News

Approximately 500 people celebrated a historic milestone in skilled trades education at the grand opening of the Welding Technology Center on the Southeast Community College Lincoln Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 21. This transformational facility will change the landscape of SCC’s Welding Technology program as it addresses a critical workforce need in Nebraska and across the nation.  

“This journey began four years ago when we sat down with our industry partners to understand exactly what they needed from SCC,” said Dr. Paul Illich, SCC president. “Those conversations weren’t just informative, they were transformative. They led us to reimagine not just our curriculum, but how to better equip the workforce through high-impact, hands-on, technical training. Today, we’re celebrating the culmination of that vision with this nearly 100,000 square-foot facility which is one of the most significant accomplishments in our College’s history.”

The new facility will more than double the enrollment capacity of one of the longest running programs at the College while also establishing SCC as the premier destination for welding education in the U.S. In the Welding Technology program’s previous space on the Lincoln campus, 84 individual welding booths allowed for instruction. This new facility provides 196 booths, the most found in single building on any college campus in the nation. The Welding Technology Center also includes bays designed for semi-trucks to pull in and unload material as well as an overhead bridge crane which provides safe operations for unloading material to be used at press brakes and metal forms.

“This day represents not only the opening of a new facility, but also the beginning of new opportunities for students, for local industry and for the future of Nebraska’s workforce,” said Michael Krupnicki, past president of the American Welding Society. “You haven’t just built a welding facility, you have made a statement to the country that Nebraska is serious about producing a welding workforce for today and tomorrow. Nebraska has recognized this great need and responded with strong leadership. This innovative facility breaks the mold of the traditional welding school.”

Welding represents a high-demand, high-skill, high-wage career. The Welding Technology Center also addresses the needs of local industry to upskill their current workforce in a separate space devoted to local industry partners for customized training. In addition, international welding equipment manufacturers have donated state-of-the-art, brand-new equipment, that allows SCC students to train and learn on the latest equipment used in the field, including new equipment from Fronius that will be introduced at SCC before being released at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago, Sept. 8-11.

“At City Hall, we recognize the incredible value SCC provides,” said Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. “This new center is going to supply our businesses with the talent they need to grow. It’s equally exciting that students and companies from around the country will have opportunities because of this center. As future workforce talent comes here to strengthen their outlook and opportunities, they’re also strengthening ours. They’re enhancing Lincoln’s status as a place of innovation and opportunity.”

The Welding Technology Center, designed by Davis Design and Olsson, is a $33 million, nearly 100,000 square-foot facility featuring 196 individual booths, an 11,000 square-foot fabrication lab and 4,500 square feet dedicated to specialized industry training needs. Developed with input from local businesses, educators and schools, the center ensures the best methods for teaching, training and recruiting students and employees. Its state-of-the-art equipment, collaboration areas and gathering spaces foster hands-on learning and industry partnerships, giving students valuable exposure to business leaders while providing companies with opportunities for staff training and certification. Built with the future in mind, the design also allows for expansion as the program and enrollment grow.

“This is a big day for the State of Nebraska,” said Governor Jim Pillen. “This is an extraordinary investment in our kids’ future. This investment helps our young people know that they have unlimited, extreme opportunities for careers.”

In addition to the new facility, SCC offers welding training at The Career Academy on the Lincoln campus, through dual credit courses at multiple high schools in southeast Nebraska, and on the Milford and Beatrice campuses. In total, the college has more than 260 individual welding booths, more than any community college or training facility in the nation.

“I want to congratulate your leadership. Thank you Dr. Illich for everything you have done to take SCC into the next generation of workforce development,” said Rep. Mike Flood. “This is what the Board of Governors saw when they were presented with the challenges their constituents talked about. We spend a lot of time in America talking about our problems. Today we are celebrating a solution.”

Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
Southeast Community College
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu