Tool and Die, Washington, a company that designs and builds die cast dies and plastic injection molds.

According to Bland, the ECC Welding Program Coordinator, the Welding I classes focus on the heating of metals, or metallurgy, which are skills that are being applied to the Hellebusch project.

The work for the manufacturer is done utilizing ECC equipment at the Business and Industry Center (BIC) on the Union campus.

“I am very thankful that a company like Hellebusch is partnering with us to provide our students experience with these types of real-world projects,” Bland said.

Students have been welding a mold that Hellebusch employees will use to cast a cylinder. The cylinder will be used in four-cylinder vehicle engines.

Bland noted that once the students have completed their welds, Hellebusch takes the parts, and begin a very precise machining process to ensure that it will function as intended.

“These parts are extremely expensive to make, and students feel the actual pressure of heating and welding high-end parts for an actual costumer,” Bland said.

He added that the work the students do this semester will be assessed to determine if future students will do similar projects.

Hellebusch Partnership

According to Phil Dunk, sales engineer with Hellebusch, the partnership with ECC came about as the company was looking for assistance to help tackle the volume of welding work that needed to be done.

Bland, who has connections with many manufacturers in the area, was contacted by the company, setting the partnership with Hellebusch in motion.

Working with a manufacturer like Hellebusch, Band said, is a “win-win” for ECC and for the company.

“I am hopeful other companies follow the lead of Hellebusch and partner with us to bring select projects in-house to educate student in areas like blueprint reading, MIG welding and stick welding,” he commented.

According to Dunk, the partnership between ECC and Hellebusch has been beneficial for the company.

“It has been a great experience,” he said. “We have wanted to be more involved with the college and recruiting students.”

Last month, Dunk visited the college and talked with the students. He explained the work that Hellebusch does, and what the specifically this mold would do.

“It was very nice to talk with the class,” he said. “The work that we needed worked nicely with what the students have been learning in class.”

To learn more about the ECC Welding program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/career-technical-education/welding.

Students Take Welding Skills Home to Create Art

November 13, 2020 | Campus News

As a young girl, Pat Schneider would watch her father and brothers use a forge and welding tools in the garage of their home.

“My father was a very artistic man,” she said. “He would use it and I would watch.

“Then my brothers would use it and I would watch.”

Now, several decades later, Schneider’s interest in welding has led her to seek training in the craft, and create her own pieces.

According to Schneider, she would not have been able to learn to weld without East Central College’s Community Education program. She explained that the Creative Metal Works course she took Oct. 2-3 set the stage for her to learn skills she could take home to her garden.

“I have always been artistic,” she said, “and I have always enjoyed to do artistic type things in the garden.”

A few years ago Schneider, who lives outside Pacific with her husband Joe, looked into courses to incorporate welding into her garden.

“I thought I would take a class, but everything I found was very specific to a career and I didn’t need to know that much,” she said.

Schneider, who retired from a job in finance 35 years ago, told her friend Bridgette Kelch, ECC Foundation executive director, about her interest in a welding course but noted that she did not need a full semester worth of instruction.

Fast forward to late summer 2020 when Kelch emailed Schneider about the Creative Welding course offered at ECC.

“I thought, ‘this is it!’ ” Schneider remembered. “It is going to happen.”

Despite her eagerness, the class was delayed because Schneider was the only person to sign up. However, she recruited two friends, her neighbors Rick and Mary Wimmer-Brown, who jumped at the chance to take the class.

“I could tell they would be a good fit,” Schneider said. “They are artistic, garden and they love the outdoors.”

She added that both Schneider and Wimmer-Brown households own welders, but they didn’t yet know how to use them.

Two-Day Class

Schneider and the Wimmer-Browns were the only three students in the Creative Welding class that was taught by Bobby Bland, welding program coordinator.

According to Schneider, the first day of class addressed safety and how to use the equipment. She noted that Bland also taught the students how to use the equipment they had at home, which was different than welding equipment used at ECC.

“That was important. Not only were we learning the equipment we were using in class, but we were also learning the equipment at home and how it works,” she said.

Schneider added that Bland stressed safety and patience.

“It was a great first day learning the basics of welding,” she said.

On the second day, Schneider explained that the students learned to use additional equipment and techniques, such as cutting and coloring metal.

“Bobby was very patient — allowing us to make mistakes and then fix them,” she said, “which is so important.”

Welded Falcon

In the afternoon of the second day, Schneider worked with Bland to make her own art piece — a falcon, based on the ECC mascot.

Schneider used a cut out, put it on metal and etched out the shape of the falcon. She made the cuts and colored it blue by making adjustments to the equipment and the welding techniques.

“I used metal to make a stand and a holder and then welded all of the pieces together,” she said. “I had a piece I thought was done extraordinarily well.

“It took a lot of patience,” she added. “Bobby was a great instructor and I highly recommend him for that class.”

Schneider said she enjoyed the class so much, that she left her welded falcon for others to see at ECC’s Business and Industry Center (BIC), where the class was taught.

“I want people to see it and maybe they will decide to take the class, and hopefully make something for themselves,” she said.

The Creative Metal Works course was taught through ECC’S Center for Workforce Development.

To learn more about the welding program and other programs offered, visit www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/community-education/.