Alamance Community College (ACC) has received a $280,000 grant from The Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trust No. One for the replacement and installation of a new air filtration/ventilation system in the school’s Welding Technology department teaching laboratory.
The grant finances the largest amount of the $428,798 project budget, with $148,798 from the State Capital and Infrastructure Funding (SCIF) paying the remaining balance.
Due to the ACC welding program’s high capacity enrollment in day and evening classes over the past six years, stationary air filtration units have proven to be insufficient. This high use of the welding lab has required more frequent and costly replacement of air unit filters. In addition, the rooftop HVAC units of the Advanced Applied Technology Center (AATC) that houses the welding lab has experienced wear and tear with costly maintenance and repairs.
The project work to replace the air filtration/ventilation system and HVAC units is expected to begin this spring and take approximately ten months for completion.
“Our job is to safeguard and foster the safest learning environment possible. While welding presents its challenges, we acknowledge them,” said Mike Holt, Welding Technology Department Head. “Thanks to the Cannon grant, a new filter system will offer a solution, providing peace of mind for those embarking on the journey in the skilled trades by effectively addressing the hazards associated with welding.”
ACC’s Welding Technology program is among the college’s highest enrolled skilled trades on the campus, exceeding more than 100 students each year since just before the pandemic began. Fall 2023 enrollment was 119 students and in spring 2024 the program has 115 students.
Welding Technology offers students the educational options of an Associate in Applied Science degree, a diploma, and two certificate programs. Classes run virtually all day and evening, including an “after midnight” class popular with workers coming off their second shift jobs who are seeking to bolster their welding skills and credentials.
ACC’s high volume of welding students aligns with employment projections by The American Welding Society (weldingworkforcedata.com), which reports the demand for trained welders to exceed 330,000 by 2028. Approximately 82,500 welding jobs are expected to be filled between 2024-2028 due to industry growth and a rising number of retiring welders.
The Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trust No. One was established upon Mr. Cannon’s death in 1971. The Trust accepts unsolicited grant requests, primarily for capital projects and equipment supporting human services, higher education, healthcare and the community. The Cannon Foundation and Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trusts continue his legacy of giving across North Carolina.