The AWS Foundation is dedicated to increasing the welding workforce by providing grant funding to secondary, post-secondary and welder training facilities that seek to enhance and improve their welding education programs. Grant funding of up to $25,000 per location is awarded for facilities to make improvements, invest in capital items such as welding or metalworking equipment, or purchase/upgrade computers or computer-based training systems. 

The following nine schools were recently awarded the Welding Workforce Grant: 

Botetourt Technical Education Center – Fincastle, Virginia 
Brunswick Community College – Bolivia, North Carolina 
Dixie Technical College – Saint George, Utah 
Northern Industrial Training – Palmer, Alaska 
Rockland BOCES – West Nyack, New York 
Sun City Welding Academy – El Paso, Texas 
The Academy at Goodwill Industries of Arkansas – Little Rock, Arkansas 
West Georgia Technical College – Waco, Georgia 
Workshops for Warriors – San Diego, California 

“We applaud the dedication these nine locations have demonstrated in expanding their welding education programs and facilities,” said Monica Pfarr, Executive Direction of the AWS Foundation. “Their commitment to the welding industry and cultivating the next generation of welding technicians and professionals through education is inspiring.” 

Welding is among the most crucial and essential skilled trades that impact everyday life, yet the number of skilled welding technicians and professionals continues to decrease. The American Welding Society through the AWS Foundation supports programs to ensure the growth and development of the welding industry through research and educational opportunities. In 2021, the AWS Foundation awarded over $2 million in grants and scholarships. 

For more information about the AWS Foundation, scholarships, grants, or donations, please visit aws.org/foundation. 

[Picture Caption: Botetourt Technical Education Center in Fincastle, VA, received grant funding from the AWS Foundation to enhance its welding program.] 

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About AWS: The American Welding Society is the worldwide authority in the development of standards, certifications and educational programming for the welding, allied joining and cutting community. We are a notfor-profit organization committed to connecting the welding industry to our extensive collection of resources, informing our members of technological advancements and developing the next generation of welding professionals with the help of the AWS Foundation. AWS serves over 60,000 members worldwide and is composed of 22 Districts with 250 Sections and Student Chapters. For more information, visit the American Welding Society's website at aws.org. 

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About AWS Foundation: The AWS Foundation was established by the American Welding Society on September 13, 1989, to support programs that ensure the growth and development of the welding industry through strengthening research and educational opportunities in welding and related industries. Led by a volunteer Board of Trustees, the Foundation is organized as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Administration, including program development, fundraising, public relations, marketing, and financial management is provided by a small development staff of the American Welding Society. Its operations are conducted from the Society's offices in Miami, Florida. For more information, visit aws.org/foundation.

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