The start of school could also be the start of a career for Syracuse students who take part in a trade program. Sparks are flying in the shop as the Syracuse Central School District is reviving welding instruction.
Max Burko is cutting steel for a project in the shop…he began the program last semester.
“When I first got to it, I was really scared. I did not know what to expect. But it’s like everything you do; I’m a big skateboarder so everything takes patience and skill, so every day I come in here I practice and practice and practice.”
The high school junior thought he’d eventually own a business like his family.
“There’s like, when I first saw it, I was like ‘wow, I want to do this. It looks fun’. So definitely my whole focus now is going to college for welding.”
Nate Bowman demonstrates a weld…he took over the shop in the Sydney Johnson center last year.
“The program I’m trying to build and design here is based 100-percent on hands-on. So I’ve been working with and reaching out to a lot of local businesses here in Syracuse to find out exactly what they’re looking for specifically.”
He wants to stress fundamentals and safety in a field he believes will be growing. Bowman wonders if teaching a trade might benefit those focused solely on college.
“We’re really seeing this disconnect between students that are going to college and maybe not necessarily getting jobs or not necessarily getting the job that they want. So it’s really important to me to see students be able to have a trade or something that they can fall back on.”
Bowman says students can come to the 2-year welding program from any city high school. Students can get information through guidance counselors or at Facebook.com/SCSDweldshop.