Santa Clarita Valley College Responds to Demands of High-Tech Industries

The College of the Canyons, located in Valencia, Calif., has been supplying Southern California industry with skilled certified welders since 1976. With the rapid expansion of high-technology business in the Santa Clarita Valley and vicinity, there has been a growing demand for welders with automation skills. These positions offer greater pay and require computer skills.

Jack Compton, director of the college's welding program, began offering an orbital welding class in January 1999. With the recent generous donation of state-of-the-art orbital welding equipment by Arc Machines, Inc., Pacoima Calif., the welding technology program has been significantly enhanced. In addition, Unitek Miyachi Laser Systems Div., Monrovia, Calif., has provided the latest in low-power YAG laser welding equipment, as well as a variety of small-scale fine spot resistance welding equipment. "With the new influx of laser, orbital and resistance welding equipment, we have expanded our curriculum to include fundamentals of resistance, laser beam and orbital gas tungsten arc welding," said Compton.

Students are currently being trained on AMI's Model 227 power supply, and AMI Model 15 and AMI Model 79 welding heads for orbital welding. Laser welding training is being supported with a Unitek Miyachi Model LW-250 low-power YAG system. For resistance welding, training is accomplished on Miyachi Models IP-217A, IP-215 A power supplies and Models MH-80 and MH-88 weld heads. This broad spectrum of welding process applications, along with hands-on welding experience enables students to seek careers in the aerospace, semiconductor, petrochemical, power generation, food and medical industries.

The College of the Canyons is the only community college in California equipped with this range of automated welding equipment. The partnership of local industry and the College of the Canyons presents a great opportunity for students who are seeking high-technology careers in automated welding.


Published in The Welding Journal, February 2001