GONZALES, Texas - Gonzales Manufacturing, owned by Cleaver-Brooks, has partnered with Victoria College, Victoria, Texas, to create a training class for welders. This hands-on, accelerated evening course is in its second semester and already has a waiting list for the upcoming semester.

As industry knowledge and experience becomes scarce in the maturing boiler industry, and the industry’s workforce reaches retirement age, other mitigating circumstances are providing obstacles as well, notes the company. The Cleaver-Brooks’ Gonzales facility is facing such issues as rural location, no training facilities, and a product that requires a workforce that is more than two-thirds welders. According to Cleaver-Brooks, the combination of these issues is making skilled labor demand a major issue.

“We need a lot of welders,” said Julio Tubola, Gonzales Manufacturing’s plant manager. “But we have only a small number to draw from, so we’re in an all-out effort to get people involved. Our commitment to the industry and to continuing education will present a great resource for welders.”

This new welding program is run by long-time fitter and welder, Pete Riojas, Gonzales Manufacturing employee. Victoria College is also creating a satellite campus less than a mile away from Gonzales’ facility to serve a variety of training needs.

For more information, visit www.cleaver-brooks.com.

Publication date: 05/21/2007