Skilled trades shortage addressed as welding tour visits Redmond High School

(Update: adding video).

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Western Welding Academy's Blue Collar Tour visited Redmond High School on March 6th to provide students with hands-on experience in skilled trades. The event aimed to introduce hundreds of students to career paths in welding that offer high-earning potential without the requirement of a four-year college degree.

The visit comes as the United States faces a significant shortage of tradespeople. According to the Industrial Arts Institute, the average welder is in their mid-50s, while younger workers under age 20 make up less than 20% of the total workforce.

The stop at Redmond High School is one of 30 scheduled visits across the country for the academy. Based in Gillette, Wyo., the Western Welding Academy focuses on pipe welding and other high-demand skills. The tour replaces traditional textbooks and lectures with interactive demonstrations involving sparks and steel. This marks the second time the group has visited Redmond, following a previous stop in 2022.

Hayden Manchas, a student teaching assistant and Western Welding Academy tour participant, said he hopes the event helps students decide whether to pursue the field. "I hope that all of them you know, if they're on the fence about welding, I hope it puts them where they want to be in it," Manchas said. He noted that despite appearances, the industry requires more personnel to fill current gaps. "Try and people get interested in welding because we need a lot more welders," Manchas said. "The trades kind of even though it seems like there's a lot of people in it, there's really not."

Industry demand is driven in part by large-scale government projects that currently lack sufficient staffing. Dan Kernion, a representative for Western Welding Academy, highlighted the specific needs of the U.S. military. "The Department of Defense wanted to build three submarines a year," Kernion said. "They're 150-plus thousand workers shy of that in the welding and machining area. So, what we're offering here at Redmond High is, I guarantee my students a job when they complete my program."

Several local companies in the Redmond area actively recruit students directly from the welding classroom. Kernion identified Base Buck Stop and Bumper Mill Power as local businesses that hire students upon completion of the program. These career paths can lead to six-figure salaries without the $100,000 in student debt often associated with four-year degrees.

Manchas emphasized that the trades offer a viable alternative for students who prefer manual work over traditional academic settings. "You don't have to just go to college if you like work on your hands," Manchas said. He added that he hopes the tour encourages students to "keep pushing harder in their classes and, you know, become the best people that they can be in their trade."

The Blue Collar Tour is scheduled to continue its route across Oregon through the remainder of the week.