New welding lab opened at College of The Albemarle’s Dare campus
Published 9:01 am Sunday, October 25, 2020
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Welding students Nemo Salazar, left, and Logan McLemore are ready to lead tours of the new welding lab. A dozen welding booths are in the new lab. Each booth features a ventilation system that draws out smoky air, filters it and returns it to the booth without affecting the overall temperature in the lab. Salazar and McLemore are about half way through the College of The Albemarle’s welding program which teaches stick, metal and tungsten inert gas welding. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo
College of The Albemarle President Jack Bagwell welcomes dignitaries to the ribbon cutting for the new Welding Lab in the Professional Arts Building on the community college’s Dare Campus in Manteo. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo
Poised to cut the ribbon for the College of The Albemarle’s new welding lab are, from left, Dare County campus Dean Tim Sweeney, Dare Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. Woodard and College of The Albemarle’s President Jack Bagwell. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo
Three years ago, College of The Albemarle welding instructor Jeff Spear started building an industrial welding program at the Manteo campus. Today, the program has a waiting list and an apprentice program at the North Carolina Ferry Division’s shipyard in Manns Harbor. “He’s the man that really made this happen,” said Dare campus Dean Tim Sweeney. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo
At College of The Albemarle, Steve Sizemore retooled and is going in a new direction. He holds basic and advanced welding certificates and is an adjunct welding instructor at the Dare campus. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo
The new welding lab is in the Manteo campus Professional Arts Building. Going on in front of that building is demolition of old school buildings to make way for a “state of the art academic building.” Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo
A ribbon was cut Wednesday, Oct. 14 at a new welding lab on the Dare County campus of College of The Albemarle.
The lab features a dozen welding booths, each with a ventilation system to keep students and instructors healthy.
Speakers at the ribbon cutting included College of The Albemarle President Jack Bagwell, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. Woodard, Dare Campus dean Tim Sweeney and welding graduate Steve Sizemore.
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Woodard said “education has been and it will always be a top priority for the Dare County Board of Commissioners.”
Dare County’s Guarantee Scholarship, funded by the county’s commissioners, is now helping almost 80 Dare County high school graduates attend College of The Albemarle to earn an associate’s diploma or certification in a trade.
College of The Albemarle purchased the welding booths for $175,000 and Dare County paid B and M Electrical from Elizabeth City $60,000 for the electrical upgrade.
The old welding lab will be remodeled to accommodate electric and construction classes.
The new welding lab is in the Manteo campus Professional Arts Building. Going on in front of that building is demolition of old school buildings to make way for a “state of the art academic building.”
College President Jack Bagwell pointing to the almost cleared land said “we have a lot of plans for this facility.”
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