On October 29,, representatives from Airgas Corp. and Koike Aronson Inc. visited Pioneer High School’s Agricultural Leadership and Welding classes.
Shane McMahon, an Airgas employee and Pioneer graduate, and Nick Messer of Koike Aronson talked with students in the Leadership class about what the industry is looking for in employees. They explained how they achieved their positions and the struggles they had to overcome to get to where they are today.
ABOVE: Pioneer students learn about welding advancements and careers.
Shane and Nick also shared some stories of their travels across the United States and overseas, setting up and selling their welding/metal fabrication products. Students had many questions for them and learned a great deal about industry.
The visitors also presented to the Welding 1 and Welding 3 classes on the topic of new technologies in the welding industry. Shane and Nick gave real examples of what it takes to run and operate the latest machines, along with qualities they are looking for in employees.
Shane and Nick brought along a robotic welding machine to demonstrate how efficient it can be. They talked about efficiencies with welding and advanced welding techniques plus calculations that are needed to fabricate and weld a finished product.
The pair demonstrated the robotic welder, then had several students operate the machine.
Agriculture teacher Jonathan Clayson said, “It was a great learning experience for all classes involved. Students gained not only valuable information about a company here in Arcade but also how important education is to succeed in industry. A big thank you to Shane and Nick for their dedication to the students in the Pioneer Agricultural program.”