To ensure students are prepared for in-demand, high-skill, high-wage careers in Texas, Rockdale ISD offers 12 programs of study that include occupations that meet regional labor market criteria that include projected job growth, annual job openings and the state median wage. We ensure course sequences that lead to postsecondary education and training opportunities and work with students to plan for life after high school, wherever their scholastic interests may take them.
One of the programs of study in the Manufacturing Career Cluster that has gained continued interest lately is welding. This is due to the work of previous Rockdale ISD Ag Science Teachers and current teachers Skeet Manley and Makayla Sosa and the Welding and Ag Mechanics courses that each are responsible for teaching. Mr. Manley began teaching in 2020 and comes with many years of industry experience. Ms. Sosa also began teaching in 2020 and is well educated in welding applications. The team is continuing to build the program that has been building over the past several years.
Welding is not an easy job. It can be brutal in the hot Texas summers and not very pleasant in the few days of winter. Not to mention it requires a certain amount of strength; this is not a desk job. But welding is essential to the infrastructure of our lives and many people don’t realize the importance it plays in our everyday lives. The conversation around the country has centered on the skills gap in the trades for some time now, and Rockdale CTE has been focused on helping close that gap. The teachers at Rockdale High School have been working to create interest in younger generations, increase the knowledge in the field and help fill the growing demand for welders.
Students in the welding courses at Rockdale High School are students who show an interest or aptitude for the career and begin the coherent sequence of courses in Principles of Skilled Trades where they learn about safety, tools, measurement and other basics. Students can then begin to take classes specific to welding to earn industry-based certifications.
Once the students are in the advanced level welding classes, they can also compete against other schools in welding competitions through the Texas High School Welding Series. Recently, students competed at the Fourth Annual Tiger Tough welding contest, sponsored by Perry and Perry Builders, where they had the chance to participate in four different levels of competitions. Students also participated in a timed cutting contest, welding knowledge, tool identification quiz and team build.
The results from the contest were impressive. In Level 1, Diego Garza was the overall winner and earned his AWS 2F Certification. Daniel Romero was also successful in earning his 2F Certification. Nearly 25 students competed from Rockdale at this event, and many were in Levels 3 and 4 that require X-Ray and results for those levels are pending. With over 300 contestants in the contest, this is quite the accomplishment and says a lot about the program.
Please contact Britina Pesak, Executive Director of College and Career Readiness at bpesak@rockdaleisd.net or 512-430-6000, ext. 1021 if you would like to find out more about any of the CTE programs available at Rockdale ISD.
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