EAGLE RIVER - Eagle River will soon have a new welding school. The first day of classes is coming up September 24th.

Brian Scheid, Director of Advanced Welding Institute says, "Each class is 6 months long. We will also offer upgrade training to employers so they can train their employees. And we also have specialized welding classes that the general public can take."

The Advanced Welding Institute is the first for-profit welding school in the state. It takes pride in a hands-on approach to learning.

"We teach 85% hands on welding classes. Our students come in for a basic 8 hour work day. They weld almost 7 hours in the booth per day with about an hour of classroom time," says Scheid.

AWI is an accredited school based in Vermont. When the owners decided to expand, Wisconsin was at the top of their list.

"Governor Walker and the workforce development has been a major influence on why we decided to come to Wisconsin for the need for skilled workers, the manufacturing in the state. There's a lot of activity going on regarding military contracts and other manufacturing where we see the need for higher skilled workers in the workplace," adds Scheid.

AWI instructors are certified welding inspectors. The school will accept 15 students for each program - one during the day and one at night.

Applications for the September course are being accepted now. You can find a link to AWI's website below.


Related Weblinks: Advanced Welding Institute website