Airgas, along with the City of Philadelphia and School District of Philadelphia, marked the continued partnership between Airgas and A. Philip Randolph Career & Technical High School during a ceremony at the school’s welding workshop.
Since 2012, Airgas has provided financial aid and equipment donations for the school’s welding program, and has implemented a mentorship program between Airgas associates and A. Philip Randolph students, including field trips to tour professional welding facilities.
The partnership between Airgas and A. Philip Randolph aims to support the welding trade and combat the current shortage of skilled welders, helping to keep metal fabrication jobs in the country, as well as provide a career path for students who may come from disadvantaged backgrounds. In 1988 there were 570,000 welders in the US, according to data kept by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
By 2012, there were fewer than 360,000. The American Welding Society estimates that by 2020 there will be a shortage of 290,000 professionals, including inspectors, engineers, and teachers.
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