Taylor Duplessis, 23, has been taking the classes twice a week since they began in April.
"I have a 3-year old at home, so I figured I want a more stable job," the Gonzales resident said. "... You can't go and find a job any day like you can if you're a welder. So I want a better income ... my motivation is my daughter."
A collaboration between Ascension Parish School Board and River Parishes Community College, the center features two classrooms and training space for welding, process technology and electrical instrumentation. Unveiled in March with significant fanfare, officials like Quintin Taylor, chancellor of RPCC, said it could be a "game-changer" in breaking the cycle of poverty.
And so far, Taylor, instructors and students say it's paying off.
"This all started about ... a year and a half ago in conversations," Taylor said, adding that the program was a team effort with the high school, school district and local governments. "We talked about it. People put the money where their mouths are. I held my team accountable, and we got it done."
'TREMENDOUS PROGRESS'
The center, located in a previously unused wing of the high school, acts as a technical training center for students during the day and as a high school equivalency and job readiness training center in the evenings. And since adult classes began this spring, Taylor said the program boasts a high retainment rate of students, with around 60 showing up on the first day.
"Now, we've only got ten welding booths ... so what we did was we added a second cohort. And now we're about to add more classes on the weekends," he said. "The demand is there, but we've got to provide the opportunity for these folks to enroll."
Patrick Lawless, one of the welding instructors, said around 22 students are enrolled in the welding program, each taking three-hour classes two nights a week.
"It's been a big success story because normally when you start out, everybody's excited by welding, and then they come the first four weeks, then they get tired," he said. "... This class has not dropped. We have all our students here. We've been solid from April all the way up to this month."
Speaking in late July, Lawless said two students had already received their welding licenses and were making around $36 hourly, with several more on track to receive licenses soon.
"I want to commend these students because, guess what, you're in the middle of the heat," he added. "They did really well to come here from April all the way to this point ... that's tremendous progress in that small amount of time."
MODEL FOR THE STATE
But welding is only one element to the center. In a nearby classroom, adults can take classes to earn their high school equivalency. Tiffany Davis, one of the adult education instructors, said eight students are currently enrolled in those.
"It's tailored to the student-specific journey," she explained, adding that entry testing helps them craft individual plans. "... It's easier to support their areas of growth and support what they need to help them get to their next step, as opposed to trying to just teach for the masses and not serve them effectively."
And then there's the dual-enrollment aspect. That program aims to have participating high school students halfway finished with an associate's degree by the time they graduate, Taylor said.
"When they do come to us for their freshman year in college, they're halfway there. So they're able to get through and get it done quickly," Taylor said. "That's the beauty of the dual enrollment piece."
And the center is planned to be a model for similar initiatives across the state.
State Rep. Ken Brass, D-Vacherie, who helped secure more than $3 million for the program, authored a bill just for that purpose. Taking effect last week, it authorizes the state's Dual Enrollment Task Force to look around the state for additional higher education and school district partnerships.
"Dual enrollment gives the kids the opportunity to get a head start on college," he explained. "They're ultimately going to save parents money on the back end, when the kids can graduate early."
In the welding bay, Duplessis says she plans to continue taking classes after receiving her welding certification. And although she attends the classes following ten-hour work shifts, she praised the small size and instructors.
"[Lawless is] a really good teacher, you know, he tries to get around to everybody to do one-on-one time," she said. "... I've got a lot of help from him, and that's a big step in being able to get your certification after only three months."
And for his part, Lawless said he enjoys his role in training the next generation.
"I like helping people," he said. "I like investing in the young men and women so they can have a career and be successful. And I want to see them successful. That's why I come every night."
©2024 The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
