The Lorain County Community College in northern Ohio has been named project leader for a $4.9 million National Science Foundation program to establish a National center for Welding Education and Training.

The center is being established to increase the number of science and engineering welding technicians to meet workforce demands, and to strengthen the educational aspects of welding technicians.

It will promote a comprehensive reform in welding education by providing technologically current educational materials and professional development opportunities to two-year colleges and other educational institutions, Duncan Estep, director of Lorain County Community College's Engineering Technologies division, said.

Lorain County Community College (www.lorainccc.edu) will lead a project to develop and enhance welding education and training programs to address the workforce needs for welding jobs. As the project leader, it will collaborate with other project members that include major corporations, industry associations, educational institutions, government facilities, and a professional society. The other educational institutions are: Chattanooga State Tech Community College, the College of the Canyons, Ferris State University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Texas State Technical College and Weber State University.

The center will be housed at Lorain County Community College's Nord Advanced Technology Center.

Ken Smith has been named project director and principal investigator for the welding center. Smith will be responsible for the management of the center and the National Science Foundation grant.

The project will include teacher workshops at regional locations and online courses supplemented by national conferences, print media, and web casts.

The American Welding Society (www.aws.org)has joined the partner colleges to collaborate on the educational project.

"This center not only will provide essential support to the welding technology profession, but also help to increase awareness of the critical role welding plays in the vast manufacturing sector. This is especially important considering today's difficult recruiting environment due to the nationwide shortage of welders," Ray Shook, executive director of the American Welding Society, said.

For more information about the National center for Welding Education and Training, call Smith at 800-995-5222 (ext. 7027).