Demand for welding, carpentry course seats almost overwhelming
By Jamie Anfenson-Comeau
It’s been years in the works, but now that T.H. Harris has begun offering introductory technical courses in Eunice, the interest has been almost overwhelming.
“We’ve gotten a lot of response; in fact, we’ve gotten so much response we’ve had to start a waiting list for the next iteration of the program,” T.H. Harris Dean Allen Espree said Monday, the first day of the evening classes.
The classes run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, for five weeks at the Eunice Vocational Education Center.
During the summer, courses are expected to be offered both days and evenings to meet the high demand.
The Residential Carpentry course, taught by Kerry Fontenot and Kevin O’Brien, had a dozen students registered; the Introduction to Basic Welding & Oxyfuel Cutting taught by Daniel Soileau had 25 students show up for the 12-student class.
In the end, the first 17 students to enroll were accepted into the class; others were wait-listed or accommodated at the Opelousas campus.
Soileau, who has over 20 years’ experience working in the welding industry, said that the course is designed to provide an introduction to welding for novices.
“The course doesn’t cost anything, and it gives them a chance to actually come and do hands-on welding, see what it’s about and make a decision about whether they like it or no. If they do then they can pursue it further,” Soileau said.
O’Brien said that the skills taught in the residential carpentry course are much in demand by employers he’s spoken with.
“I talked to some guys and the need is there for having labor that can get there and know what they’re doing. You just can’t find people who have the knowledge. You have to start from zero to train them,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said that even basic skills, such as tool knowledge and safety, are invaluable to employers.
“It doesn’t have to be a full carpenter, even if they have enough knowledge to come in and be a helper,” he added.
Students expressed a variety of reasons for enrolling in the program and making the 20-hour per week committment to the course.
Kevin Miller, a 46-year-old Eunice resident, first read about the class in the newspaper. Miller wanted to see if carpentry was the right field for him. “I needed to try and start doing something. I’m getting kind of old, so I’m trying to get a new trade.”
Annjanette Thomas, a mother of two, said that she wanted to learned how to do work on her own house.
Eva Reed, a drafter, heard about the program on the radio; she wanted to improve her drafting skills.
“To design a house is one thing, but building it is something else.”
All three of them said they would not have enrolled if the program weren’t being offered in Eunice.
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