Free Robotic Welding Classes Supported By Grant
Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne and Kosciusko County has received a $60,000 grant to offer free robotic welding training for both current students and community members.
The funding comes through the EmployED initiative, a partnership led by the American Association of Community Colleges and General Motors. Ivy Tech officials said the grant will cover two eight-week robotic welding classes focused on preparing participants for careers in advanced manufacturing.
The spring session is scheduled for March 16 through May 10, with a summer session to follow from June 8 through August 2. Each class will have eight available seats.
College leaders say the program is intended to help meet growing workforce demand in a region where manufacturing continues to play a major role in the economy. Indiana has one of the highest concentrations of manufacturing in the country, and in northeast Indiana, the need for workers with robotic welding skills remains especially strong. Local employers, including the GM Fort Wayne Assembly Plant, continue to seek trained technicians.
“This grant allows us to remove financial barriers and directly respond to workforce needs in our region,” said Dr. Kim Barnett-Johnson, chancellor of Ivy Tech Fort Wayne and Kosciusko County. “Robotic welding is a critical skillset in modern manufacturing, and this training creates immediate pathways to quality careers.”
Ivy Tech, Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution, said the courses build on its broader workforce training mission and ongoing efforts to align programs with employer needs. The college recently adopted the Business and Industry Leadership Team, or BILT, model through a National Science Foundation-funded initiative aimed at keeping programs responsive to changes in industry.
Participants in the robotic welding classes will receive hands-on training with the technology used in modern manufacturing settings. Upon completion, they will be prepared to pursue jobs in advanced manufacturing across northeast Indiana.
Those interested in enrolling can contact Robert Parker at rparker27@ivytech.edu. Space is limited.
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