John W. North High School celebrated the opening of Riverside Unified School District’s first Welding & Fabrication Technologies program with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 6, creating a new Career Technical Education pathway to prepare students for high-demand careers in the skilled trades.
Welding & Fabrication Technologies adds to Riverside Unified’s growing portfolio of CTE offerings, with students across the district now having access to 25 unique programs and 52 individual pathways. The district’s newest CTE program is housed in a newly renovated classroom on John W. North High School’s campus – equipped with eight welding stations and a range of advanced manufacturing equipment, including mills, band saws, four 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters and a vacuum-forming machine.
“This program is about expanding possibilities for our scholars,” RUSD Superintendent Dr. Sonia Llamas said. “Our responsibility is to provide meaningful pathways for every single scholar based on their goals and interests. This hands-on learning environment gives our scholars the opportunity to work with the technologies and equipment used in today’s skilled and manufacturing industries while developing skills and confidence they can carry into their futures.”
Welding & Fabrication Technologies will introduce students to advanced manufacturing processes, welding techniques, industry safety standards and career-ready skills. More than 190 John W. North High School students are enrolled in the school’s new program. It restores welding instruction at John W. North High School, which offered a welding program in the 1970s and 1980s, Principal Jodi Gonzales said…