PCC Welding Gets New Building, Named NC3's "School on the Rise"

Pratt CC Welding has a new home! PCC purchased the Pioneer Tank and Steel facility near the airport in Pratt, KS. A lot of time was spent over the summer getting the facility ready and students officially began classes in the new building in the Fall.

In addition to Welding classes, PCC is running a Steel Sales operation out of the facility, with the help of an employee retained from Pioneer Tank and Steel. The additional space of the new facility, along with the steel sales business, have opened the door to partnerships and projects with local businesses like Striker Portable Welding Service located nearby.

PCC Welding also gained a contract with a business in Manhattan, KS to build spools, which has kept Welding students and program lead Daryl Lucas busy straight out of the gates.

PCC is also pleased to announce the news of being selected by the National Coalition for Certification Centers (NC3) as the "School on the Rise" for August 2022. NC3 partners with, and recognizes schools that have shown consistent growth in issued certifications, creating highly-skilled, job-ready professionals for industry.

The NC3 news article features Lucas, who has been an educator at PCC for more than thirty years. Lucas stresses the importance of students earning real-world certifications directly related to industry needs as they train to enter the workforce.

“The certifications are relevant to the industries. There’s a wide variety of technical skills. Employers see that a student has successfully completed a curriculum that is very specific to the industry. The local employers know what they’re getting from us. By offering NC3 certifications to high school students, they become interested in skilled trades at an earlier age.”

Pratt CC Welding students train and work in a live shop on site in Pratt and can walk away with 14+ certifications through the program.

PCC offers Welding Technology instruction at the facility in Pratt, PCC facilities located at Attica High School, Kingman High School, and online. Welding Technology also qualifies for the Kansas Promise Scholarship.

New signage displayed at each of our locations was created and installed by Taylor Printing from Pratt, KS.

Visit our website to learn more about the Welding Technology program.

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Students from USD 214 Ulysses High School tour the new Welding Shop with instructor Daryl Lucas.