A group of Hanson employees in Springfield, Illinois, has completed a welding course that was customized for Hanson’s engineers.
Hanson approached Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) in Springfield for welding training after several employees in the Springfield office expressed interest. Hanson and the college collaborated to create the curriculum: a 30-hour course held during 10 weeks that ranged “from theory to practice, with special emphasis on the needs of the engineer,” said Structural Engineer Matt Willey, P.E., S.E., one of 10 employees who took the class.
Ten employees took a welding course this summer that was customized for Hanson. From left, Civil Engineer Kevin Kreipe, P.E.; Project Manager Jim Moll, P.E., S.E.; Civil Designer Kim Marsh; Civil Engineer Ryne Fiorito, P.E.; Matt Willey, P.E., S.E.; Chief Water Resources Engineer Tony Comerio, P.E., CFM; and Chief Facilities Structural Engineer Dennis Wilkinson, P.E., S.E. Not pictured, Engineer Intern Tom Packman, EIT; Project Manager Jeff Tatarek, P.E., S.E.; and Aviation Engineer Rob Waller, P.E.
Matt was joined by nine of his Hanson colleagues for the training at LLCC’s Workforce Careers Center welding lab. The group received classroom instruction, watched welding demonstrations and participated in hands-on activities, including shielded metal arc, metal inert gas and flux cored arc welding.
“As a structural engineer, this has been, by far, the most effective continuing education I have attended. Plus, it was fun,” Project Manager Jeff Tatarek, P.E. S.E., said. “The classroom work on weld processes, electrode types and uses, non-destructive testing and instructional videos were all just excellent. Then, we had the opportunity to take it into the shop and practice the real thing.”