HRHS welding students were all smiles after receiving a $14,000 donation from the Canadian Welding Bureau to put toward new welding equipment.
A Canadian organization recently sparked some smiles at Holy Rosary High School.
CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau) donated $14,000 in welding and safety equipment to enhance the school’s shop.
“We’re very grateful for that. The new welders and all those helmets and stuff. It’s so cool to be able to use new technology and you can learn so much more from that stuff, so I’m very grateful for their donation”, said Grade 12 student Marleigh Mann, who uses her welding skills outside of the classroom as well—helping out on the family farm.
“We do a lot of welding at home—just building pipe fences and stuff. And before I was just kind of the labourer around there, but I’m starting to move up now and I get to actually do some of the welding,” said Mann.
“So it’s been great to give me a start and give me an idea of how to do all that stuff.”
Grade 11 student Rhett Yaremy says this is his second year in welding, and he intends to take every welding course available prior to graduation.
“I love the hands-on aspect. Personally, as a student, I much prefer to learn practically instead of on paper and in theory,” said Yaremy.
“Especially with the great instructor we have here. He’s very into details and if you listen to his instruction you get great results and great feedback as well. He’s not only done welding but he’s also done a lot of other trades work in carpentry and stuff like that. So he’s a very hands-on guy and he does great work here with the students.”
HRHS welding instructor, Kevin Bender, says the donation is a ‘game changer’.
“It not only helps the students recognize the importance of the welding program, but it also helps our school division realize we have outside industry that’s interested in contributing and putting an emphasis on these important trades,” said Bender, who is a journeyman welder himself.
“I feel blessed and honoured, I’m able to influence a large group of students and lead them on a path to success and show them some different career opportunities that exist,” said Bender.
“Right now technology and the trades and kids that are willing to learn—they can make an excellent living for themselves and they’re respected as much as their friends and family that are going to university and college.”
