Lakeland receives $180K grant for new welding booths

The Industrial Mechanics Lab at Lakeland High School in Rathdrum will have six new welding booths by March 2024.

“It’s so huge,” instructor Corey Pettit said. “I feel so blessed we got this for our kids. It’s pretty awesome.”

Director of Facilities and Maintenance Mike Ferriola helped Pettit apply for a Leading Idaho Grant and the district was awarded more than $180,000 to add booths, welding machines, electrical, manifolds and to plumb gas lines and upgrade the HVAC system.

“There was $5 million out there to be divvied up, so I thought I’ve got to swing big here,” Pettit said. “I always knew that more booths would really help my students, but it was never in my budget. So when this grant opened up, I was like, ‘I’m going to swing for the fences.’”

Each welding booth will be equipped with machines that can do flux core, gas metal and shielded metal arc welding, doubling the capacity for welding time in the lab.

“The more time the students spend under the welding hood, the better,” Pettit said.

His classes are typically about 20 students in five welding booths, and they rotate access through class time. When the new booths are complete, half of his students should be able to access a booth at one time.

“I told the students, it’s got to be done by March, so you’re going to get to use it,” Pettit said. “They’re onboard. And I told them it’s pretty awesome that the state is investing in them.”

Pettit will have to restructure his classes in order to accommodate the new capacity, but he looks forward to solving that challenge.

Because everything will be brand new, Pettit will likely have older students work first in the booths and chaperone younger students through learning the new equipment.

He’ll also have to teach the students to shift or switch from each welding style, and learning to set up and tear down the equipment will be another trade skill in which students will get hands-on experience.

The Leading Idaho Initiative by Gov. Brad Little aims to support workforce training centers like Pettit's classes through the Workforce Development Council, according to the grant overview.

The district will be 100% reimbursed for construction costs by the grant, which provides for investments in career-technical education.

"I’m just really excited for the kids," Pettit said.

When he applied for the grant, Pettit aimed to get everything he wanted for the lab that would help the students succeed, and he was rewarded with everything he asked for.

“That is fantastic. Good job!” Lakeland District Trustee Randi Bain said during a meeting when the board of trustees heard the announcement.