LBI rehabs building, opens School of Trades
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Curtis Moreland, 31, of Uniontown, works on a project in the shielded metal arts II class in the newly renovated trades building at the Laurel Business Institute in Uniontown.
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard Chaz Wardell, 25, works during a gas tungsten arc welding 1 course at the newly renovated trades building at the Laurel Business Institute in Uniontown.
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Derick Rolla (left) listens to his instructor, Bobby Ferrari, explain technique during a shielded metal arts II class.
Christopher Decker had it as his vision to bring trades schooling to the Laurel Business Institute back in 2007.
He purchased a former warehouse and had plans to renovate the facility, but after he passed away in 2008, the plan was postponed.
“My father was a big driving force at the school,” said Douglas Decker, executive director of the Laurel Business Institute. “We’ve had the building for so long and had been wanting to get into the trades. Over the past couple years we’ve regrouped and got back into it. For six years it was used only as a storage facility. We finally said we need to get this place into action.”
LBI first opened its new trades building a year ago, and enrolled students into one of its newest program: welding.
The Welding and Fabrication with Pipeline Technology program prepares graduates for entry-level welding positions in repair, fabrication, industrial mechanics and pipefitting.
“Every labor and industry report says that there’s a skills gap in the trades,” Decker said. “Our goal is to be a piece of the puzzle, and a part of the solution.”
The welding program boasts 17 machines, and 15 booths.
“These guys are learning how to weld in all four processes of welding, including pipe welding,” Decker said.
Jim Selby, an instructor of the welding program, added that students in the welding program can also become 6g-certified, which he said is an “elite certification.”
“That credential is highly sought after,” Selby said.
Decker said about six students should be ready to graduate from the welding program in January.
“We’re tremendously excited. We really worked on perfecting the curriculum, and made a lot revisions to make sure we’re keeping in line with what our employer advisory committee has asked of us,” Decker said. “Ultimately, the goal is to have these guys job-ready when they come out of the program.”
This past spring, the first class of the Industrial Maintenance Technician program moved into the 10,000-square foot facility to begin coursework.
The Industrial Maintenance Technician program was initiated to address an ongoing need for industrial maintenance and field service technicians in the region.
The school developed the program in conjunction with an advisory committee comprised of energy companies and manufacturing facilities.
The 12-month, three-semester program will prepare graduates for entry-level positions in industrial maintenance, industrial machine repair, electro-mechanical technology, industrial mechanics and maintenance mechanics.
“In a nutshell, what these students are learning is how to maintain the operational systems in a modern manufacturing plant,” Decker said.
According to Decker, industrial maintenance programs are not as well known as welding programs; however, reports suggest that the demand for jobs in the field exists.
“The program doesn’t have the notoriety, but the Catalyst Connection is projecting 4,500 job openings in Pennsylvania for graduates of this program by 2020,” Decker said. “The demand is through the roof.”
Nancy Decker, president and chief executive officer of LBI, agreed.
“We feel that there’s a strong job demand in the area, and our mission has always been to provide a quality education for careers that exist in the area,” she said.
“Considering the continual growth with welding, industrial maintenance and the trades in general, it was just very evident that this is where the jobs are going to be.”