ABERDEEN, S.D. – Aberdeen Central High School’s ATEC Academy now has brand new, state-of-the art welding equipment that puts the latest industry technology in students’ hands.
“It exposes them to all of the different types of welding that they would see out in the workforce,” said ATEC Director Scott Pudwill.
The Aberdeen Public School District received a $240,000 South Dakota Department of Education Innovative Equipment Grant to replace ATEC’s outdated equipment with new welders capable of wire feed, stick and aluminum welding. The new equipment has been in place since the middle of fall semester.
“To say that we have some really fine equipment is an understatement,” said Michael Lillis, ATEC’s Machine Tool/Welding Teacher.
ATEC’s old equipment limited the program to just one type of welding and welding only steel, Pudwill said.
“This allows us to weld on stainless steel, aluminum, and do different types of welding,” he said.
The new equipment includes a robotic welder, which provides students hands-on experience with cutting-edge automation technology. Robotic welding is big in a lot of industries now, including the automotive industry and local businesses like Twin City Fan.
“So to be able to give the students an opportunity to go through the process of utilizing this, and learning how to program it and work with it, is really a great opportunity,” Lillis said.
Igniting Excellence Project
The welding upgrades are part of the school district’s Igniting Excellence project, which aims to:
· Introduce modern welding equipment to enrich student learning experiences and align skillsets with industry standards.
· Broaden the scope of Aberdeen Public Schools Career and Technical Education curriculum by offering specialized welding courses and certifications made possible by advanced equipment.
· Ensure equitable access to state-of-the-art resources for all students, regardless of background or socioeconomic status.
· Implement safety measures through upgraded equipment to create a secure learning environment for students and faculty.
February is CTE Month
February is Career and Technical Education Month. Aberdeen Central’s ATEC Academy offers 16 career clusters of CTE programs, including:
· Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
· Architecture and Construction
· Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications
· Business Management and Administration
· Education and Training
· Finance
· Government and Public Administration
· Health Science
· Hospitality and Tourism
· Human Services
· Information Technology
· Law, Public Safety and Security
· Manufacturing
· Marketing
· STEM
· Transportation, Distribution and Logistics
To learn more about CTE education at Aberdeen Public Schools, visit the ATEC webpage.
Watch our video to learn more about our new welding equipment at ATEC Academy:
About the Aberdeen Public School District
The Aberdeen Public School District provides a comprehensive educational program to approximately 4,200 students in grades K-12, with a mission of empowering all students to succeed in a changing world. Our students receive the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential in a global community through high expectations of academic achievement; diverse educational opportunities; and community involvement in a safe, supportive environment. Learn more at aberdeen.k12.sd.us.