15 April ICC celebrates April as National Welding Month; students in Metallica class share their stories April 15, 2024 By Thomas, Donna S. Career Center, General 0 Chris Adair of Saltillo is a student in Itawamba Community College’s welding class that has been funded by a grant from Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands. He and his classmates as well as all students in ICC’s welding classes are joining in the celebration of April as National Welding Month. Adair said that enrolling in the class was a great opportunity to learn welding. “I’m hooked on a hobby that I can have for a lifetime.” His grandfather was a welder for both the Navy and NASA. “I would have made my grandfather proud. I can feel his arms on mine when I stick weld.” A general studies graduate in 2018, Adair said he didn’t know what his future would bring. He said he spent a lot of time playing video games. “I didn’t know what to do. I saw the opportunity and decided to go for it. I was nervous at first, but I’ve started a hobby that I enjoy.” Adair and his classmates have different stories, but their chance meeting in ICC’s welding class has given them an opportunity to learn something that will give them a better future. Eric Passmore of Guntown said it is a good opportunity to get more experience in welding, which he said he has always wanted. He is also a student in ICC’s Diesel Technology program,which meets during the day, as well as an employee of Tag Truck Center. “Since the welding class is at night, it’s a perfect fit for me. I’ve learned how to stick weld, which is my favorite part.” A graduate of ICC’s Heating and Air Conditioning program, Jacob Clouse of Mantachie had two-years of experience in his high school career education program. He also works full-time and supervises a crew. Clouse said that one day he hopes to start his own business; however, he noted that “tons of people could benefit from this class, including those who have farm equipment, homes and in tool and die,” not just those who want to make it their life work. According to the American Welding Society, welding careers are in high demand. “Welding technicians can use computers and robots, and more skilled tradesmen become inspectors, supervisors, researchers, engineers and owner operators.” Statistics show that the United States will need more than 360,000 welding professionals by 2027. “Many welders are highly skilled problem solvers working in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas and shipbuilding industries. A welding career can lead to financial security, career advancement and important work in areas around the world.” Jaylon Agnew of Fulton said that a buddy talked him into finding out more about the Metallica class. He said it’s interesting and a little more difficult than he thought, but it’s a great skill to have. “I hope to start my own business one day,” he said. “I’m a very big Metallica fan. I play the guitar myself and am into metal. Thank you for helping a lot of people by doing this.” Components of the Metallica class, which began last October, include introduction to welding I, introduction to STEM (fall) and two fully-online classes in entrepreneurship and principles of marketing (spring). ICC was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive $100,000 to transform the futures of students in the area. The Metallica class was tailored for students aspiring to establish their own welding businesses, and participants received free welding supplies branded with the Metallica All Within My Hands and ICC’s logos. And during this nationally-celebrated Welding Month, it’s a great time to reflect on the value of welders in our society, to thank All Within My Hands for this tremendous opportunity that it has provided to ICC and to share the stories of Chris Adair, Eric Passmore, Jacob Clouse and Jaylon Agnew. Their story could be your story. In addition to the Metallica welding class, ICC offers a one-year selective admission program, which will earn the completer a career certificate. Classes begin in August each year. For more information, email careereducation@iccms.edu. Related Articles ICC Welding/Cutting students celebrate their career path every day Although the nation commemorates April as National Welding Month, students in Kent Lewis’s Welding and Cutting Technology class at Itawamba Community College’s Belden Center celebrate their career path and ultimate profession every day. This year’s theme is “Connected by Welding: Bridging Communities and Industries,” and ICC’s students definitely do. According to Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education, ICC’s welding students are an excellent example of the definition of community partners. “They contribute to worthwhile events and charities while sharing their talents as often as possible. Every project provides an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity while honing their skills in their chosen profession.” ICC’s welding students come from different backgrounds and have different career expectations, but they are bound by their love and passion for welding. Among their stories have included “I’m hooked on a hobby that I can have for a lifetime. My grandfather was a welder, and I would have made him proud. I can feel his arms on mine when I stick weld.” Some hope to start their own business, but no matter their story, their chance meeting in ... ICC students join national OTA celebration; commemorate their profession As the nation celebrates Occupational Therapy Month in April, students in Itawamba Community College’s OTA program will also commemorate their profession, especially Rodney Hardy, who is on track to graduate in May. “This has been by far one of the most challenging, yet best experiences of my life,” he noted. Here’s his story… Back in 2014, when he was a nursing student at ICC, Hardy left class, got caught in a bad snow/ice storm, hit a patch of ice, and his car slid, fish tailed and flipped five times. He thought he was stuck between the steering wheel and dashboard, but the car had crushed his left leg. He calls one of his classmates his guardian angel because she noticed that he was no longer following behind her. “Something kept telling her to turn around and thankfully she listened and found me. She called 911, but the ambulance couldn’t get close enough to the scene where my car had landed because of the ice. With the help of a friend who was hunting and just happened to be coming ... Apply NOW for free welding class made possible by Metallica's foundation, All Within My Hands A free class in welding, which begins at the Itawamba Community College Belden Center, Oct. 11, is possible due to a grant this summer from Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands. The class will meet for one eight-week term, and the curriculum includes introduction to welding I and introduction to STEM. During the second phase, which begins Jan. 8, the students will take shielded metal arc welding and two fully-online classes in entrepreneurship and principles of marketing. Among the schools, which applied for the grant, ICC was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive $100,000 to transform the futures of students in the community. For more information on enrolling in the Oct. 11 welding class, contact Dylan Baldwin, dean of career education, at 662.407.1414 or email dcbaldwin@iccms.edu. ICC joins in National Truck Driver Appreciation Week; now recruiting students for upcoming classes Itawamba Community College is joining with the American Trucking Association in celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 15-21. The weeklong celebration honors the millions of professional truck drivers who deliver America’s freight safely and securely every day. It is especially meaningful to Itawamba Community College, which is also celebrating its Commercial Truck Driving program that is now recruiting students for classes that will begin soon at its Tupelo Campus. ICC’s CTD program prepares individuals to drive Class A semitrucks and other commercial vehicles. It includes instruction in operating diesel-powered vehicles, loading and unloading cargo, reporting delays or accidents on the road, verifying loads against shipping records and keeping necessary records. It is designed to give the future driver a complete and thorough understanding of logbooks, trip records and the motor carrier safety regulations of the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Options include four weeks, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., or 16-weeks. Enrollment requirements include U.S. citizen or Puerto Rico valid driver’s license; copy of good ... Itawamba Community College receives $100,000 and joins 41 other schools across the US as All Within My Hands' Metallica Scholars Initiative expands in year five Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands, continues its multimillion-dollar investment in critical workforce programs at community colleges nationwide. Among the schools, Itawamba Community College was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive $100,000 to transform the futures of students in the community. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious All Within My Hands grant, which will significantly impact our career education programs, providing funding for students to pursue a pathway and their best start,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College and reinforcement of the mission that students and their success are our top priority.” The Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) was launched in 2019 by Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The workforce initiative marks its fifth year with an ambitious expansion into new curricula. MSI now directly supports 42 community colleges across 33 states, and by the end of this year, it will have helped ... Metallica's All Within My Hands grant significantly impacts lives, futures of ICC students A $50,000 grant from Metallica’s All Within My Hands foundation is significantly impacting the lives and futures of more than 50 Itawamba Community College career education and health sciences students. They were selected based on an application process, which included information about the difference that receiving the scholarship will make in continuing their educational journey, according to Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education, who wrote the grant proposal. “This significant opportunity is making the difference in enabling many of the recipients to continue enrollment in their programs,” Baldwin noted. “Sometimes we don’t realize the struggles that students have to overcome to earn their ICC degrees to ensure a better future not only for themselves, but also in many instances, their families.” Among the student stories are, “My husband and I are struggling with money because of doctor bills…I am a 40-year-old veteran, 80 percent disabled trying to do something different with my life, something that’s not as physically hard labor as I’m used to…I am a 4.0 honor roll student, have maintained a 4.0 GPA since being in college ... Comments are closed.