Aug. 23, 2024 4:15p
(WGTD)---The U.S. Navy could foot the bill for a big expansion of Gateway Technical College’s welding lab in Racine.
It turns out that the Navy has a number of contracts with companies in the region that supply components for the Navy’s submarine building program.
One of them is a Spring Grove, Illinois company by the name of Scot Forge. The company recommended Gateway to the Navy, which has an interest in building a workforce to help its suppliers.
Gateway Vice-President of Academic Affairs Matt Janisin said the Navy has expressed a strong interest in putting up $5 million to cover the cost of the welding lab expansion. "We have kind of a verbal agreement right now that we're going to look toward doubling the size of our welding lab in Racine from 20 booths to 40 booths to meet the demand of our local workforce but also the suppliers of the submarine industrial base," he said.
If all goes as planned, the repurposing of existing space at Gateway in Racine could begin next spring.
Gateway’s welding program usually has a waiting list because lab space—in both Racine and in Elkhorn where the skill is also taught—is limited, according to Janisin.
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