Bucksport, ME - Over the past 18 years, Joel Pelletier (not pictured) has trained Bucksport high school students in welding, a trade that is both lucrative and in high demand. Median wages starting out are between $35,000 and $45,000, but wages go way up as welders accrue experience and certifications. Developing those skills gives Bucksport grads an edge for life. Full story here.
Many people might think handling a device that emits electrical arcs hot enough to melt metal would be stressful. But the welding students find calm within the total focus required for a good, safe weld. “Nothing else matters when I’m welding,” said Ethan Kane, a junior. “It’s an awesome feeling; it really calms me down.”
After graduating Pelletier’s program, many students go on to study at Eastern Maine Community College’s two-year welding program, which one former student said is known in the industry as the best college for welding on the East Coast. “We had people in their forties from Florida come up just to take that schooling,” he said.
Pelletier’s welding classes are structured to prepare students for certification exams, where they must demonstrate a steady hand and precise aim. In his first year of welding, Ellsworth junior Ethan Kane has already earned four certifications. He plans to start working towards more advanced exams next year.
Pelletier (not pictured) said he strives to help his students build a comfortable future for themselves. “The more I train them, the less I have to worry about when they go home if they’re going to be able to feed their families,” he said. “That’s my goal.”