EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Sun City Welding Academy and a regional union for tradesmen held a job event Thursday, July 17 to job-screen pipe welders and pipe fitters for a major industrial project near El Paso, and organizers said there is more to come.
“We’ve been waiting for this area to pick up and gain some traction for our local union and the type of work that we do, and that is coming to fruition now and it’s coming fast. So there is going to be a lot of work from the oil and gas industry, the building industry, and hospitals. So that’s going to employ not just welders and pipefitters, but also plumbers and that gas,” said Edward Sanchez, a welding coordinator for the United Association (U.A.), Local Union No. 412, which represents pipefitters, welders, and HVAC workers throughout New Mexico and El Paso.
The event was held at the welding academy located at 6940 Commercial Ave. in East El Paso. Day two of the event will be held Friday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The event serves as a pre-qualification testing, which aims to fill 180 positions including welders, pipe fitters, and apprentices for a large-scale industrial project near Orla, Texas. Orla is about 175 miles east of El Paso.
Owner and director for the Sun City Welding Academy, Scott Herndon, said it took hard work and constant communication with the union for about two years to make the job event happen…