This fall, Genesee Community College's Business and Employee Skills Training (BEST) Center will offer hands-on training in two in-demand skilled trades: Welding and Plumbing. Evening classes begin on Sept. 2 and are designed to accommodate the schedules of working adults.
"Students will be awarded an industry-recognized credential upon completion of the training," according to Jennifer Wakefield, executive director of Workforce Development at The BEST Center. "We are proud to offer these short-term programs that open doors to long-term career opportunities."
Sal Bonafide Photo courtesy of GCC.
The Welding Fundamentals Program equips students with essential skills for immediate entry into the workforce. The curriculum encompasses a wide range of techniques, including basic gas and arc welding, gas metal arc welding (MIG), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW/stick), gas tungsten arc welding (TIG), and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW). Students will also learn the principles of industrial safety, equipment setup and operation, as well as shop safety protocols.
Welding instruction will be led by Sal Bonafide, a GCC instructor with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Bonafide is eager to begin working with a new cohort of welding students: "Being able to work with students across different generations and disciplines is something I've always worked hard at; I can't wait to share my knowledge and experience with a new generation of welders."
Walter Szczesny Photo courtesy of GCC.
The Plumbing Certificate Program prepares students for entry-level employment in the residential plumbing trade. The training includes a strong foundation in plumbing theory and hands-on instruction in areas such as safety procedures, tool and material use, pipe fitting, fixture installation, and system maintenance. Students will also complete the OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety training.
Instruction is provided by Walter Szczesny, a lifelong Batavia resident and Master Plumber who has owned and operated WTS Plumbing since 1993. Szczesny brings a lifetime of experience to share with his students: "I am excited to take my 45 years of knowledge and experience in the plumbing industry and pass it on to the next generation of plumbers with the skills needed to succeed in the field."
The BEST Center at Genesee Community College is the recognized regional leader in workforce development, offering targeted seminars, workshops, and training programs to strengthen both individuals and businesses throughout the GLOW region. To learn more about the BEST Center's offerings, please visit our Technical Programs page.
When Batavia High School senior Tyler Murphy heard about a logo contest offered by the Rochester chapter of the American Welding Society, he thought he would create a design that reflects his style but also create something that reflects the work of the industry group.
AWS is a national organization with local and regional chapters, that promotes and encourages the welding trade.
Tyler is a Welding student at the Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center. His inspiration for his drawing is his love of tattoos, and he wanted to incorporate something that portrayed America, hence the use of America's symbolic bird, the bald eagle.
Tyler has Andrew Geye to thank -- the Welding instructor at the Batavia CTE Center shared contest information with Tyler.
“(He) encouraged me to enter the contest," Tyler said. "He knows how much I enjoy drawing."
And Geye says he immediately thought of Tyler when he learned about the logo design competition for students.
“Tyler has a desire and ability to create art with metal and other mediums," Geye said. "Tyler’s drawing for the new AWS T-shirt logo showcases his ability but represents all types of talent here at the Batavia CTE Center.
"The metal trades not only promote the welding industry but advocates for students' success and achievement by cultivating students' confidence and ability through projects such as a logo design competition. I’m extremely proud of Tyler and the efforts he has demonstrated.”
Tyler’s design was selected as the first-place winner of this AWS logo contest and his efforts were recently recognized by Geyer, Paul Kesler, Batavia HS principal; Joe Hussar, Batavia HS counselor; Catherine Bennett, Batavia CTE Center assistant principal; and Matt Wolff, AWS Rochester section chairman.
“The AWS Rochester board voted on all designs submitted from local area schools, and Tyler Murphy is the winner," Wolff said. "The American Welding Society Rochester Section presented Tyler with a $500 award for a new T-shirt design."
Tyler was surprised by this award and when asked how he will use the $500, he replied, “I’m ecstatic that my design was chosen. I’m going to buy welding tools.”
The mission of the America Welding Society is to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering and thermal spraying. With many local and region chapters, this national nonprofit organization, strives to advance the welding industry through many initiatives including membership, certification, education and research as well as publications and events.
Photo, from left: Joe Hussar, Batavia High School counselor; Catherine Bennett, Batavia CTE Center assistant principal; Matt Wolff, AWS Rochester section chairman; Tyler Murphy; Paul Kesler, Batavia HS principal; Andrew Geyer and Tim Gleba, Precision Machining instructor.
Mike Pribanich from NYMAT Machine Tool Corporation, works with William Hammond, a Precision Machining student from Caledonia-Mumford High School, on the Haas TM-1P control machine in the Precision Machining shop at the Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center.
Submitted photo and press release:
Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center Precision Machining and Welding students celebrated the end of the school year with a visit with representatives from area manufacturing businesses.
The goal of the event was to introduce students to potential employers and for students to learn of the many career opportunities available in the manufacturing industry.
Lars Christensen, from Autodesk, a multinational software corporation that makes software for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment industries, attended the event and spoke with students.
“I came to the United States in 1999 from Denmark and worked as a mold maker at a manufacturing facility in Rochester, New York," Christensen said. "I moved into the software industry and today I work for Autodesk, one of the biggest CAD-CAM companies in the world.
There are many prospects in this industry that students can pursue. I hope to encourage these students to do that.”
Erik Schwenzer works for NYMAT Machine Tool Corporation, a Haas Factory Outlet. He also attended and met with students.
“We are looking for summer employees as well as summer interns," Schwenzer said. "We like to be involved with the schools as much as possible because there is a real shortage of workers and many jobs are available in the manufacturing industry.
"Manufacturing is a great business that offers a host of opportunities. You make a very successful living and we need to show this to students.”
At the event, Christensen announced that he is funding a scholarship for Precision Machining and Welding students called the Master Manufacturing Scholarship. This scholarship will be presented tonight at the Batavia CTE Awards Night (June 5).
“This $500 scholarship will be presented to a student who is pursuing a career in the manufacturing industry or who is furthering his or her education. It can be used by the student for educational purposes or to purchase tools or whatever the student might need to be prepared for work,” Christensen said.
About CTE
The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State.
Pictured at the groundbreaking from left: Lester Mullen -- Stafford zoning and code enforcement officer, Dave Vicary -- Stafford Town Board, Scott Adams -- owner, Tim Adams -- owner, Steven Foster -- landscaper, Julie Scheverlein -- Stafford Court Clerk, and Andy McElheny.
For years, the parcel of land at 5782 Main Road, Stafford, wasn't being put to any sort of productive use.
It was just a weed-filled vacant lot.
Soon, however, it will be the new location of Adams' Welding & Fabrication and Scott Adams Trucking.
The longtime Genesee County business is moving from a location on Little Canada Road, Bethany. Owners Scott and Tim Adams are constructing a new 5,616-square-foot facility and truck terminal.
Adams' Welding & Fabrication serves the welding needs of local agriculture as well as homeowners and Scott Adams Trucking provides transportation for agriculture.
Finger Lakes Construction will build the new facility.
Friends and family also joined in. From left: Steven Foster, Debbie Kerr, Dave Vicary, Scott Adams, Tim Adams, Lester Mullen, Julie Scheverlein, Andy McElheny, Val Falco and Mary Adams.
