Clemco Industries, East Central College launch welder apprenticeship program

Kasheea Portell, an apprentice at Clemco, works as a cabinet assembler.

In August 2018 Clemco Industries Corp., Washington, Mo., in collaboration with East Central College in neighboring Union, Mo., launched a welder apprenticeship program. Four Clemco employees currently are enrolled in the three-year program, which is funded by a $239,550 Missouri Registered Apprenticeship Program (MORAP) grant.

Last fall the four apprentices spent their Tuesday and Thursday evenings in four-hour, hands-on classes on the East Central campus that taught GMAW, GTAW, and SMAW. The grant covered the students’ tuition and book fees, and they maintained their day jobs at Clemco.

After completing the fall semester of instruction at East Central, the four apprentices began transitioning into full-time welding positions at Clemco. The hours they work count toward their on-the-job training required to earn their specialization in welding certificates from East Central.

Clemco Industries manufactures air-powered abrasive blast equipment used for surface cleaning, deburring, shot peening, finishing, and coating removal.